Poxwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Poxwell |
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 Poxwell Manor |
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 Poxwell
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| OS grid reference | SY742842 |
| Unitary authority |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Dorchester |
| Postcode district | DT2 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Poxwell (sometimes called Pokeswell) is a tiny village in the county of Dorset in southwest England. It's a small community, also known as a civil parish, located about 6 miles (10 km) east of Weymouth. Only about 50 people live in Poxwell today.
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Discovering Poxwell's History
Poxwell gets its name from "Pokes well." This is an ancient well found on a hillside in the village. It dates back to the first century, when the Romans lived in the area.
In 1989, a group called English Heritage dug near the well. They found old buildings from the Roman times. Many interesting items were also discovered there. In a very old book from 1086, called the Domesday Book, the village was written as Pocheswelle.
The Ancient Tithe Barn
The oldest building in Poxwell is the tithe barn. It was built in the 1200s, which makes it over 800 years old! This barn is a very important historical building. It is in great condition even today.
A tithe barn was a place where farmers paid their "tithes." This was a part of their crops or goods given to the church. Over the years, this barn has been used for many things. It was a place to collect tithes, a mill for grinding corn, a stable for animals, and a place to store hay. Church services were also held there. Even now, special church services happen in the barn during harvest time.
Poxwell Manor: A Historic Home
In the Middle Ages, Poxwell was owned by Cerne Abbey, a type of monastery. After the abbey closed down, Queen Elizabeth I gave the land to Thomas Howard.
Poxwell Manor was the home of the Henning family. John Henning, a rich merchant, built the manor in 1613. His son, also named John, was an important local official in 1609. Later, in 1699, the Manor went to Elizabeth Trenchard, who was a Henning before she married. Her husband was Colonel Thomas Trenchard.
It is believed that King George III visited the house many times. A famous writer, Thomas Hardy, used Poxwell Manor as "Oxwell Hall" in his book “The Trumpet Major”. The Manor stayed with the Trenchard family until the 1970s. Since then, the owners have hosted many charity events. The Princess Royal even visited the Manor on June 14, 1997.
The Lost Church of St. John
There used to be a small church next to Poxwell Manor. It was called St John the Evangelist and was built around the 1100s.
A man named John Trenchard rebuilt the church in 1868. He also built the Trenchard cottages along the road in 1843. However, the church was torn down in 1969. It was too expensive to keep up and was thought to be unsafe. It was so strong that it took two steel cables to pull its tall spire down!
Cairn Circle: Mini Stonehenge
On the edge of the village, you can find Cairn Circle. This is a small stone circle. People say that ancient priests, called druids, used to worship here over 2,000 years ago. It's sometimes called "mini Stonehenge" because it's a stone circle, but it's much smaller, only about fourteen feet (4.3 meters) across.
