Powerstock

Powerstock (or Poorstock) is a village, situated in a steep valley on the edge of the Dorset Downs 5 miles north east from Bridport.  Within the parish is Eggerton Hill which has the remains of two Roman camps. The church of St Mary, situated on a hill over the village, dates from Norman times and the chancel arch is an excellent example of Early Norman architecture. Outside is a very rare 13th century Dole Table, from pre-Reformation times when charitable doles of bread were distributed to the poor. Inside the south entrance is a 15th century carving of a king and crowned woman giving bread to children. The church registers date from 1568. 

Photograph courtesy of Kerri © 1997. Link to more photographs below.

Photograph courtesy of Alison Preston ©

Within the parish lie the tithings of South Poorton, West Milton and Nettlecombe. At West Milton is St Mary Magdalene's, a chapel of ease to Powerstock church erected in 1873, there was also a Wesleyan chapel in the hamlet. Nettlecombe contained a fine old manor house called Mappercombe which is now a farm house, there was also a Wesleyan chapel in this hamlet and the railway station used to be here. Powerstock railway station (and the entire Bridport branch line) closed on 5 May 1975

A school was built in Powerstock in 1849 for 122 children. The parish comprises 4123 acres of varied soil types. The chief crops used to be wheat, barley and flax, with some land in pasture. The population in 1891 698

Separate Registers for West Milton exist dating from 1837.

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