Place:Belchalwell, Dorset, England

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Name	Belchalwell
Alt names	Bellchalwell	source: Family History Library Catalog
Type	Ancient parish, Civil parish
Coordinates	50.887°N 2.299°W
Located in	Dorset, England ( - 1888)
See also	Cranborne Hundred, Dorset, England	hundred in which it was located
	Okeford Fitzpane, Dorset, England	parish into which is was absorbed in 1888
	East Dorset District, Dorset, England	district municipality covering the area 1974-2019

Featured Page: Week of January 18, 2009

source: Family History Library Catalog

Belchalwell is a village now in Okeford Fitzpaine parish in the Blackmore Vale, North Dorset, and lies two and a half miles south-west of Shillingstone, eight miles north-east of Blandford and four miles south of Sturminster Newton. The village lies under the north slopes of Bell Hill, part of the Dorset Downs, and is Saxon in origin, with a medieval church, much renovated.

According to A Vision of Britain through Time Belchalwell was a parish until at least 1888.

1 Historic Descriptions
2 Research Tips
- 2.1 Online Transcriptions
- 2.2 Other Reources
3 Picture Gallery

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Historic Descriptions

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1831 - A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis

BELLCHALWELL, a parish in the hundred of CRANBORNE, Shaston (western) division of the county of DORSET, 8 miles (W.N.W.) from Blandford-Forum, containing 192 inhabitants.The living is a discharged rectory, united, in 1776, to the rectory of Fifehead-Neville, in the archdeaconry of Dorset, and diocese of Bristol, rated in the king's books at £7. 15. Earl Rivers was patron in 1827.

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1851 - The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales

BELCHALWELL, a parish in the hundred of Cranborne, union of Sturminster, Shaston division of the county of Dorset; 6 miles west-north-west ot Blandford Forum, . Living, a discharged rectory, united, in 1776, to the rectory of Fifehead-Neville, formerly in the archd. of Dorset and dio. of Bristol, now in the dio. of Salisbury; valued at £7 15s.; gross income £370. Patron, in 1835, Lord Rivers. There are a daily and a Sunday school here. Pop.,, in 1801, 134; in 1831, 205. Houses 28. Acres 950. A. P. £1,913. Poor rates, in 1837, £108.

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1906 - Highways & Byeways of Dorset by Frederick Treves

At Belchalwell is a church which has been deserted by its village, of which but a few cottages now remain. The church is placed on a solitary mound commanding a near view of the downs. It has a little low square tower and an elaborate Norman porch. Roses are climbing over the chancel windows, and when I visited the place in June a turbulent assembly of bees had established a colony under the ancient eaves.

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