CHARMOUTH THROUGHOUT HISTORY

Throughout the history of this village, you can follow step by step, a major part of England’s history: its invasions, civil wars, revolutions and religious disputes. It’s a good pretext for walking in the village’s lanes.
Charmouth is a listed village containing buildings as valuable for their history as for their elegance and style - a reminder of days gone by.
Iron Age Man lived here 500 years BC and perhaps even earlier. The local Celtic tribes were called the Durotriges, who built their spectacular land fortifications in the countryside surrounding Coney Castle, Pildon Pen, Abbotsbury, Maiden Castle and Egardon.

When the Romans invaded the country, they further consolidated their conquest by establishing a fine road network across the country, many of them using the ancient Celtic trails. One of them is now the main road passing through the village of Charmouth. The departure of the Romans was followed by the Anglo Saxon conquest from which time the settlement started growing extensively. Saxon relics were found near Charmouth and now, where the parish church stands, there once stood a small Saxon chapel.

The rich social history of Charmouth:
The Earl was Robert of Mortain, half brother of William the Conqueror (1), and who was the biggest proprietor in Dorset after the King himself. Shortly afterwards, the Seigneury of Charmouth passed into the hands of a Norman family, the Beauchamps, who in turn gave it to the Abbot of Ford Abbey before the end of the 11th century. The monks came regularly on horseback from Ford Abbey to collect rents and taxes owed by the village; it is thought that they regularly stayed in the house that is today the “Queen’s Arms”: this building is probably Charmouth’s oldest construction. Catherine of Aragon stayed there in 1501, en route to marry Arthur, brother of King Henry VIII. In 1651, King Charles II, having taken flight after his disastrous defeat against Cromwell’s army at the Battle of Worcester, secretly stayed there whilst preparing his escape to France.

On the other side of the road is the George Hotel dating from the 14th century, with its flagstone floors, oak beams and a most unusual porch. In the 17th century, became a renowned stopping point on the toll road between Exeter and Dorchester. The ancient toll house is found a little further on after the Charmouth Bridge. This bridge still displays an iron sign threatening with deportation anybody who damages it.

The United Reform church dates from 1666. It was founded by the Dissenters who separated from the Church of England around the time of the Great Fire of London.

St. Andrew’s parish church was completely restored in 1836. The grandfather of the famous Wesley brothers John and Charles was for a time the parish priest there and his grave can be found within the church enclosure. A beautiful pulpit, sculptured in the time of James 1st and where John preached can now be found in the church at Bridport.

The main road itself is steeply sloping. The famous Dorset historian John Hutchins called this village in 1760 the “Plinlimmon of Dorset”.

The River Char winds pleasantly through the meadows towards the coastline. In 1800, Jane Austen speaking of this coastline wrote:

Charmouth with its high grounds and extensive sweeps of the country, and still more, its sweet retired bay, backed with dark cliffs, where fragments of low rock among the sands make it the happiest spot for watching the flow of the tide.

Notes:

• See the plan of Charmouth
• Between 1810 and 1820 King George III was suffering from mental problems and the Regency was entrusted to his son the future George IV
• One may ask what was considered a state of undress in England in 1800? Was it just to take off one’s hat and coat?