Netherbury

Netherbury is an extensive parish, situated on the river Brit. It is 1½ miles south-west of Beaminster and 5 miles north of Bridport. The church of St Mary is 480 years old. It contains an alabaster monument to the More family and several admirable stained glass windows. There are two chapels, one for Baptists and one for  Wesleyans. The Grammar School has been amalgamated with Tucker's Charity and moved to Beaminster. There are several other substantial charities in the parish. There are two flax and tow manufactories in the parish creating much employment. Melpash Court is the former manor house Strode & Slape House and Hatchlands are also notable. The soil is light sandy loam with a subsoil of sand, the chief crop are wheat, barley and roots.

The area of the entire parish is 6,225 acres and the population in 1871 was 1,809 persons. Bowood and Salway Ash are tithings within the parish. There is a Post Office in Netherbury and in Salway Ash.

A National School was erected in 1863 and enlarged in 1879, Mr Wm Dodd, master. Miss Muxworthy is mistress of the National School at Salway Ash. Public houses within Netherbury are the Star Inn, Hare & Hounds, New Inn, Blue Ball and Crook Inn. At Salway Ash there is the Rising Sun.

Details extracted from the 1880 Kelly's Directory.

Construction of Holy Trinity Church at Salway Ash commenced in 1887 and it was consecrated in 1890. The church is in the early English style by architects Crickmay of Weymouth. Prior to the building of the present church, the vicar of Beaminster and Netherbury, the Reverend William Bookland BA, built a chapel of ease at Coles Ash, which opened in 1842. The new building was only a licensed room for divine services. This meant that funerals and weddings had to be conducted at Netherbury. The chapel doubled during the week as a schoolroom.

Old postcards show the Church and steps and a view of Netherbury & Leweston dated 1900.

The OPC for Netherbury is Geraldine Gasparelli

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St Mary's, Netherbury (courtesy of Peter Walker)

Holy Trinity, Salway Ash (courtesy of Peter Walker)