This month Barry Cuff has chosen two holiday postcards from the middle of the last century
One of the Frith series of Milton Abbas, this card was sent from a holiday-maker to Kidderminster in September 1965. The message is more about raffle prizes than the village (“won a pound of tea and a pair of stockings”) but the image captures the Hambro Arms, the neat cottages and the parish church beyond – the postcard-perfect view of Milton Abbas that visitors were expected to take home:
Having a nice holiday. Met some old neighbours & spent Thurs morning here, lovely old abbey & small chapel 934, just suited you. Been to a couple of Drives & won 1lb tea & a pair of stockings. All now, cheerio, Evelyn & Bert
This simple 1950s postcard of The Street at Milton Abbas carries a brief note about motoring troubles and fond thoughts for “dear May” — nothing dramatic, just a snapshot of everyday life on the road in postwar Dorset. But Milton Abbas has stories to tell beyond its picture-perfect thatched cottages. Our much-missed Roger Guttridge wrote about one of its strangest mysteries – almost 250 years after the funeral of the young Milton Abbey heir, questions remain about whose “body” was actually buried in the coffin in the crypt . And for a lighter angle, you can also enjoy Roger’s Then and Now comparison of this very street. Tolpuddle Dorset – Friday. Dear May, we are having a few days touring around here. Haven’t gone too far afield as the chariot is getting a bit old & also needs a rebore. We hope you are well. V often thinking of you. Shall have to come up & see you one of these days. All our love, Edith & Dick
If you’re looking for ancient woodlands, peaceful wood pastures, hazel coppice and vibrant hay meadows, come and take a walk around the beautiful Bracketts Coppice. Located north of Corscombe, deep in the quiet heart of West Dorset, this nature reserve is home to some of Dorset’s best-loved and rarest species: dormice, kingfishers, otters and woodpeckers.
The walk Beginning at the hay fields entrance off Rye Water Lane, head diagonally left through the field to reach the gate. While the meadow wildflowers have retreated now, the winter grassland still supports life: look for small flocks of long-tailed tits and blue tits flitting low among the hedges, and listen for the calls of blackbirds, and redwings which arrive from Scandinavia for the winter. The fields may appear empty, but tracks and scrapes in the mud may reveal the presence of field mice and other small mammals. Once through the gate, head left, cutting across the field to the next gate. In winter, this area is quieter, but the ancient grassland remains a haven for hardy plants like adder’s-tongue fern, its brown, withered fronds marking the meadow’s long history. Through the gate, follow the path across the next meadow until you reach the woodland, which is full of mossy oaks and hazels, and home to dormice and Bechstein’s bats. Follow the path down through the woods and over a small sleeper bridge to reach the footbridge across the river. From this bridge, you can sot the distinctive Otter Rock, standing out from the rest with no moss on top. It’s a fine spot for finding otter spraint. Over the bridge, turn left and follow the path up, taking the higher track. This route takes you past areas of woodland managed by coppicing – a traditional technique producing useful hazel timber while benefiting a variety of wildlife, including dormice.
Spot the Wild Service tree Continue along the main ride to the north entrance of the reserve, where you’ll see an information board. Turn right here and follow the ride downhill, merging onto the narrower path to keep straight, towards the river and another footbridge. Cross the bridge – looking out for kingfishers which may still be active, even in the colder months – and turn left, following the path uphill to emerge from the woodland onto another wide ride. Turn right, following the ride and through the gate, before turning right into a grassland area. Keep to the path running parallel to the woodland edge. Scattered with standing deadwood, this area provides a great habitat for invertebrates and fungi as well as good look-out spots for birds. As autumn arrives look among the leaf litter for fungal fruiting bodies such as yellow brain fungi, a parasitic jelly fungus that feeds on other fungi living on dead wood. It can range in colour from bright pale yellow to a rusty orange when dry.
