Corscombe

St Mary's Church, Corscombe © Paul Hawkins 2010

Corscombe is a large parish situated in the west of Dorset straddling the Downs, 4 miles north east from Beaminster and 9 miles south west of Yeovil. It is split by the Crewkerne to Maiden Newton turnpike, along the ridge 830 feet above sea level, following the alignment of a Roman road. The village of Corscombe is located on the northern slope 400 feet below. Its Parish Church, originally dedicated to St Michael was built around 1675. Between 1842 and 1865 the church was dedicated to St Mary and in 1876 restored and rebuilt to reflect a Tudor style with a Gothic tower containing six bells. The registers date from the year 1595. The village also maintained a day school and held two fairs, 18 June and 7 September on the Fair Field at Toller Down alongside the road to Beaminster. A telegraph station was located opposite. This was one of the series of stations that would pass messages from the Admiralty in London to the naval station at Plymouth. The area is 4918 acres and is principally used for dairy farming.

Toller Whelme is an ecclesiastical parish formed in 1871 from Corscombe. The church of St John was erected in 1870. Corscombe had a Post Office and a National School that was opened in 1872. The population of the combined parishes in 1861 was 753 and in 1891 was 623 persons. Benville is 1½ miles south east and Pinnys or Toller Whelme 2½ miles south. Note: In 1865 Toller Whelme was referred to as Penny Toller.

The adjoining parishes, starting in the north are: West Chelborough, East Chelborough, Rampisham, Hooke, Beaminster, Chedington and Halstock.

Fox Inn, Corscombe 2003

The Online Parish Clerk (OPC) for Corscombe is John Childs

St John's Church, Toller Whelme

Corscombe Post Office circa 1910

St Mary's Church, Corscombe © John Childs 2010

St Mary's Church, Corscombe © John Childs 2010