The History of Cerne Valley

Cerne Abbas

The Cerne Valley has been inhabited since Neolithic times, but signs are now few.

Cerne Abbas is the major settlement in the Valley and was the site of an important Benedictine abbey. Its existence is reflected in the name of the village. Cerne Abbas thrived under the abbey, but its fortunes varied through the centuries after the Dissolution of 1539. Fortunes were made during the 17th and 18th centuries from beer brewing and at one time the village boasted 17 brewing houses and inns! The local economy declined in the 19th century with the general agricultural depression, but the village is once more a thriving community.

1919 Village Sale Centenary

On 24th September 1919, the Pitt-Rivers family, who had owned most of Cerne Abbas since 1705, put Cerne Abbas up for sale at auction. This took place at 1.30pm in Dorchester Town Hall and a total of £67,402 was raised from the 75 lots. The sale included houses, shops, farms, pubs and plots of land. You can find out more information about the centenary celebrations of the village sale on the Cerne Abbas Historical Society website.

Minterne House

Minterne House at Minterne Magna has been the home of the Churchill and Digby families for the last 350 years and is now the seat of the 13th Lord Digby. Minterne House nestles in 1300 acres of beautiful Dorset Countryside and contains many interesting paintings and the Churchill Tapestries. The House is open for organised parties only.

The beautiful gardens at Minterne House are open from February to October and are at their best in April and May.