Bere Regis Village History

Historical Photograph Galleries

We have 479 Photographs - from the earliest known photograph of the village in 1863 to the late 1980's.

They are arranged into 11 different Galleries, covering many different parts of this Village & its life

Click the Photograph below to enter our Galleries Page

Feel free to email your own historical photos to us here to include in our Galleries

Gallery of Then & Now Photographs

We have 60 pairs of 'then & now' photographs showing how the village has changed, or in some cases, not changed over the last 150 years...

Click the Photographs below to enter

Summary of the Village History

Click on the photograph to read a summary of the history of our village

Directory of Bere Regis Listed Buildings

Find out about all the listed buildings of our Village, photographs of them included too. Click the Icon below to enter...

Historic Maps of Bere Regis

Ever wondered how the layout of Bere Regis changed between 1777 & 1955?

Historic Ordnance Survey Maps of Bere Regis in 1887 & 1902

Have a look at the Village in these historical Ordnance Survey Maps...

Historic Maps of Dorset & The Bere Regis Area

Ever wondered what Dorset & the Bere Regis Area looked like from 1610 till 1886? Click the Map below to find out...

The Derivation of the name 'Bere Regis'

Beer & a Royal patronage?

Click the photo to find out where the name 'Bere Regis' came from...

The Geological History of the Village

The Village has a rich Geological History - Chalk Downs, Clay Heathlands and winding River Valleys - we've got them all! Click the Photograph above to find out more...

The Ancient History of the Village

Ever wondered what was going on in Roman Times or even the Paleaolithic Age around our village? Find out all about the ancient history of the village from Pre 2500 BC to 1066 AD.

Archeological Sites around Bere Regis

Find out about all the Archeological finds around Bere Regis by using the Archeology Data Service. Its an online database of all archeological features around the UK - just click on Bere Regis in the map provided and it will provide you with details for 5km around our village.

Bere Regis Archeological Notes

We have created an Archeological Notes section that gives details on occasional Archeological finds from Villagers here in Bere Regis. Click the Image above to see the Notes. We hope to gradually add to this section, so come back & visit!

Bere Regis Manor

Find out about the Manor, from Queen Elfrida & Simon de Montfort, to Thomas Turberville & Henry Drax...

The Village Geld Rolls 978 - 1086

Click the Photograph above to find out about the Village Geld Rolls from 978 - 1086

The Domesday Survey

AD 1086

See what one of the most historic documents of our nations history had to say about Bere Regis...

Arms of Bere Regis Families

The Arms below are of the great Forbes family - click the image to see the Arms of Bere Regis families...

The Reign of King John

1190 to 1216

Come & explore one of the most illustrious periods of our villages' history...

The Turbeville Family 1202 - 1780

Find out about the history of one of the best known Bere Regis families...

Photographs of Shitterton Medieval Lane

Click the Photograph of Dark Lane to enter

The 1542 Muster Rolls

Have a look at the able men of our village that Henry VIII could have called upon in the event of War...

The 1662 Hearth Tax Returns

Each householder was taxed for the number of fireplaces in their dwelling...

Bere Regis Births 1595 - 1913

Click the Photograph to find out more

Bere Regis Baptisms 1600 - 1978

Click the Photograph to find out more

Bere Regis Marriages 1627 - 1939

Click the Photograph to find out more

Bere Regis Burials 1606 - 1943

Click the Photograph to find out more

Villagers Wills 1559 - 1853

In the largest project in this Websites history we have put all the available scanned copies of the 493 Villagers Wills from 1559 - 1853 into Galleries within our History Section. Click the Image below to see the Archive...

The Gould Family Notebook 1723 - 1850

A notebook of village life...

Bere Regis in the 1732 Survey of Dorsetshire containing the Anticluities & Natural History of that County by John Coker

Click the Image below to read the Section on Bere Regis

Bere Regis 1807 Poll Book

Click the Photograph to enter

Bere Regis in the 1819 New British Traveller or Modern Panorama of England & Wales (Vol. 2) by James Dugdale

Click the Image below to read the entry for Bere Regis in this Guidebook from 1819

Bere Regis Village Trade Directories 1830 - 1939

Every few years Trade Directories were complied of the Villagers - click the image below to read them

Samuel Lewis Description of Bere Regis from 1831

Click the Painting below to find out how Samuel Lewis described Bere Regis in the 1831 Topographical Dictionary of England

Bere Regis Census every Decade from 1841 - 1901

Every decade, there is a National Census in the UK. Click the photograph to view the findings for the Village from 1841 - 1901...

