Iwerne Minster

Iwerne Minster (or Ewerne) is a parish and village in North Dorset, situated under Cranborne Chase in the Blackmore Vale. Formerly it was part of the Shaftesbury Union, and is situated 6 miles North from Blandford, and 6 South from Shafetsbury. The population in 1861 was 712, acreage, 2,949. Today the village has a population of 889 (2001 census). Iwerne Minster is home to Clayesmore School, a fee-paying boarding and day school.

The Church of St. Mary's (right) has been included in "England's thousand best churches" by S. Jenkins and it is well worth a visit. The church built by the Normans in 1100 was erected over an earlier church foundation and since that time there have been other restorations including the "halving" during the 19th century of the church steeple.

The River Iwerne, which lends its name to Iwerne Minster is an ancient river whose name came from the Celtic and a much older origin from this ancient language is believed to mean "yew-tree stream". In the Domesday Book of 1086 the spelling was Evneminstre; however a Saxon charter dated 871 refers to "ywen". The Old English "mynster" (church) is probably referring to the 10th century Abbey that was in possession of the church, at that time.

St Mary, Iwerne Minster (Courtesy Michael Day, Dorset Churches) 

The position of Online Parish Clerk (OPC) for Iwerne Minster is vacant.

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