Abbotsbury
Abbotsbury photos (23 available)
Abbotsbury maps (2 available)
Map of Dorset
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
Personalised maps
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Abbotsbury books (13 available)
- 7 photos on Abbotsbury appear in 3 Frith books - View photos of Abbotsbury
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Abbotsbury and Dorset
Abbotsbury memories
Read and share memories of Abbotsbury and Dorset inspired by Frith photos
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Dorset memories
Fond Memories
My family moved to Eastbrook House in 1970 and lived there for about 11 years, I was ages 1-11 at that time so my first memories and experiences were of Eastbrook, Upwey, Dorchester and Weymouth in that order. I drive through Upwey whenever I can on nostalgia trips and always stop outside Eastbrook to reminisce and to see what changes are going on. My wife thinks I'm obsessed with Upwey and especially Eastbrook! Maybe she's right.
A memory of Upwey contributed by Robert Knight
First visit to Weymouth 1948.
I first visited Weymouth in 1948 with my mother, father, brother Terry and sister Joan. We travelled down from Chesterfield in Derbyshire in dad's pre-war Morris 8 saloon, and camped at Waterside in Bowleaze Cove, which was then owned by Mr. A.H.Pheby.
We were amazed at our first view of Weymouth and Portland from the hill overlooking the town, and we all came to love the place so much that we all continued to visit for many years afterwards. I have brought my children and grandchildren here many times, sometimes twice in a year, and will be coming again this year (2008) in my 70th year, 60 years after the first visit!
We particularly enjoyed the Jazz in June concert in ...read more here
A memory of Weymouth contributed by Jefre Kay
Weymouth - Chapelhay and the corner of Buxton Road bombsites
I was only small when we moved to Longfield Road but old enough to remember walking through the bombsites and noticing wallflowers, buddliea and butterflies among the heaps of rubble and being concerned when coming across a fireplace or something that looked like a part of someone`s house.
A memory of Weymouth contributed by Sarah Smith
1962 Vacation - 1968
It was the year before I married that my husband to be and myself went on a vacation to Weymouth. We had a lovely time, the weather was just glorious for us. We always said that when we married we would revisit Weymouth. Well, we did in the year 1968 with our first born she was 4 years old at that time. I remember so well enjoying a day on the beach, and my little daughter had such fun watching Punch & Judy shows. I would like to visit Weymouth again one of these days to relive all those memories of bygone days.
A memory of Weymouth contributed by Brenda Vanderwert
Extracts From Abbotsbury & Dorset books
Abbotsbury, situated at the western end of Chesil Beach, is most famous for its swannery, the waters of the Fleet often being turned white with hundreds of birds. But for centuries the village was the location of a substantial monastery. Only a few ruins and the tithe barn remain.
An extract from from"Dorset Pocket Album".
Here we see the back
of the great tithe barn,
which was built in about
1413. It was claimed
to be one of the largest
in the country at 276ft
long. It is a reminder of
the power of the church
during the Middle Ages.
An extract from from"Dorchester Photographic Memories".
Abbotsbury has one of the loveliest settings on the Dorset coast at the western end of the long pebbled Chesil Beach. Inland are the rolling downlands of west Dorset.
An extract from from"Dorset Revisited Photographic Memories".
Abbotsbury’s famous swannery is home to over a thousands swans, and first became a popular day out in the aftermath of the Second World War. The swannery was in the care of Fred Lexster, a renowned swanherd and naturalist during the middle years of the last century.
An extract from from"Dorset Living Memories".
Dorset villages such as Abbotsbury had changed little since the days of Thomas Hardy until the middle of the last century, when farming practices changed and tourism increased. This photograph could easily have been taken sixty years earlier with little difference in the view.
An extract from from"Dorset Living Memories".