SHIPTON GORGE

St. Martin

Shipton Gorge owes its name to the Old English 'sceap' and 'tun' meaning 'Sheep farm' and Gorge which comes from the de Gorge family who had fought at the Battle of Hastings and, later when King John lost Normandy, had remained loyal and taken refuge in England.

There has certainly been a church here for a very long time.  The tower is 14c, but there was probably a rebuild in the 17c with box pews and galleries.  However, apart from the tower, the whole thing was rebuilt in 1862 to a design by John Hicks of Dorchester.  This more than doubled the seating of the old building.  There was a big over-run of the budget culminating in a final cost of just short of £1100.  The font is early 14c and there are some excellent, beautifully sculpted capitals by Benjamin Grassby (see Powerstock and North Poorton).  Note the colourful organ.