Population: 412, Acreage 2,276

Postal Regulations: Letters through Shaftesbury, which is the nearest money-order office and post town.

Melbury Abbas a parish in the borough and division of Shaftesbury, 2 ¼ miles south from Shaftesbury and 10 miles north from Blandford, in the hundred of Sixpenny Handley and union of Shaftesbury.

The church of St.Thomas is a handsome stone structure, consisting of a chancel, nave, and aisle with a square turreted tower containing five bells.  The living is a rectory, annual value ₤263, with residence; the Rev. Thomas Henry Glyn B.A., is the incumbent.  Sir R.G.Glyn is lord of the manor.  There is a spacious school near the church conducted on the national system.

READER Bernard, Shoemaker  

SPENCER Bernard, Farmer

RECORD Rice, Shoemaker 

STUDELY George, Blacksmith

RANDELL Jas. Farmer and Assistant Overseer 

WARREN Charles, Farmer

SHIPTON James, Farmer 

WATTS William, Farmer

SNOOK John, Farmer 

ZEALLY Arthur, Farmer

ALNER Josiah, Parish Clerk

HUDSON -, Gamekeeper

BAKER Joseph, Farmer  

HUNT Thomas, Red Lion

BELBEN Henry, Dairyman, Grove Farm

LUSH Joseph, Shoemaker

BELBEN William, Dairyman

MILES Joseph, Carpenter

BLANCHARD John, Farmer

MILES Samuel & Eli, Farmers

BLANDFORD Thomas, Farmer 

MILES Richard, Farmer

BRICKEL Charles, Carpenter

MULLINS Mrs Harriet, Market Gardner, Cann

BROWN Robert, Shoemaker

RANSOM John, Shopkeeper

COSSER Mrs., Farmer

SIMS Thomas, Carpenter, Cann

DAVIDGE John, Farmer & Mason

SPINNEY Robert, Smith

DIBBEN Isaac, Farmer, Button Farm

WHITEMARSH E.G., Farmer

FOOT William Y., Farmer

WOOLRIDGE Miss Elizabeth Ann, Mistress of National School

HARDING Richard, Farmer

YOUNG James, Farmer

HOARE David, Shoemaker

MELBURY ABBAS is a scattered parish, 2 ¼ miles south of Shaftesbury and lies within Shaftesburys parliamentary borough; 4 miles south from Semley railway station, Wiltshire; 10 miles from Blandford, in the pretty sessional division, union and county district of Shaftesbury, hundred of Sixpenny Handley, rural deanery of Shaftesbury fourth portion, arch deaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury, on the road to Blandford.

The registers dates from 1716; the living is a rectory, tithes commuted at ₤380 yearly with residence in the gift of Sir R G Glyn, bart. and held by the Rev. Henry Thomas Glyn B.A. of Christ Church, Oxford. 

The church of St.Thomas rebuilt in 1851 by the late Sir R P Glyn, bart and opened on St.Thomas’s day 1852; a handsome stone edifice, consisting of a chancel, nave and south aisle, with a square turreted tower and a peal of 5 bells and seating for 300 persons.

There are barrows on Bowdens Hill.  The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats and beans. Sir R G Glyn, bart. is chief land owner and lord of the manor.  Soil is light loam and sand; subsoil principally limestone which is quarried and burnt.  The area is 2,276 acres; rateable value ₤2,689; the population in 1871 was 361.

Parish Clerk – William Alford.

POST OFFICE:- Regniald Elijah Spinney, receiver.  Letters through Shaftesbury arrive at 6.25am; dispatched at 5.30pm; Sundays 10am.  The nearest money order office is at Shaftesbury.

SCHOOL:-

The late Sir R P Glyn built a spacious school near to the church with residence for the mistress. Boys and girls are taught on the National system; Miss Harriet Nottle, mistress.

OTHER:-

Glyn Rev. Henry Thos. B.A. Rectory

ALFORD William, Spread Eagle Inn & Parish Clerk.

HOPKINS John, Farmer – Writh Farm

BAKER Joseph, Farmer – Whitings

MILES Thomas, Farmer

BROWN Robert,– Glyn Arms

MILES Joseph, Farmer

COSSER Phoebe Mrs.,  Farmer & Cow Keeper

MILES Richard, Farmer

DAVIDGE John, Farmer – Allen’s Farm

OXFORD Frederick, Farmer & Miller

DIBBEN Isaac,  Farmer – Button Farm

RANSOM John, Shop Keeper

HACKER George, Plasterer

SPINNEY Reginald Elijah, Blacksmith & Post Office

HARDING Henry, Farmer

TASKER Brothers, Farmers – Manor Farm

HOARE Lois Mrs., Shop Keeper

WHITMARSH James Bennett, Farmer

MELBURY ABBAS a sessional division, union and county court district of Shaftesbury, rural deanery of Shaftesbury (Sturminster Newton portion) arch deaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury.  The living is a rectory, average tithe rent charged is ₤294.00 net yearly value ₤208.00 with residence in the gift of Sir R G Glyn bart. And held since 1885 by the Rev. Henry Jonathan Carver M.A. of St.John’s College, Cambridge.

 There is a charity of ₤4.4s yearly, being the interest of Consols left by the Rev. Frederick Grove to be expended in blankets to be given to the deserving poor. The chief land owner and lord of the manor is Sir R G Glyn bart.  The area is 2,276 acres with a rateable value of  ₤1,962 and the population in 1891 was 288.

Parish Clerk – Mark Holly.

POST OFFICE:-

Reginald Elijah spinney, sub-postmaster.  Letters through Shaftesbury arrive at 7.50am and 5pm on weekdays and 7.50am on Sundays; dispatched at 8.50am and 5.30pm weekdays; Sundays, 10am only.  The nearest money order and telegraph office is at Shaftesbury. 

SCHOOL:-

National School (mixed) capacity for 80 children with an average attendance of 50 and supported by Sir R R Glyn bart. Miss Jemima Battrick – mistress.

OTHER:-

Butcher Rev. William Edgar M.A., R.N., Parhams House

Carver Rev. Henrynathan M.A. Rectory

ALFORD Caroline Mrs., Spread Eagle Inn

FONRACRE Richard, Farmer – Buttons Farm

BAKER Elizabeth Mrs & James, Farmers, Whitings

HACKER George, Plasterer

BRICKELL Charles, Farmer, Groves Farm

HATCHER Albert, Dairyman - Harders Farm

BRICKELL Thomas, Farmer, Church Farm

HOARE Kate Miss, Shop Keeper

BROWN John Stanford, Glyn Arms – P.H. Carpenter & Shop Keeper

HOPKINS John, Farmer – Writh Farm

BURRIDGE Edward, Farmer – Income

MILES Everett, Carpenter

COSSER Richard Arthur, Farmer

SEAMMELL Samuel, Farmer and Miller (water)

COSSER Richard Mullins, Farmer – Houses Farm

SPINNEY Reginald Elijah, Teacher of music and post office

DAVIDGE John, Farmer – Allens Farm