St. Mary the Virgin, Beaminster, Dorset

Description

The parish church of the Virgin Mary, standing on an eminence on the south side of the town, is a building of stone chiefly of Perpendicular date, and consists of chancel, nave of five bays, aisles, north porch and an embattled western tower containing a clock and 8 bells, with chimes, which play every three hours; the bells were rehung in 1887: the tower was restored in 1878 and the pinnacles replaced, at a cost of £1,100. There are two monuments to the Strode family, and several mural tablets: there are eleven stained windows, including those to Sir Henry Oglander bart. or Nunwell, Isle of Wight, d. 1874, Sir William Oglander bart. Colonel Cox and Edward Fox esq.: the ancient steps and doorway to the rood-loft still exist. In 1913 a new screen was erected in memory of Rev. A.A. Leonard M.A. vicar 1890-1912: on the south side of the church is a hagioscope. The aisles were newly roofed in 1889, at a cost of £400: the church has sittings for 750 persons.

Church Records

The parish register of baptisms, marriages and burials begins in 1684. The original register books are now deposited with the Dorset Archives Service, but have been digitised by Ancestry.co.uk and made available on their site (subscription required).

The Phillimore transcript of Marriages at Beaminster, 1585-1812 is online.

Photographs

Beaminster St Mary
© UK Genealogy Archives

Nave of Beaminster St Mary
© UK Genealogy Archives