Go through the gap in the hedge and continue straight ahead through the area of wood pasture to a wire gate with a squeeze-type stile. Stick to the path, keeping the fence to your left, through another area rich in deadwood. Just before you reach the old hedge bank before the grassland, there is a Wild Service tree in the hedgerow – it’s a Dorset rarity, and an indicator of ancient woodland. For most of the year it is unremarkable, but its leaves, a little like maple, do give themselves away in autumn, when they turn crimson. Emerging into the grassland, with sprawling open-grown oaks, continue straight down the small slope and up again, joining the track that leads to the final field gate. Turn right here, along the medieval Common Lane, and turn right once you rejoin Rye Water Lane to return to the start of the walk.
Wimborne’s growing reputation as a foodie destination took centre stage last weekend as the town hosted its second annual Food Festival – a lively day of tasting, cooking, and celebration, even in the face of intermittent rain.
The Dacombes of Wimborne demonstration tent where crowds were treated to a chocolate cooking masterclass by Christian Ørner – image Wimborne BID
Organised by Wimborne BID, with support from Dacombes of Wimborne and a number of local businesses, the festival brought together independent traders, producers, chefs and shopkeepers in a town-wide showcase of flavour.
Visitors enjoyed live cooking demonstrations, product tastings and food-focused talks throughout the day. Former MasterChef contestant Dr George Williams drew crowds with his TV-worthy dishes made from local ingredients, while chocolate specialist Christian Ørner – often dubbed Dorset’s own “Willy Wonka” – shared the science behind chocolate’s health benefits.
Indian cuisine Angithi sold out – image wimborne BID
Simon Warren, co-owner of East Street Deli, said: ‘We served more customers than ever before. Well done to Wimborne BID and the Food Festival team for such a great event. However, the real value of days like this are seen in the coming weeks, months and years. We saw so many new faces which we’ll hopefully see again in the lead up to the busy Christmas period.’
Beyond the food stalls, businesses across town took part. Tickles & Co hosted a themed giveaway, and Gullivers Bookshop dressed its windows with cookbooks. ‘The more businesses that get involved, the bigger and better this event becomes,’ Simon added. ‘We’re already excited for 2026!’
The community spirit was perhaps best captured in the “Bake for Victory” competition. Fifteen Victoria sponges were entered, with James Tulk of Riverside Café crowned the adult winner. Councillor Ryan praised the winning entry: ‘Three superb layers, strawberry jam (which always wins over raspberry), and fresh strawberries on top — the perfect icing on the cake!’
Fiona Pawsey, Chair of Wimborne BID, said: ‘The Food Festival is a great way of celebrating Wimborne’s vibrant food scene and attracting more visitors to the town. We’re so grateful to all the businesses who got behind this event and supported it with ingenuity and time.’
Year round, sea swimming at Lulworth usually feels like a hug from the cliffs – but this year, Jane Adams says the water’s different
In Dorset there has been an increase in sightings of mauve stinger jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) which are traditionally uncommon close to UK shores
Every week, year-round, a couple of friends and I slip into the sea at Lulworth Cove. As the cliffs rise around us, it has always felt like we’re being given a protective hug: outside the cove, the swell pushes and heaves, but inside the protection of the cliffs, the water is calm. This year, though, we’ve noticed some changes. Since March, the south coast has been experiencing a marine heatwave. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), which monitors sea temperatures and coastal conditions, reports sea temperatures are up to 3°C above the long-term average.
With these warmer waters has come an increase in jellyfish sightings, especially mauve stinger jellyfish (traditionally uncommon close to UK shores, usually found in warmer European waters such as the Mediterranean), and also a surge in octopus numbers: notably the common octopus, which is being caught in huge numbers off South Devon and Cornwall. Scientists believe the warmer sea temperatures are driving these sea creatures further north than usual. The seaweed beds look different, too. At Lulworth, we’re used to swimming through thick, colourful weed to reach deeper water. This year, there is very little. And although our observations are anecdotal, I can’t help thinking it’s also something to do with the raised sea temperature. While a surge in jellyfish and octopus may sound exciting, it might actually indicate stress in this unseen yet beautiful ecosystem. If sea temperatures continue to rise, the balance of species may shift even further, with long-term consequences – some winners, some losers – for both marine life and the people who swim, fish or simply enjoy the water. This year’s marine heatwave may prove exceptional, but as climate change gathers pace, events like this are only likely to become more frequent. Where the cove once felt protective to swimmers, there’s now an unsettled feeling setting in as well. We’re witnessing a change in our coastal waters: but what this change beneath the waves will mean in the future is still largely unknown.
