Frampton
Another weekend, another walk through a village by the River Frome. Frampton, this time.
It might be argued that Frampton is only half a village. In the 1790s, the local landowner decided to improve his park by removing all the cottages on one side of the road, and planting trees in their place.
On one side of the road, cottages.
On the other, trees.
Later owners of the estate, more philanthropic, did build some very sturdy 19th century Gothic houses, a reading room and some spectacularly ugly almshouses: the Almshouses of Mordor, I always think as I drive past them.
St Mary's Church, and, centre, the Almshouses.
Wessex Barn Tudor Cottage. Farmhouse and barn, converted to two attached properties. C16 core, with C18 and C19 alterations. Lovely old walls of layered flint and stone, with a little brick where the windows have been replaced.
The fairies have decided to make away with this cottage at the edge of the village...
St Mary's Church. According to Hutchins, the parish was once under the care of the Reverend William Butler, famous for his love of fox-hunting and for his friendship with the Prince Regent. 'Mr Butler was, I think, one of those parsons who, "to encourage matrimony and early rising", as they put it, or as it may seem to others, to give themselves a clear day for hunting, used to marry any of the labouring classes without fee, on condition they came for the ceremony before eight o'clock in the morning.' Tales of Good Sport.
The Millennium Green, Frampton. A recreational area along the river, created to celebrate the Millennium - half village green, and half newly planted with native trees.
From the village hall car park, there's a lovely shaded path runs along the river and across the Green.
The Samways Bridge, over the Frome. Slightly thatched by trailers bringing in the straw. Late 18th century, once the approach to Frampton Court from the west.
Frampton Court (illustration from Hutchins). "Frampton Court was built by Robert Browne in 1704, on the site of an ancient priory. In 1790, the park was laid out by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, the house enlarged, and faced with Portland stone." www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2011/11/the-curse-of-frampton/
According to Dorset Life, the house was cursed so that never once in its existence did it pass to the firstborn son.
Despite the Brownes presiding over Frampton for some 130 years, at no time did an elder son inherit, and the family simply died out. The property passed to a relative by marriage, Lt. General Sir Colquhoun Grant, a veteran of Waterloo. Sadly, he had already lost his only son, so that the heir to Frampton was Marcia, his 19 year-old daughter.
To his consternation, in 1835, Sir Colquhoun discovered that the girl was conducting a love affair with a certain Richard Brinsley Sheridan. This was not the famous author of The School for Scandal, but his grandson and namesake, a profligate, penniless, but charming man, ten years Marcia’s senior. Sir Colquhoun resolved to keep the girl close at Frampton, away from city temptations. One day, however, he was obliged to leave home to contest an election, and he left Marcia in the charge of a military comrade, Sir Robert Macfarlane. Meanwhile, she had contrived to inform Richard of the situation, and consequently he was able creep into Frampton Court, and make off with her. It was a Sheridan tradition. Both his father and grandfather had eloped with their wives. Aghast, Sir Robert went after the lovers but it was too late. They had been quickly married at the anvil in Gretna Green.
https://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2011/11/the-curse-of-frampton/
Frampton Court was demolished in the 1930s. All that remains now is one service wing of the old house, and the park, with its many fine old trees.
The Three Limes.
Cycleway across the park.
Peacock Bridge. Late 18th century.
Peacock Lodge, at the gates of the park.