The History of Bettiscombe and the Church
- abridged from the writing of Michael Pinney
Bettiscombe does not appear in the Domesday Survey of 1086 although it is believed the following is referring to it: 'Scrubland at 'Haucombe' belongs to Burstock (Bradstock) in such a way that in the time of King Edward, two parts of it were in the King's revenue and the third part or the third oak was Earl Edwin's which now belongs to Frampton, a manor of St. Stephen's of Caen.'
Frampton is a village near Dorchester, and it is believed that Haucombe was part of the Frampton Estate which extended to the northern end of the Marshwood Vale where Bettiscombe is situated.
A cell of Benedictine Monks from Ste Etienne in Caen established themselves at Frampton after it had been granted to St. Stephen's of Caen by William the Conqueror.
Bettiscombe we believe was established by a further cell of monks coming to the Great Wood of the Marshwood Vale to turn a pagan altar into a Christian Church.
Before this the Combe was most likely a sacred place from the ancient past because of the presence of a standing stone beside a spring of never failing water in a grove of oak, ash and thorn: these are three features of ancient worship.
Dr Anne Ross, a Celtic scholar and archaeologist, has put forward a theory that Haulcombe was the oakwood of the Marshwood Vale which may be the remaining trace of a great Celtic druid sacred forest, through which a known Celtic treasure was brought from Europe in Roman times. The forest was surrounded by hilltop tracks and the Roman legionary camp at Waddon Hill, Broadwindsor, was probably established to control the troublesome Celtic forest dwellers.
This gives credence to the suggestion that Bettiscombe is a Celtic name, meaning 'sacred place or chapel' .A good enough reason for the twelfth century monks to establish a home in order to Christianise a secluded spot where pagan rites were still being practised. Perhaps the famous screaming skull, still kept at The Manor House, is a relic from an age when skulls were considered objects of power and veneration.
Hence, Bettiscombe Church probably began as a Chapel and shelter for these monks which would also explain the dedication of the church to St Stephen.
In the years that follow life in this medieval village would have been punctuated by years of civil war and tyranny from Marshwood Castle. Next there followed the call to arms for the Crusades and the raising of taxes to pay for them.
As the thirteenth century dawned a sunnier more peaceful period of intellectual revival began, partly as a result of the Crusades. With vines now growing in the south of England, the monks were able to consolidate and spread their influence.
A century later, and the clouds again appear, the wars with France, the Black Death, and the peasant revolts which combined to advance the end of serfdom. During this period, in the year 1333 one Gregory Seger was noted as paying three shillings in the subsidy roll, a name that still exists in Bettiscombe where two fields are called to this day 'Segers' and 'Pit Segers' .
It is from this, the fourteenth century that the earliest traces of the existing building date. These are the mullions and lights of the three windows in the north and south walls of the Chancel and the west window under the tower, all of which were incorporated from the pre 1860 church into the largely rebuilt present church of 1862.
The early church was described by Hutchins as 'small and dark' even though the chancel and nave had the same ground plan as in the present building. The tower of the earlier church was of brick covered in ivy and probably of the 18th century.
Bricks were made at Bettiscombe, the kilns belonging to the Frampton estate. They are still much in evidence around the village. The Manor House is completely built of Bettiscombe bricks which replaced a Tudor and probably medieval building. The field to the west of the church could have supplied the clay for the church bricks, it is called Ballchurch, 'Balling' being one of the processes in brick making. The clay pit is still very much in evidence at the northern end of the field. It has lately been suggested that the name could have derived from the word 'Baal' signifying the site of a heathen shrine.
In 1862 the brick tower was replaced with the present tower, a broader stone one. The original east window became the west window, with the present glass dating from 1910.
The north wall was replaced with an arcade of arches leading to the aisle which was a wholly new addition along with all the stone work and windows of the nave and aisle.
The headstone of the fourth chancel window was removed to enable the vestry to be built and is now over a gateway into the garden of Pilsdon Manor.
The east window mullions and lights are of 1862 and the glass was painted by Reynold Stone, the well known Dorset artist and engraver. It is vigorous in colour and drawing, more so than most Victorian glass. It was given in 1864 by John Tatehall Bullen, owner of the Marshwood Manor estate that covered some 2/3000 acres in the northwest of the Vale to the south of Bettiscombe.
Whichever of the two architects Hicks or Ferrey, who did extensive rebuilding of Frampton Church in the same period, this church is a remarkably well proportioned and complete example of Victorian building. The chancel arch and the arcade of arches are well proportioned and delicate. The Victorian brass altar rail and the sanctuary tiles are worthy of note, as are the many plaques in the windows, in the walls, and even on the pews which add so much to the history of the church and its people.
The memorial on the lectern is worthy of special note. Frederick Williams was Rector of Bettiscombe and Pilsdon for 52 years from 1866 to 1918, a remarkable period of service. His family had connections with New Zealand and the tall conifers that surrounded the Church, only a few remain, are grown from seeds from New Zealand.
One can now only wonder about the vision of the future that the 1860s inhabitants of Bettiscombe had. The cost of such complete renovations and extension of the church would have been a huge financial undertaking. And the building of the school came just a few years later. Given the small number of houses in the parish today, where did all the people live to justify such an extensive building programme?
Now in the first decade of the 21th century we have an electoral role right down in the low thirties. Certainly unable to justify our own school, but just as determined to maintain our lovely church for future generations, just as our forebears have for the last 600 years. In the past twenty years we have had to raise some £20,000 for major repairs to the tower, to the windows and to the organ. This lovely little organ, built in 1852 has been given a new lease of life.
It is our fervent wish that Bettiscombe Church will continue to be a living memorial to the glory of God for many generations to come.