Whitcombe Church and William Barnes

The church may be redundant, but it seems that the Revd. William Barnes is still tending his flock. He preached his first and last sermons at this church.

Barnes may not have wanted to use words derived from Latin or Greek in his Dorset dialect poetry, but he did write this poem, "Grecian Maids", in 'national English'.

"Oh! lovely were the Grecian maids of old..."

The (conserved) wall-painting of St Nicholas is c. 1400. The Purbeck marble font is 13th century. The barn beside the churchyard has been beautifully restored thanks to the author Minette Walters, who lives in the nearby farmhouse/manor house. Interactive Map, Minette Walters' website

Whitcombe, from British History Online