Octopus (Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797) or octopus is a cephalopod of the Octopodidae family at sea. Gallipoli, Canakkale Turkey.
The video above is a trailer for Ocean with David Attenborough, which is currently available on Disney+. It’s very hard-hitting, and I do urge everyone to watch it. DWT’s Wild Sea Centre at Kimmeridge is a great place to start if you’re interested in learning more about our Dorset marine wildlife and finding local events.
Take a close look at vintage postcards of Twofords Bridge and you’ll see a single, elegant 18th-century stone arch standing peacefully over the River Lydden. Today, the same view includes a surprisingly robust steel neighbour – a Second World War structure never meant to last. Thousands of vehicles cross the pair every day, and while the twin bridges are familiar to locals, the story behind their odd coupling remains little known beyond the immediate area.
The Motor Inn, Bagber – despite the editor’s best efforts, extensive searching has revealed no information about The Motor Inn. The two visible cars are boxy saloons with large headlamps mounted on the wings, upright radiators, and narrow tyres, dating it late 1920s to early/mid-1930s
The term Motor Inn emerged at the same time, as car ownership spread, as did tarmacked roads (it’s not just compacted gravel). The road signs look like early Ministry of Transport types (the white-painted post with circular sign), which were standardised in the 1930sThe Inn is just a house today – dwarfed by the agricultural machinery of the C J Cox yard ‘Now’ images by Courtenay Hitchcock
In spring 1942, a small but significant upgrade quietly arrived in rural Dorset at the height of World War II. The original stone bridge – beautiful but narrow and fragile – simply couldn’t support the weight of heavy modern military vehicles. Tanks and freight bound for the south coast – utterly critical in the run-up to the Allied Dieppe Raid and, later, D-Day –demanded sturdier roads. So, Canadian Royal Engineers erected a Callender-Hamilton (Unit Construction) bridge alongside the stone original. Designed by New Zealand engineer Archibald Hamilton, this modular steel Warren-truss bridge was only ever meant to be temporary. Built from galvanised steel segments – like giant Meccano – it was strong, quick to assemble and has shown itself to be impressively resilient. Dorset was one of the key embarkation points for D-Day: Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6th June 1944. Troops, tanks and supplies moved through North Dorset en route to embarkation points like Weymouth, Portland and Poole, ready to be loaded onto landing craft and ships. The bridge never intended to be a permanent structure has stayed in service ever since, passing into Dorset County Council’s control after the war.
The postcard was never sent, so we have no postmark to date it, but the woman is wearing a long, full skirt with a fitted bodice and puffed sleeves, and a hat, consistent with the Edwardian era, (roughly 1901–1910). The boys are in short trousers with stockings and large collars/bows (up to 1910), and the men are wearing flat caps and bowlers – common rural working attire around 1900 to 1920
This photograph was taken in Chapel Road, Bagber, looking towards the junction with what is now the A357, which runs left to right at the far end behind the carts. The house on the left of the picture, along with the one opposite on the main road, have since disappearedThe view today!
Nearly 80 years later, this “temporary” bridge still carries all A357 eastbound traffic, while the stone bridge manages the westbound flow. The bridge has seen only minor changes to its original design since it was erected. Timber deck repairs were carried out in 1985 and 2009. The only work of any structural significance was to strengthen the bridge in 1996 to enable it to conform to new standards in order to carry 40-tonne lorries. Ted Taylor, Dorset’s chief bridge engineer, said: ‘We have had no real trouble ensuring that this ‘temporary’ bridge is brought up to the new standard. It was in remarkably good shape.’ The bridge was re-inspected in 2014, and found to still be in very good condition – the areas that had caused concern with a ‘slightly weary appearance’ were found to be mostly due to dirt deposits and growth of moss on the steel. Les Lock, the project engineer, said: ‘Despite all that’s thrown at it – floodwater, mud and grit salt – after 72 years the galvanized members are still in very good condition.’ Today, it is used as a case study by the Galvanizers Association across Europe, who praise its longevity and performance as an outstanding example of hot-dip galvanised steel in action. The structure has far outlived its original purpose, continuing its role as a vital transport route, handling modern HGV traffic – a surviving piece of Dorset’s wartime history.
