RAMPISHAM

St Michael & All Angels

Rampisham is a really delightful little village hidden in a fold in the chalk upland.  Romans must also have appreciated its attractions because they built a villa, whose pavement was discovered (and desecrated) in 1799.

The exact origins of the church are uncertain, but the splendid perpendicular tower is certainly late C15.  Grafted onto it is a nave designed by John Hicks of Dorchester in 1860.  At the age of 33 this was his first major church job (he was to be responsible for, at least 27, more in the county) although he had altered Piddletrenthide in 1852, where his brother was vicar.  The chancel of 1845 is to a design by the great Victorian architect, Augustus Pugin, who was also probably responsible for the stained glass, made by Lavers and Barraud of London.  The large and impressive font was installed in 1844.  The Rev. Frederick John Rooke was the incumbent during all these alterations, serving a magnificent total of 52 years (1842-94).

Outside, there are the remains of what must once have been a magnificent preaching cross.  It has been dated at 1516, although the platform is given as 1606.  The carving on the base is said to depict the martyrdom of St Thomas à Becket on one side and the chastening of King Henry II on the other.  Although time and the weather have disfigured the work, it is still just possible to see bits of the images.

According to Sir Frederick Treves in his superb 'Highways and Byeways in Dorset', Rampisham's most famous son was a distinguished physician called Francis Glisson, who was born in 1597.  He studied at Cambridge where he eventually rose to become Professor of Physic and after moving to London, a founder member of the Royal Society.  He wrote many learned papers, amongst which a series on rickets (partly observed in Dorset) and most famously of all, his description of the anatomy of the liver and in particular the fibrous sheath, known to this day as Glisson's Capsule.  He died in October 1677.