Briantspuddle a unique Dorset village

Firstly thank you so much to everyone who left a comment on my last post.Your comments have helped so much, and our hearts have been uplifted by the huge response.

We have been avoiding our  favourite walks and following an article in a magazine we decided to visit Briantspuddle, a village close-by. Although we have been here before many years ago I didn't know all about it's history. Do you also find that however long you live somewhere there is always something new to discover?


The name Debenham is well known today for it's department stores and the shop can trace it's origins all the way back to 1778. In 1914 Ernest Debenham bought 3,500 acres in Briantspuddle . His vision was to bring together both the production and selling of products direct from the farm, cutting out the middle man. It is strange to see this idea one hundred years later gaining in popularity again.

The farm buildings and estate cottages were built in the Arts and Craft Style and each cottage had a bathroom, an inside lavatory and a quarter acre garden and a pig pen! As you see the buildings look so attractive. The estate workers must have been so lucky to have such a beautiful home.The major building programme started after the First World War and provided employment and homes which were both in short supply at this time. The cottages still have large back garden,we didn't however notice any pigs! It was lovely to see the grass had been cut in the traditional way and left to dry.


During the 1914 War Ernest appointed his sister Alice as farm manager and she went on to become a co-founder of the Soil Association, which promotes and certifies the growing of organic food. We have always cared passionately about the environment and supporting local producers and were very surprised to discover that this village had been involved in such pioneering agriculture experiments.
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There are many signs of autumn appearing all around too! 




Our walk took us to the banks of the River Piddle (many of the villages in this location include this river in  their name  Affpuddle, Turnerspuddle, Tolpuddle, Puddletown!  The views across the meadows were equally good.


Back in the village we discovered this "Dead Woman's Stone". It was believed to mark a medieval suicide stone dating back to the 14th century.   It was rediscovered by some Canadian soldiers on a nearby moor in the 2nd World War and it has now been relocated here.


The village has no church but has a very unusual war memorial which was designed by the printmaker and sculpture artist Eric Gill (1882-1940), who also followed the Art and Crafts Movement. It records the seven men who died in the First World War as well as a further six from the Second World War. It was built from the locally provided Portland stone.


The village hall held an exhibition documenting the history of the village unfortunately it ended the day before we visited here, but this information sheet gives more detailed information and pictures. 


 I apologise for my lack of comments and visits lately, there is lots going on here at the moment. Thank you for still popping by to visit me.

Sarah x

Comments

  1. I love the thatched roofs! I don't know if they're practical or not, but they are so pretty and distinctively English!

    Hugs!



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  2. Lovely photos - isn't the weather wonderful this week? I hope all is well. We've stolen a week away in Cornwall and it's just brilliant. Didn't book it until the day before we left!! It still feels very strange being able to escape during term time - strange in a very good way!

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  3. Hi, I love your pictures. Especially the picture of the chestnuts encased in their medieval looking armor.

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  4. Hello Sarah, I have been absent to and just starting to get back to visiting my friends. I always truly enjoy the tours of the lovely places I the UK. Lovely history and very progressive even many years ago. Loved seeing all the wonderful photos and especially the chestnuts. Hugs Judy

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  5. Lovely photos and an interesting post - there is always something more to discover :)

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  6. Sarah, those houses are amazing. I read the information sheet. He certainly was a man ahead of his time yet was only re-instituting a way of life that had worked for centuries before him. Thank you for the lovely photos and write-up.

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  7. You take such beautiful photos, and I love coming along on your travels. I somehow missed your last post, so I'd like to offer my condolences on your loss. Our pets are such important parts of our lives, and I know your Daisy will be missed. Hugs.

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  8. What a beautiful place with such wonderful purpose. I would not mind living there with an organic garden. I am glad to hear that your hearts are recovering...it takes time. xxo

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  9. Sarah, I am so sorry about your loss of Daisy. Somehow I missed that she was ill and have just read back through your posts to see what happened in her wonderful little life. Your tribute to her is precious, and I thank you for sharing her with us. I am so glad you have so many good memories of your time together.

    Briantspuddle [and how I love its name] is charming in appearance and interesting in history! Thank you for sharing it with us, as well.

    Praying for comfort and encouragement for you and yours, Sarah, and also that your move will happily get sorted out. xx

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  10. We drove past a sign for Briantspuddle on holiday the other week (we stayed at Weymouth for a week and then a week near Ringwood). I enjoyed all the 'puddle' 'piddle' village names which made me smile. I wish now we could have stopped and looked around, as it sounds such an interesting place. x

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  11. Such a beautiful and interesting walk. It's so true that we very often don't appreciate what is on our doorstep. Best wishes, a Pj x

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  12. Hello Sarah,

    We have so enjoyed exploring this charming Dorset village with you......so many puddles.....we knew of Tolpuddle and the martyrs but the rest are completely unknown.

