Taking the dialect poetry of Willliam Barnes to some remarkable Dorset churches

David Downton

[with acknowledgement to my helpers Anna Edmonds, Rebecca Milne and Anne Wickens]

During a period of incapacity, through illness, I was surveying a map of Dorset, discovering villages and hamlets I had not visited. Fortunately, good health and a long retirement enabled me to travel extensively abroad. Now with neither favourable health, nor time on my side I decided, with the aid of my incredible band of helpers, to visit as many of these unknown hamlets as possible, some of whom as a passionate son of Dorset, I was ashamed to admit I had never even heard of.
My plan went further. For many years I have been a member and dialect reader of the William Barnes Society whose aim is to perpetuate the poetry of this brilliant Dorset man, poet, scholar, linguist, musician and craftsman. I intended to visit as many small, interesting and unusual, parish churches as possible and read his Dorset dialect poetry from the pulpit of each church. I have a first edition of Barnes poetry written in pure Dorset dialect, which was later modified to accommodate the
change of speech, from dialect to ‘national English’. I intended to read in ‘pure Dorset dialect’, the oldest form of Saxon in this country, certainly not the ‘yokel’ language that the ill-informed seem to think it is!

I visited twenty churches which were unusual and iconic, but there is only room in this article to write about some of them. Barnes would be pleased at my first visit. St Edwold’s church, in the hamlet of Stockwood is the only church in our country to have this dedication. Edwold was the younger brother of Edmund, Saxon king of Anglia who was murdered by Danes, but refused the Crown and made his way to Dorset to become a religious hermit, settling in Cerne Abbey.

Sadly, after a short life he died and was buried there. However, records tell us that he had a cell (a small hut or religious retreat) in Stockwood which accounts for the dedication. This church is the second smallest in the country, seating 45 worshipers and is about the size of a bus. It was rebuilt in the 15 th century with later additions, but because of dedication to a Saxon saint living in the 9th century, it’s perceived to have been the site of a much earlier Saxon church.Excavations have provided evidence for this. My choice of poem here was to remember William Barnes and my many friends who are no longer here .…… ‘The Vaices that be gone’. (Stocwode in Saxon, ‘Stoc’ refers to an outlying settlement, and ‘wudu’ means a wood. So, it was a secondary settlement beside a wood )

St Cuthbert’s Chapel in Oborne, is a listed church building with fascinating history. Located near Sherborne and maintained by The Church Conservation Trust. Only the chancel of the original 1533 church remains, making it the smallest church in Dorset and among the smallest in England. The site is hallowed, with an earlier chapel built
by monks from Sherborne Abbey which was a cathedral in Saxon times around 970 AD. The current chapel was built just before the Reformation of Henry VIII and contains descriptions dedicated to the Abbot and the Sacristan of Sherborne. For centuries later St Cuthbert’s fell into decay and after demolition in the 1860’s only the present chancel survived. A new St Cuthbert’s church was built elsewhere in the village in 1862. In this small church we were able to see medieval tiles, 17th Century Communion rails and a 16th century barrel vaulted roof. The Chapel was restored in the 1930’s and vested to The Churches Conservation Trust in 1975. St Cuthbert was a Saxon monk, hermit and missionary who became bishop of Hexam in 684.

Later, he exchanged his bishopric for that of Lindesfarne. He is known as one of the first nature conservationists where he established “bird protection laws” for the eider, or cuddy duck, on Farne island. I thought it most appropriate to read one of Barnes most beautiful poems about ‘weathering the storms of life’ and illustrating through Nature his concept of ‘true love’ It’s called ‘The Weather Beaten Tree’.

My next visit was to St Basil’s Church in the Dorset hamlet of Toller Fratrum. St Basil was an early Roman Christian, Bishop of Caesarea from 370AD – 379AD until he died, when he was given a Sainthood for his defence of Orthodox Christianity. This church contained some remarkable ancient artifacts. Despite being largely rebuilt in the 19th century it was owned with the manor, by the Knights Hospitallers of St John in the medieval period. It gained its name ‘Toller of the Brothers’ from the Order’s presence. Inside this simple church there is an elaborately carved Saxon font decorated with biblical scenes including curious archaic figures and a two headed monster.

There is also a 12th century stone fragment showing a carving of Mary Magdalene washing Christ’s feet. Regular worship ceased in 2013, probably due to its remote location.

At St Basils I read Barnes poem “Carn A-Turnen Yoller”

All Saints Church, Nether Cerne. This church is a picturesque, listed building with rich history. Located beside the river Cerne and a 17th century manor house. It was built in the 13th century primarily from banded flint and stone. Its most noticeable feature is the 15th century west tower decorated with carved angels instead of the more typical grotesque gargoyles found on many Dorset church towers. Inside, the church contains a rare 12th century font made of Purbeck stone with a cauldron bowl distinguished with its fluted and ribbed shape. There is a 1685 grave slab for John Damer set in the floor. The parish was once part of the endowment of the nearby Cerne Abbey, and their benedictine monks served it until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII.

