Winterborne Houghton

St Andrew’s Church

Winterborne Houghton, Dorset, DT11 0PD.

Contacts

Julia Goy – Church secretary – 01258 268538
Sue Close & Julia Goy – Church Wardens
John Close – Treasurer – 01258 880457

About the Village

The village of Winterborne Houghton in North Dorset is nestled in the beautiful Winterborne Valley on the Dorset Downs, in an area of outstanding natural beauty and surrounded by woodland and downland in a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Located five miles southwest of  the market town of Blandford Forum and 15 miles north of Lulworth Cove on the Purbeck Heritage Coast, ‘Houghton’ is sometimes referred to as a ‘linear’ village as it follows the course of the River Winterborne which was originally a small stream rising in Higher Houghton at the head of the valley, for most of the year it is fed from a borehole supplying Houghton Springs Fish Farm at the lower end of the village, moorhens, egrets, herons and kingfishers can be seen along the stretch of water.

People born in the village are know as ‘Houghton Owls’ as per the writings of Thomas Hardy.  The ‘owl’ motif appears in several places in the village, including the Church of St Andrew’s and the pond bench.

Church History and Interesting Facts

The Parish church was built in 1861 and is a listed building – Read more