In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Lytchett Minster as follows:
" LYTCHETT-MINSTER , a village and a parish in Poole district, Dorset. The village stands at the head of Lytchett-bay, 2 miles WNW of Poole-Junction r.[r ailway ] station, and 4 WNW of Poole; and has a post office under Poole. The parish comprises 3,209 acres of land, and 135 of water. Real property, £4,101. Pop., 802. Houses 176. The manor, with Lytchett House, belonged formerly to the Eyres; passed to Sir S. Scott, Bart.; and belongs now to W. R. Fryer, Esq. An alien priory was here, and gave rise to the suffix name Minster. Much of the land is heath and waste. A large tumulus, called Lytchett-Beacon, is 1 mile NE of the village, and serves as a land-mark for vessels entering Poole harbour. Potter's clay is dug from pits, and sent to Poole harbour. Lytchett bay is a northern offshoot of Wareham harbour, about 3 miles in circuit, separated by the upper part of a small peninsula from the Holes-bay offshoot of Poole harbour. A rivulet, called the Rock Lee river, falls into the W side of Lytchett bay; and is crossed, near the village, by a bridge. The living is a p.[p erpetual ] curacy in the diocese of Salisbury. Value, £295. Patron, Eton College. The church is modern, was built from the materials of the old priory, and has an ancient tower. There are chapels for Independents, Baptists, and Wesleyans, national and British schools, and charities £24. The Wesleyan chapel was built in 1866; and is in the pointed style, of red brick, with white stone dressings."