- River Tarrant
The River Tarrant is a 12km long tributary of the River Stour in
Dorset . The valley lies to the east ofBlandford Forum and runs throughCranborne Chase , an area ofchalk downland . The eight Tarrant Valley villages all bear the name of the river: listed in order from the river’s source they are:
*Tarrant Gunville : the source of the river is in the grounds of Gunville House, now demolished
*Tarrant Hinton : a village at a crossroads, with a parish church
*Tarrant Launceston : a hamlet with a 3-arched 17th century bridge.
*Tarrant Monkton : a village with a parish church
*Tarrant Rawston : a very small settlement
*Tarrant Rushton : a village with a parish church. Near here was aWorld War II RAF airfield.
*Tarrant Keyneston : this is the largest village of the eight; has a parish church
*Tarrant Crawford , the final settlement, lies at the confluence of the rivers Tarrant and Stour. Here there is a parish church and Tarrant Abbey farm, where once stood a nunnery. There is also a vineyard here.There were three other Tarrant Communities;
* Tarrant Stubhampton north of
Tarrant Gunville and part of that Parish: This is now known as Stubhampton.
* Tarrant Antioch which may have been an earlier name forTarrant Rawston , or may have been a distinct community just north of Tarrant Rawston. Tarrant Antioch was served by St MaryTarrant Crawford , where there was a devotion to St Margaret of Antioch.
* Tarrant Preston: This was a hamlet and still exists marked by Preston Farm.Churches also existed once at Tarrant Launceston (the site is on Higher Dairy Farm), and
Tarrant Rawston (which still exists but in private ownership). In the middle ages there was a Church at Tarrant Stubhampton. The Church atTarrant Crawford is looked after by the Redundant Churches Commission, and the Parish is united withTarrant Keyneston .A
Roman road followed the valley and there are many tumuli on the hills on both sides of the river, evidence of long occupation .External links
* [http://www.imagesofdorset.org.uk/Dorset/037/intro.htm Images of Dorset photos of the Valley]
* [http://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/articles/ArticlesDetail.asp?ID=304 Article on Tarrant Valley]
* [http://www.tarrant-rushton.ndirect.co.uk/FlightOverTR.htm Tarrant Rushton airfield]
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