Regular services ceased in 1968, then it was placed under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust in 1973. I read ‘The Woody Holler’ at this church. We can trace Holy Trinity, Chilfrome which is set in the Frome valley, to the medieval period. The church fabric preserves features from the 13th and 14th century. A 13th century chancel arch and 14 th century nave, while some windows date from the 15 th century. These medieval elements sit within a building which has undergone careful Victorian restoration, most in 1854 when the church was rebuilt.

There remains though, enough original material for it to retain its medieval character. Ecclesiastical records show William Wyle as rector in 1267 and there has been uninterrupted worship on the site for 700 years. In this church I read Barnes poem “Harvest Huome” “The wold oones took their pipes to smoke and tell ther tiales an lafe and joke. Alooken at the younger voke that got up for a hop” Saint Mary’s Church, Pilsdon. Pilsdon is an ancient place which was listed as “Pilesdone” in the Domes Day book in 1086, which meant a hill or peak. Saint Mary’s church is now owned by the Pilsdon community which they acquired in 1984, a year after it was declared redundant by the Diocese of Salisbury. Since then, it has served as a private chapel for this ecumenical community, which provides a refuge for people seeking a place of stability and healing. The community has made its unique mark on the church’s interior. Instead of traditional pews the seating is straw bales which creates a rustic atmosphere. Saint Mary’s is adjacent to the historic Pilsdon Manor house, set with attractive gardens, peaceful and secluded. The church has medieval origins but much of what we see today is the result of rebuilding and restoration.

Originally a thirteenth century parish church, it features surviving fifteenth century windows and other early remnants including a Norman font. Significant restorations were undertaken in 1830 and 1875 when the bell turret was erected. The church was most recently restored in 2000 following a fire in the late 1990’s. Here I read “Maiple Leaves Be Yoller” and “The Weather-Beaten Tree” dedicated to the members of the Pilsdon community.

The little church of Saint Andrew Winterborne Tompson in the Winterborne Valley, is a rare example of a Norman church that has remained largely unaltered since the 12th century. It is one of the few single cell Norman churches with an apsidal (semicircular architectural recess) in this country. Despite its antiquity the interior is dominated by early 18 th century woodwork. In the 1700’s, local landowner from Blandford, William Wake, later Archbishop of Canterbury, paid for a full interior refit.

This included distinctive oak box pews, pulpit and communion rails. An 18 th century musician’s gallery and late medieval wagon roof complete this extraordinary interior. St Andrews fell into disuse from 1896, probably from lack of available parishioners, and was used to shelter farm animals, becoming almost derelict by the early 20th century. Happily, this situation changed in 1931 when The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings funded restoration, led by architect A.R.Powys, and memorably funded by the sale of their treasured manuscripts of Dorset author Thomas Hardy, a longstanding member of the Society who admired this church. It is now cared for by The Churches Conservation Trust and is no longer in regular use but stands as a unique historical artifact. Here I read “A-Halen Carn”.

The old Holy Trinity Church Bothenhampton should not be confused with the village’s main place of worship, which is also Holy Trinity church. However, the historic medieval church was formerly the parish church but is now administered by The Historic Churches Trust. This old church features a 15th century tower and a 13th century Chancel but fell into disuse when the new parish church was built. The nave was demolished and for some time the chancel served as a mortuary chapel.

It features an elegant 18th century reredos, which is an ornamental screen behind the altar rail which rises directly from the floor, rather than resting on the altar itself. The term is from the Anglo-Norman word ‘areredos’ meaning ‘behind’. The communion rail is also 18th century. As a tribute to my paternal grandfather who was a shepherd at Stratton near Dorchester, I read William Barnes poem ‘The Shepherd O ‘The Farm’. Fred served in the Queen’s Own Dorset Yeomanry for sometime and was a brilliant horseman. He was a kind, gentle and caring manwho was my role model. I have fond memories of spending all my school holidays with my grandparents, roaming the countryside and enjoying gran’s cooking. In 1951 Grandad, who knew about horses, gave me a tip for The Grand National, ‘Nickel Coin’ which won at 40-1. He put my shilling pocket money, from Grandma, on the horse and won me forty-one shillings. But swore me to secrecy, especially not to tell Grandma!

My final visit was to St Georges Church, Portland, an imposing building built entirely of local Stone. In memory of my late wife Mavis, who was born there I read ‘The wife A’lost’, probably the best marital loss poem written by an English poet.

I was pleased I was able to read the poem which is very emotional for me as I have tried and failed to read this at Whitcombe Church several times whilst trying to record a DVD for the family. William Barnes would have appreciated how I felt.