Category: Local History

The local History section is a collection of fascinating North Dorset history articles featured in the BV magazine.

In this section we present each of Roger Guttridge’s ‘Looking Back’ columns. These columns tell the often-forgotten stories of local heroes, villains, characters and their places within the Blackmore Vale.

Also Roger’s ‘Then & Now’ comparisons – how the Blackmore Vale looks now compared to the same spot perhaps 120 years ago.

Also featured is Paul Birbeck’s column – a Blue Badge local guide based in Sherborne, Paul examines various local places and shares their social history.

All these columns give a fascinating insight into the history of the Blackmore Vale.

Local History

Sturminster Newton High School | Then and Now

It’s a sobering thought that the kids in these pictures of Sturminster Newton High School will be in their 70s now. The photos were taken...

Editorial team - 10 April 2021

Local History

It bain’t just in Darzit! | Looking Back

After kindly mentioning my previous column in the opening lines of his February contribution, Andy Palmer noted that when his family moved the 20...

Editorial team - 11 March 2021

Local History

Town Mills Gillingham | Then and Now

They are sadly long gone, but Gillingham’s old mill buildings once provided the town with a gloriously historic centrepiece. They were attractive enough to catch...

Editorial team - 10 March 2021

Local History

Farmer’s Jesty’s Quantum Leap | Looking Back

Edward Jenner usually gets the credit as the world’s first vaccinator but arguably the title should belong to North Dorset’s own Benjamin Jesty. Almost 250...

Editorial team - 11 February 2021

Dorset Charity

Church House Wimborne | Then and Now

It’s not Wimborne’s prettiest building but what Church House lacks aesthetically it makes up for in prominence. Standing alongside the Minster, the two-storey parish room...

Editorial team - 10 February 2021

Local History

Iwerne Minster | Looking Back

By all accounts Bob was a simple fellow, known unkindly to the locals as the Village Idiot. But a story I learned some years ago...

Editorial team - 11 January 2021

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Bucked in the Yarn

Editorial team - 11 September 20240

Three small Somerset villages had a huge impact on global exploration and trade – Rachael Rowe talks to Professor Terry Stevens “Nothing much ever happened...

Blackmore Vale What's on

Railways on the Air at Shillingstone

Editorial team - 19 September 20240

On the weekend of 28th and 29th September, Shillingstone Station will host the Flight Refuelling Amateur Radio Society of Wimborne (FRARS) for the Railways...