Parish church of St. James, Milton Abbas, Grade: 2. NGR: ST 80648 01785
Lead author: PS
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Milton Abbas is situated about 12 miles north east of Dorchester and around 5 miles southwest of Blandford Forum. The central area is an 18th century (1780) planned village built by the Lord of the Manor, Joseph Damer, to replace the town of Middleton which was close to his residence at Milton Abbey and spoilt his view. The new village consists of 36 cob and thatch cottages which were originally designed to accommodate two families in each.
The parish church of St James was consecrated in 1786. In 1888, the chancel was enlarged, the interior tower arches were rebuilt and the south aisle added. The building materials are Cretaceous Upper Greensand, Flint, Jurassic Portland limestone and Jurassic Ham Hill Stone. |
1. The church from the north
The exterior (1)
The church is roofed with slates and tiles. The windows are all Ham Hill Stone. |
The north wall of the nave (2) and the north (3) and the east walls of the chancel are all a chequered pattern of Upper Greensand and Portland Limestone ashlar. The patterning is not consistent.
2. The north wall of the nave
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3. The chancel north wall
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The south wall of the chancel is ashlar Portland limestone (4a, 4b). Some of the blocks have a ribbed pattern on the surface (4c).
4a. The south wall of the chancel
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4b. Loupe of the Portland stone in the south wall of the chancel
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4c. Ribbing
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The walls of the vestry (5, 6) and north aisle (7a, 8) are all laid out in a banded pattern of ashlar Portland limestone and rows of knapped flint (7b). There are also occasional blocks of Upper Greensand to be seen, and even one of Ham Hill Stone complete with graffiti (7a).
5. The east wall of the north aisle (vestry)
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6. The south wall of the vestry
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7a. The south wall of the north aisle
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7b. detail of the south wall
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8. The west wall of the south aisle
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The tower (9) is almost entirely Upper Greensand in the first stage (10a, 10b) but there is Ham Hill Stone in the second and third stages. The west doorway is Ham Hill Stone (11).
9. The tower south wall
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10a The north side of the tower
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10b. Loupe of Upper Greensand
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11. The West doorway
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The interior (12, 13)
12. The interior from the west end
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13. The south arcade
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All the stonework inside the church is Ham Hill Stone. The font, which is situated in the tower, is Purbeck Marble on a plinth of Ham Hill Stone (14a,14b).
14a. The font
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14b. Loupe of the Purbeck marble in the font
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