Step back in time with our ‘Then and Now’ feature, where vintage postcards meet modern-day reality. Explore the past and present on the same page, and see the evolution of familiar local places.
In the 19th century, wages were lower in Stourpaine than in some other parishes and the village became known for its poor living standards, a refuge for those turned away by others. Pimperne’s Rev. Henry Austen reported in 1841 that the behaviour of some women was a problem in Stourpaine, because ‘in that village there are more bastard children than in any other village.’
The village hasn’t noticeably grown in almost two centuries – in 1867 the population of the parish was 658, and in the 2021 census the population was 642.
The White Horse, seen in both images opposite, is still as it was, on the west side of the A350 trunk road, adjacent to what used to be a petrol station, garage, post office and store. The terraced row of thatched farm cottages have long since made way for the widened A350.
The old school house, above top, is a private home now. The bell, porch and large round chimneys are all gone, but the building with its central tower is still recognisable.