Bere Regis 1844 Tithe Map & Apportionments

Click the Map to see them both

The 1871 Bere Regis Land Owners Survey

Click the Photograph to enter

Village Links to Thomas Hardy

Click the Painting above to see Thomas Hardys Links to our Village ('Kingsbere')

The Parish Magazine 1887 - Today

Click the magazine to find out about village life over the years...

Bere Regis Railway Station

Well, no not quite, due to geographical reasons, which was probably a good thing! However, a proposal in 1899 was put forward to run a branch line from Blandford to Dorchester, via Zelston, Anderson, Bere Regis, Tolpuddle & Puddletown. The scheme even got as far as appointing a London firm of Surveyors to survey and plan the route in detail.

Village Music from 1905

Click the Image above to see some music noted by Alan & Henry Hammond company and performed by Mr J Baker, on a visit to the village on Sunday 13th January 1905

Village World War I & II Memorial Names

Click the Image above to see the names of the brave Villagers that gave their lifes in order to defend freedom in World War I & II

The Village in the BBC World War II Peoples War

BBC WW2 People's War is an archive of World War II memories. It is a people's history, written by the public, and gathered by the BBC and contains 47,000 eyewitness accounts on 144 events. Click the Image above to read the Entry that involves Bere Regis...

Village Home Guard in Word War II

The Village had an energetic Home Guard in World War II. Had the Germans invaded, these brave Volunteers would have defended our Nation.

"We shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."

Winston Church, 4th June 1940

Find out more by clicking the Photograph above...

Historical Paintings of the Village

Click the Image above to see a Gallery of historical paintings of the Village

Village Murders

Murders in our peacful village? Click the image to find out more...

The old Village Inns & Innkeepers

Bere Regis had 7 pubs in the 18th Century!

Click the photo to find out about all our pubs from 1614 onwards...

Village Fires

Bere Regis used to be almost entirely thatched...

Click the photo to find out why lots of it went...

The History of Woodbury Hill Fair

Click the photo above to find out about our former local Fair - the largest Fair in the South of England...

History of St. John the Baptist Church from 1050 onwards

Click the photo above to find out about the history of St. John the Baptist Church. Be aware that clicking the Photo will take you to our Church Website. Simply click 'back to main menu' on the left hand menu to return to this Website...

History of the Village Congregational Chapel from 1662 onwards

Click the photo above to find out about the history of the village Congregational Chapel...

History of Bere Heath Methodist Chapel from 1850 onwards

Click the photo above to find out about the history of the Bere Heath Methodist Chapel...

History of the old Village Wesleyan Chapel from 1828 onwards

Click the photo above to find out about the history of the old village Wesleyan Chapel...

Village Charities from 1646 onwards

Click the photo above to find out about the Village Charities...

History of the Village Schools from 1846 onwards

Click the photo above to find out about the history of the schools in the village...

History of the Village Industries from 1335 onwards

Click the photo above to find out about the history of Bere Regis Industries...

History of the Village Housing from 1945 onwards

Click the photo above to find out about the history of the Post-WW2 Village Housing...

The Development of the Village Bridges

Click the photo above to find out how the Bridges in our village developed...

The Development of Roads in & around the Village

Click the photo above to find out how our roads have developed from the initial medieval network, through the turnpike roads, to todays modern framework...

History of the Bere Regis Bus Co. 1929 - 1995

Click the photo above to find out all about the History of the the largest independent Bus operator in the county of Dorset in the postwar years...

The Village in the 2001 Census

Click the logo above to find out all about the village from the latest National Census...

Books on Bere Regis Village & Family History

Click the Photograph above to find information on Books that cover the history of Bere Regis and its Families...

Research your family tree

Use our search tool by clicking the Image above to look up your family name and help you find out more about your family's history. Alternatively click the Image below to see our Directory of Village related surnames that have websites dedicated to them...