"I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list!"
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West Orchard is a small village in the Blackmore Vale, approximately 3½ miles north-east of Sturminster Newton and just over 5 miles south-west of Shaftesbury. It is separated from the adjacent parish of East Orchard by a stream flowing to the south-west.
The two Orchards were originally under the control of the Abbey of Shaftesbury. Following the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539, they passed, with all the land around them, into the hands of the Arundell family.
The church at West Orchard was documented in 1650 as being the chapel of ease to the mother church of the parish of Fontmell, some 4 miles away, and West Orchard registers date from 1653. The existing church of St Luke’s was largely rebuilt by T H Wyatt in 1876-77, although parts of the 15th century chancel remain.
The parish is grouped with the parishes of East Orchard and Margaret Marsh to form a group parish council.
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A simple multi-cache finding information in the village
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