Bere-Regis

BERE-REGIS, which gives name to a hundred, is a small and ancient town (supposed by Dr. Stukely to have been the Ibernium of the Romans), in Blandford division of the county and union of Wareham, 7 miles N.N.W. of that town, 5 N.N.E. of Moreton railway-station, 8 S.W. from Blandford, 10 N.E. from Dorchester, and 112 S.W. from London, placed near the small river Beer, generally known as the Birt. From this stream, and the place having been a royal demesne it derives its name. Here it was that Queen Elfrida retreated after plotting and witnessing the murder of her son-in-law, Edward the Martyr. A grant to hold a market was conferred by King John. and Edward I. made it a free borough, so that in preceding ages Bere appears to have been a place of some note; the market has long fallen into disuse, but a large fair for horses, cattle, sheep, cheese, and various other commodities is held at Woodbury hill, half a mile distant, on September 18th, and the five succeeding days.

The parish church of St. John the Baptist is a large ancient building with a square embattled tower, having a peal of five bells; the interior of the sacred edifice exhibits in its roof old carvings representing the twelve apostles, and at the base of the structure are monuments to the Turberville family, who at one period held the living, which is a vicarage, and with that of Charmouth formed the golden prebend in the cathedral church of Salisbury. There are also places of worship for Wesleyans and Independents; here is an endowed school for educating and clothing 7 poor boys belonging to the parish, and several daily schools, some of which beside instructing in reading and writing, teach the children to make wire shirt-buttons, hence termed 'buttoning schools,' there is also a National school at Shitterton an adjacent hamlet. At the passing of the Reform Bill Bere-Regis and Corfe Castle were included in the borough of Wareham which sends one member to parliament. The parish comprising also several hamlets, contains 8150 acres of land, and in 1841, had a population of 1394.

POST OFFICE at Mary Besent's, Letters arrive from Blandford at 9 a.m. and are despatched thereto at 4 15 p.m.

Carter Mr. Thomas
Ley Rev. Carrington, M.A. (vicar)
Radclyffe Chas. Jas. Esq. Hyde
Sanders Mr. John, Compton
Stent Mr. Samuel
Toomer Mr. Richard
Arnold James, agricultural machine owner
Battrick John, boot and shoemaker
Besant Wm. farmer, Shitterton
Best James, dairyman
Bevercomb John, grocery dealer
Biles William, blacksmith
Bishop Mary, national school mistress
Bishop Philip, saddler
Boswell Susan, milliner, &c.
Brain Richard, grocer and draper
Brown John, shoemaker
Bullen Jas. carpenter, Shitterton
Burge Robt. grocer & tallowchandler and agent to the Professional Life Assurance Co.
Case Henry, grocer and draper
Chaffey John, tailor
Chard George, tailor
Clinch Thomas, tailor
Culkin John Fredk. inland revenue officer
Davis John, saddler
Davis Matthew, carpenter
Devenish Sam. grocery, &c. dealer
Dibben George, butcher and beer retailer
Dowden Thos. Edward, farmer
Dowland Mary Ann, grocer, &c.
Forss Thomas, farmer
Galton Henry, carpenter, joiner, and beer retailer
Galpin Edward Patten, registrar of births and deaths and relieving officer, Shitterton
Gould Sarah, beer retailer
Gould Susan, dress maker
Henning John, farmer
Hibbs Edward, blacksmith, grocer, and draper
Hibbs Richard Hen. butter factor
Hillier Sarah, 'Royal Oak Commercial Inn'
Hoare Edward, farmer, Low. Hyde
Homer Thomas, farmer
House Esther, milliner, &c.
House Henry, carpenter
Huxford Elizabeth, milliner, &c.
Ingram Thomas, farmer, Philliols
Jesty Charles, farmer and road surveyor
Lane Charles, tailor
Lane Wm. boot and shoemaker
Lane Wm. jun. parish clerk
Lugg John, shoemaker, Shitterton
Miller Felix, farmer
Moor Emily, milliner, &c.
Mundell Joseph Hamilton, grocer and ironmonger
Nott Thomas, surgeon
Nott Thomas, jun. physician
Poor James, carpenter
Purchase Robert, farmer, Rye hill
Ricketts John, boot & shoemaker
Ricketts Mary, grocery dealer
Russell George, miller
Satchell Thomas, painter
Scutt George, farmer, Hyde
Scutt Richard, miller
Scutt William, brewer and farmer
Shaddock Robert, carrier
Sibley Mrs. Anne, milliner, &c.
Simper Phœbe, milliner, &c.
Shepherd Francis, farmer
Shepherd Louisa, ladies school
Sheppard Thomas, bricklayer
Spear Thomas, farmer
Spignell Ann, milliner, &c.
Stickland Thomas, shoemaker
Taber William, carrier
Vincent James, 'Draxs' Arms Inn'
Vincent John, bricklayer
Walbridge Sarah, farmer
Walbridge Wm. grocer and cooper
Welch James, shoemaker
White Tabitha, beer retailer & farmer
Woolfreys John, shoemaker
Woolfreys Saml. miller & farmer

CARRIERS to:

Dorchester, Ford and Co, mon. wed. and fri.
Dorchester, Joiner, sat.
" Shaddock, wed. and sat.
" Taber, sat.
To Poole Shaddock; mon.
" Taber, mon. and thus.
Wareham. Joiner, tues.
Wimbome ... Ford & Co. tues. ths. and sat.