Parliament’s six-week Summer Recess is ending, and I’m returning to the routine of being in London for half the week.
Edward Morello MP for West Dorset
Although the sunny weather hasn’t helped our farmers, it has meant I’ve managed to enjoy some evenings on the beach, swimming with my family. I’m always grateful for time back in the constituency – even if being at home doesn’t actually mean my family see much more of me. It’s a valuable opportunity for me to catch up on the work that Westminster time often doesn’t allow. Over the summer, I’ve had meetings with Dorchester BID, Dorset Healthcare, Royal Mail, Access Wellbeing, the Woodland Trust, Sherborne Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Group, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service, and the new Chief Executive of Dorset Council. I’ve visited Bridport Clothes Bank, the Poundbury Nature Project, Hilfield Priory, three care homes, the Pineapple Estate near Bridport, Beaminster Museum, Fire Pot Food, the Sherborne Steam and Waterwheel Centre, Dorset Downs Vineyard, and Bagwell Farm Touring Park, among others. I spent a day with South Western Ambulance Service to better understand the pressures they face, and visited Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance. I spoke on the NFU panel at the Melplash Show – and I’ve been to more village fetes than I can count! I held dozens of residents’ surgeries, and continued hosting policy round tables – this month’s focused on support for West Dorset’s hospitality sector. I also toured villages I haven’t visited in a while, holding Q&As in village halls to discuss local and national concerns. Over the summer, I held meetings in Broadmayne, Martinstown, Whitchurch Canonicorum, Chetnole, Thorncombe, Netherbury, Litton Cheney, Cheselbourne, Toller Porcorum and Stratton. Each one was well attended – and I’m grateful to everyone who came along to ask questions, give me a grilling, and share what matters to them. This week I was told that since February I’ve submitted 760 questions to Ministers — only two MPs have written more. As I return to Parliament, the last six weeks have given me plenty more to a write to them about!
As someone who was born and raised in Dorset, reading through the recently released Local Plan was, quite frankly, deeply unsettling.
Thomas Gargrave Reform UK Dorset
The level of development proposed across the countryside is unprecedented and, in our view, deeply damaging. Huge swathes of farmland outside of Dorchester, Crossways, Lytchett Matravers and Lytchett Minster will be lost: many villages will see a close to doubling of their size, and almost all towns will see very significant bolt-on developments. Thousands of houses are proposed to be built on “protected” green belt land, thousands within Dorset National Landscape (AONB), and thousands on or near sites of high environmental importance. The total proposed figures for the Dorset Council Area are circa 45,000 houses over the next 17 years: a loss of around 10,000 acres of farmland, a likely population increase of around 97,000, and an additional 60,000 cars on our roads. Around 98.7 per cent of the proposed development sites are greenfield, vs just 1.3 per cent brownfield – making an absolute mockery of Labour’s ‘brownfield first’ commitment. Reform UK Dorset views the proposed plan as nothing short of madness. If taken forward, it will turn very significant parts of our unspoiled rural areas into urban sprawl, brutalising our culturally-important landscapes and having a devastating impact on wildlife habitats. The effect on the quality of life for those already living in Dorset will be as dramatic as the effects on our countryside. Already, our road networks around most major conurbations simply do not function; GP and dentist appointments are under massive pressure, as is the broader NHS, but perhaps more important than all of that, our sense of community in Dorset is being completely eroded. Our view as a party is that it is not possible to have a conversation about housing without first having a very serious one about immigration. It is simply impossible to have net migration running at 900,000+ a year, as the Conservatives did in 2023, and for that not to cause major, major issues with housing demand and supply structures. Historically, immigration has accounted for around 65per cent of population growth, this has, in recent years, jumped to as high as 98 per cent for the year ending June 2024. We view this as a mass immigration crisis first, which has led to a housing crisis. On the former, Reform UK could not be clearer. We will have a net-neutral or even net-negative immigration policy. We will end mass immigration. Period. Locally, we will fight tooth and nail to oppose the Liberal Democrats’ plans. Our Dorset countryside and farmland should be preserved and protected, not concreted over. Without radical measures to preserve what is left of our rural county, large parts of Dorset will ultimately end up resembling not Hardy’s Wessex, but Betjeman’s Slough. A Reform UK-led Dorset Council will make the preservation of our countryside an absolute priority, and we will be outlining detailed plans to this effect over the next several months.
