Bed and Breakfast in Dorset. About the Area.

The Area

Whites Dairy House Bed and Breakfast in Dorset

Whites Dairy House is located in the village of Piddlehinton which lies in a fold in the chalk downland. It is an ancient place, first mentioned during the reign of King Athelstan (A.D. 925 - 939) when 1 hide of land at 'Little Puddle' was granted to the Abbot of Milton. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, William became king and gave the manor of Piddlehinton, amongst many others, to his half-brother Robert, Count of Mortain. As a result, he became the wealthiest landowner in the country after the church. He in turn endowed a collegiate church in Mortain, France and the village remained their property for 351 years. After the battle of Agincourt in 1417, King Henry V decided to confiscate the English estates of the 'alien priories' of France. In 1440, King Henry VI endowed Eton College with 67 of his properties including 'a farm and rent of £14-8-4 of Hynepuddle otherwise called Pydelhyngton with its apurtances'. Eton held on to its estate until 1966 when most was sold to Mr. Ingram Spencer of Hanford Farms.

St. Mary's Church dates from 1299, but was rebuilt in the 1400's. It contains a rare Turret Clock and Ann Winzer, the nursing heroine of the Battle of Waterloo is buried there.

War Memorial & Old School Piddlehinton

The village centre with its war memorial and horse trough. The old village school, where Thomas Hardy's sister once taught is on the right of the picture.

Thatched cottages are a feature of the area and perfectly harmonize with the beautiful unspoilt countryside.

A few miles to the north-west of Piddlehinton is Cerne Abbas, once a thriving town, but now a delightfully picturesque village.

Wonderful old houses, some half timbered and an exquisite church. There is a perpendicular gate house with a beautiful two storied oriel, an abbey gatehouse and a 15th. century tithe barn - all that remains of a once great Benedictine Abbey.

Margaret of Anjou stayed before her defeat at Tewkesbury during the Wars of the Roses.

Cut into a hill outside and looming over the area is the Cerne Giant. At 180 feet long and brandishing a 120 foot club, he is a fine figure of a man.

Thank you for visiting Whites Dairy House website

Whites Dairy House
16, High Street
Piddlehinton
Nr. Dorchester
Dorset DT2 7TD

Tel/Fax: 01300 348386
E-mail: mary@mbhome1.fsnet.co.uk

WebMaster: dbarker@hardytechnicalservices.co.uk