The Parish of Puddletown or Piddletown

	Puddletown or Piddletown is an extensive parish and town on the river Piddle, 5 miles north-east from Dorchester. The Church of St Mary is in the Later English style and comprises a chancel, nave, embattled tower. It contains a Norman font and several effigies of the Martin family as well as numerous tombs and brasses. The registers date from 1723. Here is also a Congregational Chapel. The houses are mostly compact and well-built with a few good shops.
A market was held here formerly, but it has been for a long time discontinued. Near Heedless Williams Pond are the remains of a cross. Islington House is a mansion within the parish. The soil is sandy, subsoil chalk, there is much heath and moor land with good shooting. The chief crops are barley, turnips and grass. The area is 7,653 acres and the population in 1871 was 1,249. Waterson, Islington and Northbrook are hamlets within the parish. The village had its own post office, registrar, collector of taxes, police office and schools.
The description is extracted from Kelly's 1880 Directory and the pictures are from old postcards circa 1900-1910. The Online Parish Clerk (OPC) for Puddletown is Glenda Lightowler Resources are gradually being transcribed and will be placed on line when available. Any donations of complete transcriptions are always welcome Please place the words 'OPC Puddletown' as your subject for e-mails Resources available so far
Census	1841 Census is on line 1851 Census on line 1861 Census on line I can provide look-ups for the 1881 census 1891 Census
Parish Registers Note. Kelly's Directory states registers date from 1723 but a transcription of marriages done in 1914 dates from 1538.	Baptisms 1738-1772, 1773-1792, 1793-1813, 1813-1830, 1831-1846 from BT's Marriages 1538 - 1812 from Philimores 1739-1813, 1813-1836, 1839-1845 from BT's Burials 1738-1776, 1777-1813, 1813 - 1837, 1838-1845 from BT's
Postal Directories	Directories for 1865, 1895 & 1935.
Photographs	Eighteen Photographs of the Church, cemetery and parish. Also photographs of all the Church Memorials from the interior.
Maps	The 1891 ordinance survey maps of the parish can be seen at the old-maps site, just enter 'Puddletown or Piddletown' under place search.
	For modern location maps visit:- www.multimap.com For a 1920's map of the area click on the thumbnail to the left

An Idyllic early 19th century painting of the village