The Farming Community Network (FCN), will mark its 30th anniversary with a traditional Harvest Festival Service at Sherborne Abbey, at 6.30pm on Sunday 28th September. The FCN is inviting the whole community to come and celebrate rural life, farming and the spirit of community.
Organiser Bec Hill says the service will be a joyful, inclusive event: ’The Abbey choir will be performing and the hymns will be ones that everyone knows! Local young farmers are decorating the porch, and we’ve got old tractors arriving on the night … it’ll be a proper celebration of what Dorset does best. ‘It’s not only about looking back at 30 years of FCN’s work, but also about bringing our community together to give thanks and look forward. We’re proud to be hosting this event in Dorset – we’re a county with deep agricultural roots and a strong spirit of support.’ Tea, coffee and cake will be served after the service, and Bec would love an idea of numbers: ‘The Abbey holds up to 1,000 people – I really don’t want to be left with 1,000 cakes!’ A hamper raffle full of local produce – supported by 20 generous businesses – will be drawn on the night, with tickets on sale at the Dorset County Show, and the Cultivation Day on 24th September. While the event is a celebration of the harvest, Bec notes the challenging backdrop to this year’s season: ‘Livestock farmers are already feeding their winter forage. Arable returns are tight. The figures just aren’t stacking up. FCN volunteers understand these pressures – we’re all farmers ourselves.’ The FCN is a UK-wide charity supporting farmers and farming families through times of difficulty and change. FCN Dorset has quietly grown a strong network in the county, offering support through farm walks, breakfast meetings and “walk and talk” pub meet-ups. ‘It’s about showing up for each other,’ says Bec. ‘It might be a single phone call, or it might be a two-year journey. But we’re here.’
6.30pm, 28th September, Sherborne Abbey. To attend the Harvest Festival, or to find out more about FCN Dorset, email Bec on [email protected]
What information should environmental campaigners make widely known? And how should they share it in order to achieve the large-scale societal and behavioural changes that are now needed?
Ken Huggins North Dorset Green Party
Too much doom and gloom leaves people feeling overwhelmed and powerless: but softening the bad news with talk of ‘by the end of the century’ simply encourages complacency. And scientific facts don’t change minds – emotions do. The powerful emotions of fear and anger have historically been the biggest drivers of major societal change. However, we’re up against the billionaire-owned, partly fossil fuel-funded mainstream media that has long shaped the climate narrative, promoting denial and delay through a steady stream of mis- and disinformation. To challenge this, campaigners took to the streets in huge numbers, seeking to persuade the politicians to treat the issue with the urgency it requires. Unfortunately, the politicians have learned that peaceful protests can be ignored – the UK joined the disastrous American invasion of Iraq in 2003 in spite of more than a million people marching through London to protest against it. So environmental campaigners have been forced into disruptive protests that can’t be ignored … but the government is responding with anti-protest legislation – attacking the messengers, instead of paying heed to their message. It’s another example of how dark money has corrupted our democracy. While he was prime minister, Rishi Sunak boasted about the government’s anti-protest laws having been guided by the Policy Exchange … that’s a right-leaning think tank which is reported to have received funding from fossil fuel interests, and where Sunak himself worked before his 2015 election to parliament. Ex-Labour MP John Woodcock, now Lord Walney, acted as the government’s ‘independent’ advisor on domestic extremism. Unsurprisingly, as a paid advisor to the arms and oil industries, he specifically called for bans on groups protesting against defence and energy firms. Some will inevitably view disruptive protests as an unjustifiable disturbance to businesses and the public – but all other efforts to push the government to act on the unfolding climate and environmental crises have failed – so far. Campaigners cannot give up – but time is short, and the clock is ticking ever louder. Ken Huggins North Dorset Green Party
