Fordington

St. George's Prebendal Church
Damaged by Fire on 7th December 1912

The FIRE Extract of a short article published in the London Evening Standard (1) - Monday 9th December 1912. The fine old church of St George Fordington, Dorchester (the home of Dr.Handley Moule, Bishop of Durham, who was curate there when his father was vicar many years ago), was found to be on fire on Saturday. Smoke was issuing from the roof at the base of the tower, and the firemen stripped off the old lead of the roof, by which they were able to reach some burning timbers. In a short time the outbreak was subdued, but a considerable amount of damage was done. The above image (181 of 506) can be found on ancestry.com buried in their file:- "Dorset England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1538-1812" under the parish of Fordington St George Transcription of the above text As we found to our cost on December 7th 1912, the day when the plumbers tried to mend the leaden roof of St George's Nave in a gale of wind. You may remember reading about it at the time. But for the prompt action of the Dorchester Fire Brigade the whole building must have perished. Nevertheless the catastrophe has rendered necessary the removal and re-construction of the entire roof over the original nave and this must be done immediately. We, the Vicar and Churchwardens, therefore appeal for Funds. It has from time immorial been the custom for all Christians to help their brethren in cases of "visitation of God by fire"." Our own parishioners in years gone by subscribed readily to the various "Briefs" or collections for sufferers all over England. We contributed to the rebuilding of St Paul's Catherdral, after the Great Fire of London, 1666; to the building of a church at West Cowes, 1656; as well as to countless other claism of fellow Christians at home and abroad. Now that our own turn has come, we confidently appeal to you, feeling sure that you will not only realise our necessities but give us your practical support. Signed:- R: Grosvenor Bartelot, Vicar F.T.Maltry C.E.} T.H.R.Winwood M.A.Oxon} Churchwardens The above image (182 of 506) can be found on ancestry.com buried in their file:- "Dorset England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1538-1812" under the parish of Fordington St George Transcription of the above text Some Strong Reasons for your Interest and Support This is the premier Church of St George within our Empire, and flourished centuries before England had a Patron Saint. It gave its name to the Hundred and Liberty of St George in and before the days of King Alfred the Great, who mentions Fordington in his Will, and it has been the Prebendal Church of the largest Royal Manor in Dorset since 1076. It is built on a site successively of a Roman Villa, a Roman Cemetery, and a Saxon Church. Here is an illustration of the only Roman Inscibed Stone ever found in Dorset:- [Text to the left of the picture] A stone weighing quarter of a ton, discovered face downwards beneath St George's Porch, on February 8th 1908, it bears a Roman inscription which reads :- "TO GAIUS ARISTO[LUS] A ROMAN CITIZEN, AGED 50, RUFINUS AND MARINA AND AVAEA HIS CHILDREN, by ROMANIA HIS WIFE"} (the rest on another stone perished). Said to commemorate St Paul's friend Aristobulus, who returned to Britain with Caractacus, who sent him to preach to his kinsmen Arviragus, Govenor of Dorchester. [Text to the right of the picture] Extractfrom the Greek Menology :- Aristiobulus the Divine Apostle of Christ was one of the seventy Disciples, and when Paul ordained Bishops in every Country of the Britons, who were unbelievers, and rude and fierce men. And he departed thither and preacheing Christ and sometimes being beaten persuaded many to turn to Christ and be baptised. And he founded Churches and appointed Priests and Deacons and there died. [Text under the picture] St George's can shew a more than ordinary list of worthies who were far ahead of their generation and carried England to the front of the world. Saint Osmund who gave our Church to his new Cathedral, was Chancellror of this realm and the Domesday Financier. Amongst the Prebendal Rectors of Fordington, we can number such leading ecclesiastics as William of Wykham, the great founder of Winchester and New College Oxford; Archbishop Chicheley, the founder of All Souls [Oxford] and Archbishop Cardinal Mordon, the Chancellor of Henry the Seventh. Amongst our Vicers we reckon Dr Richard Hill, afterwards Bishop of London, who built our matchless tower 1485. St George's still keeps up this reputation for Thomas Hardy, the Wessex Novelist and Poet, has for years been our parishioner, where his ancestors lived , 1776, and in the persons of two Bishops bearing the name Moule(2), the Churches of England and of China will recount what we owe to Fordington right down through the generations unborn till time shall be no longer. Genealogical Notes:- (1) Church Fire :- Same article published in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette - Tuesday 10th Dec 1912 + Brief mention in:- Glocester Journal 14th Dec 1912; Daily herald Monday 9th Dec 1912 The Western Chronicle - Friday 13th December 1912 -- A DORSET CHURCH ON FIRE -- The fine old church of Fordington St George , Dorchester was on fire on Saturday morning. The chancel has only just been restored. Smoke was seen issuing from the roof, and it was feared the tower was involved. The fire brigade was soon at work, and having stripped off the old lead, they were able to get at the seat of the mischief. Large volumes of water were thrown on the roof and the danger was soon averted. The tower is one of the finest in the country. (2). These were two sons of the Rev.Henry MOULE MA (1801-1880) who was an vangelist Minister of St Georges Church In Fordington for 51 years from 1829-1880). Namely Rev George Evans MOULE (1828-1912) Missionary and Bishop of Mid China and Handley Carr Glyn MOULE (1841-1920)

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