Stourpaine
Clive Hannay in a village of great variety and charm
Published in August ’19
Thatch, flint and brick, cob, functional 20th-century architecture, modern conversions, bungalows, Victorian oddities – Stourpaine really has got the lot. If there was a competition for the Dorset village with the most varied and interesting architecture, it would surely be a strong contender. Yet the modern additions have mostly been sensitively done and the diverse styles come together to create a satisfying and attractive whole. Travellers hurrying along the busy A350 may be quite unaware of what a gem they are passing. The village has spread across to the eastern side of the road, but its heart and its main interest lie to the west.
Manor Road, the spine of the village, takes its name from the old manor house which stood immediately to the south of the church. Moated and palisaded, it may have been built in the 12th century and survived until Tudor times. Its site then became a venue for cock-fighting and bear-baiting.
The church itself, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was largely rebuilt in 1858, but the tower is 15th-century. A chalice of 1558 is still in regular use. There is a memorial to John Straight, a former rector whose van Dyck beard and long hair place him squarely in the late 17th century. The notable aspect of the memorial is that Rev. Straight erected it himself while he was still alive!
Stourpaine has always been something of an island between the Rivers Stour and Iwerne and the main north-south trunk route. It became even more so when the Somerset & Dorset Railway was built on an embankment to the south. Stourpaine and Durweston Halt was one of the smallest stations on the line.
Another connection with steam is that Stourpaine was the site of the first Great Dorset Steam Fair in 1969. It was held initially in a field by the river, moving two years later to Stourpaine Bushes, on the Blandford side of the village and on the eastern side of the main road. That first show was simply two collectors, Michael Oliver and Ted Hine, putting on display some of their steam engines and other memorabilia. It was not called ‘Great’ in those days, of course, and was tiny compared with the mammoth five-day event it has become.
On the northern skyline is Hod Hill. This Iron Age fort encloses an area of 54 acres, making it one of the largest Dorset hillforts. It was captured by Vespasian’s Second Legion in AD 43. Unusually, the Romans then used part of the fort to create a camp for themselves, although it was only occupied for five or six years. Today, Hod is known for its butterflies and chalkland wildflowers.
A circular walk of not much more than three quarters of a mile is enough to take in most of the delights of Stourpaine, but it is worth extending it by about the same amount to explore the rest of the village. For the more energetic, there is an extension of about 1¾ miles, including a steep climb up to the ramparts of Hod Hill.
Coming from the south, take the first turning after the White Horse, which is South Holme. There should be a spot on this road where you can park considerately. Walk back up to the main road and turn right. Pass the White Horse (a happy combination of village pub and village shop) and in about 100 yards turn right into Norton View, then bear immediately left on an unmarked path that leads across a patch of grass to a stile.
Bear right to cross the next field diagonally to a gate and stile. Turn right, then immediately left, down a paved lane. A few yards before the brick arch of an old railway bridge, turn right through a kissing gate onto a path between two fences. On the embankment to the left are the skeletal, slightly eerie remains of the old S&D halt.
The humps and hollows on the right reveal that this was the site of the manor house and
later cockpit.
Leave the path through a gate onto an open space in front of the parish church. Having visited the church, turn right out of its door and walk round to the lych-gate, which gives onto Manor Road. Walk up Manor Road to the crossroads. On the left is Church House, a splendidly eccentric piece of Victorian architecture, bell-cote and all. It was built in 1893 and served as what today we would call a village hall and as a library. It was sold in 1964, when the present village hall, opened in 1967, was planned. On the right is the old elementary school, with its unusual spire. It was built in 1873 for 139 children and closed in 1977; today, most of the village’s children attend primary school in Durweston.
You can turn right at the crossroads and return to your car. However, it is well worth continuing straight up Manor Road to see more examples of Stourpaine’s varied architecture, including a handsome modern development, The Stables, and some good thatch – look out for the hare dancing on a roof-ridge. At the very end of Manor Road is the pretty River Iwerne, flowing down to its junction with the Stour just south of the village. Then retrace your steps to the crossroads and turn right to explore Havelins, where the rather grand Havelins Farmhouse and the bijou Rose Cottage co-exist in slightly incongruous proximity, before returning to the crossroads.
All these features are taken in by the major extension to the walk. On first arriving at the crossroads, turn left and follow Havelins to a bridge over the Iwerne with the village hall car park to the left. Here turn right into Hod Drive and follow this track as it ascends gently and bends to the left. It then goes downhill, enters woodland and reaches the peaceful waters of the Stour. Within 50 yards, an unmarked path climbs the bank to the right. At the top, fork left to follow a fairly well-defined path that climbs through
the woodland.
Near the top of the climb, go over a stile on the right and continue ahead, over a little saddle, to reach the edge of the wood. Turn left and head for the ramparts of Hod Hill ahead. Reaching the outer rampart, turn right, but at the first gap in the inner rampart, take the opportunity to cross to the inner rampart and continue in the same direction. On the left is the corner of the hillfort where the Romans built their camp, and the space beyond gives a good idea of what a large area the original fort encompassed. To the right is a splendid view of Stourpaine.
Reaching the next gap in the inner rampart, descend and turn right to a gate and stile. Beyond, follow a track downhill and continue on it as it becomes a path and swings to the right, alongside the River Iwerne. Where the path goes to the right, turn left and walk down to the top of Manor Road. Head straight down Manor Road to the crossroads, where it is a left turn into South Holme to reach your car.
