Shipton Gorge owes its name to the Old English 'sceap' and 'tun' meaning 'Sheep farm' and Gorge which comes from the de Gorge family who had fought at the Battle of Hastings and, later when King John lost Normandy, had remained loyal and taken refuge in England. The modern village is a peaceful and very attractive rural settlement surrounded by incredibly beautiful countryside.
There has certainly been a church here for a very long time. The tower is C14, but there was probably a rebuild in the C17 with box pews and galleries. However, apart from the tower, the whole thing was rebuilt in 1862, using stone locally quarried in the parish and Bath stone, to a design by John Hicks of Dorchester. This more than doubled the seating of the old building. There was a big overrun of the budget culminating in a final cost of just short of £1100.
The font is early C14 and there are some excellent, beautifully sculpted capitals by Benjamin Grassby (see Powerstock and North Poorton). Note the colourful organ.
This is a delightful little country church, well worth visiting.
The Trust gratefully acknowledges images and text by Robin Adeney ©
Ref | Title | Town | Postcode | Distance |
---|---|---|---|---|
St. Martin | Shipton Gorge | DT6 4LZ | 0 | |
St. Mary the Virgin | Walditch | DT6 4LB | 1 | |
St. Mary | Burton Bradstock | DT6 4QY | 1 | |
Old Church | Bothenhampton | DT6 4BP | 1 | |
Methodist | Uploders | DT6 4NS | 2 | |
Holy Trinity New | Bothenhampton | DT6 4BH | 2 | |
Methodist Chapel | Bridport | DT6 4NT | 2 | |
St. Mary Magdalene | Loders | DT6 3RZ | 2 | |
Church | Chilcombe | DT6 4PN | 2 | |
Holy Trinity | Bradpole | DT6 3EP | 2 | |
St. Michael and All Angels | Askerswell | DT2 9EJ | 2 | |
St.Mary's Church | Bridport | DT6 3NN | 2 | |
St. Saviour | Dottery | DT6 3NN | 2 | |
St. John the Evangelist | West Bay | DT6 4EU | 2 | |
St. Swithun | Bridport | DT6 5DU | 2 | |
Holy Trinity | Swyre | DT2 9DN | 3 | |
St. Mary the Blessed Virgin | Puncknowle | DT2 9BP | 3 | |
St. Mary the Virgin | Powerstock | DT6 3TF | 3 | |
St. Mary | Litton Cheney | DT2 9AQ | 3 | |
St. John the Baptist | Symondsbury | DT6 6HB | 4 |
DHCT C/o Porter Dodson, 53 High West Street, Dorchester DT1 1UX
282790