    The monument by Eric Gill looks very fine. We find his work very attractive and the lettering is always so intriguing. A curious man in many ways but the legacy of his work to British Art is a significant one.

    It must be very hard for you all to find a new order of things without Daisy. Pets really do become family members but there must be many, many happy times to remember her by.

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  13. Briantspuddle......what an interesting place! Thank you for the tour!

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  14. Such a pretty village and one we haven't visited ... another to add to the list! M x

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  15. I had heard about the story of Briantspuddle but have never been able to visit so your post was fascinating, thank you.

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    1. Thank you , I glad you enjoyed it.We are frequent visitors to Totnes but we have never come across Leechwell Garden, we will have to visit there next time we are in the area. Sarah x

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    2. It's slightly hidden but well worth a visit.

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  16. Lovely to see and hear from you again Sarah.
    Leanne xx

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  17. The cottages are just a dream and even more so in the wonderful surroundings they're in. An amazing walk! Thanks for sharing it with us Sarah!
    Marian

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  18. What a beautiful little village, the houses look so neat! Great post Sarah, hope your well x.

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  19. Dear Sarah,

    What a beautiful village Briantspuddle is! Some names of English villages put a smile on my face. They are so quirky! Wish we had names like that in Holland as well.

    Your walk through the village looks lovely. Such pretty houses!

    Wishing you a happy weekend!

    Madelief x

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  20. Briantspuddle a pretty name for a beautiful village as I see from your pictures. I love the thatched roof cootages, so very very English and England is my favourite holiday country.

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  21. Love all your pictures but the thatched roofs are great, absolutely beautiful homes! :)

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  22. What a beautiful and fascinating place to visit. Thank you for sharing it with us, I really enjoyed it! xx

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  23. What a picture perfect little place and some fascinating history. I love the fact that there's always more to learn, even about places you think you know inside out. Juliex

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  24. What a truely lovely place to visit, I'm glad you had a lovely day out.

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  25. Good morning dear friend,

    First of all, since school has started, my schedule is very tight so I have trouble getting to my favorite blogs lately! But this is such a comforting time for me to revel in the communication and creativity that I love....

    THIS IS A LOVELY PLACE! How lucky you are to live in HISTORY. Everywhere you go it is rife with the past and so much beauty. Enjoy all the walks of your life dear Sarah. HUGS!!!!!! Anita

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  26. Very interesting to read, beautiful houses. I love Debenhams!

    Sigrun

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  27. Dear Sarah,

    I too enjoyed exploring this wonderful Dorset village and love all the beautiful homes and history that goes with this place. The Puddle names are all really sweet.
    Do hope you have a lovely weekend
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  28. Seeing the grass cut and left like that took me straight back to my childhood holidays, playing with my cousins in the gardens around our rental holiday cottages in Ireland.

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  29. Dear Sarah,

    How delighted I was to see your comment on my blog, thank you! I am so deeply sorry to read that your beautiful, sweet Daisy has passed away. Like many, many others we too have grieved the death of a dear pet and I can imagine how lonely you must feel without her constant presence. What a happy life she must have lead with you and your family! And that poem, at the end of your previous post, just sums it up beautifully.

    I would also like to say that your blog has always held great delight for me. Your photographs are wonderful and I always leave feeling as though I have read a story and learned something new. This evening is no exception.

    All the best,

    Stephanie

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  30. So sad to read about sweet Daisy. Pets become such a huge part of a family it's so hard when they've gone.

    Beautiful photos of such an interesting place x

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  31. What I love about England is the beautiful old buildings and the gorgeous countryside. But, the best part is the names - Affpuddle, Turnerspuddle, Tolpuddle, Puddletown - how fun!

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  32. OH WOW these cottages are stunning! I grew up in country Essex/Hertfordshire a long long long long time ago and the photos you post make me so nostalgic. I remember playing conkers in the autumn! Spring has jsut sprung over here and I tell you I cannot wait for the renovations to end so I can get stuck into building a garden!

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  33. Hi Sarah, So sorry to hear about Daisy. We've just come back from 2 weeks in South Devon. Your photos of the thatched cottages remind me of our time away

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  34. Extraordinary that Debenhams began like this given what it is now. It must be horrid without Daisy. Hope your heart stops hurting soon.

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  35. A really interesting post, Sarah, which I have enjoyed reading. I hadn't heard of suicide stones until reading your post, so I googled it and after a bit of digging uncovered some really interesting historical records. I have learnt something new today, so thank you. Hope you are all OK. I have been thinking of you x

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  36. I enjoyed this day out with you Sarah. Thank you. The photos are lovely.

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