One of the most consulted books at the Dorset History Centre is Hutchins’ History and Antiquities of Dorset.
John Hutchins, then Vicar of Swyre and Melcombe Horsey and later Rector of Holy Trinity Wareham, began collecting information for his History of Dorset in the 1730’s. It took him nearly forty years to complete and, were it not for his wife Anne, his work may have been destroyed in the great fire of Wareham in 1762, but he finally completed it just before his death in 1773. The first edition was finally published a year later.
A second edition was published in four volumes between 1796 and 1815 (this edition was also nearly destroyed by a fire at the printers!) and a third edition was published in four volumes between 1861 and 1873. This is the edition that can be found in our reference library and search room and we have copies of the earlier editions in our repository.
Hutchins’ books contain a wealth of information about the people and places of Dorset, but in our rare books there can be found an edition containing even greater treasures.
In 1904, A. M. Broadley of the Knapp, Bradpole, took a copy of the second edition of Hutchin’s book and added to it drawings, notes, maps and even original letters and documents. This is known as the Hutchins’ Extra Illustrated Edition and consists of 12 volumes.
Every month this year we will be writing a blog about a volume of this book and the hidden gems it contains.
Volume One
Volume One contains the introduction to the History and Antiquities of Dorset. This gives an overview of the history of Dorset going back to ancient times.
Broadley has added paintings and drawings, original letters, a page on the Dorsetshire Regiment and extracts from books such as Ministers Ejected or Silenced in Dorsetshire and the 4th volume of Alfred Pope’s Collection of Old Topographical Views and Engravings Relating to Dorset, which was published in 1903.
There are also a large number of maps of Dorset, from small maps of the county to a copy of the birds-eye view of the coast from 1539, which stretches over 4 double pages.
One of the most eye-catching items is a painting of the coat of arms of the Grey family. This is part of a section, added to the book by Broadley, describing those who have held the title Earl or Marquis of Dorset.
Thomas Grey was born in 1451. He was made Marquess of Dorset in 1475 by his stepfather Edward IV, who had married Thomas’s mother Elizabeth Woodville in secret in around 1463. His half-brothers, Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury are popularly known as the princes in the tower and his half-sister Elizabeth married Henry VII and was the mother of Henry VIII.
When Thomas died in 1501 the title passed to his son, also called Thomas, and then to his grandson Henry, father of Lady Jane Grey, who lost the title when he was executed for treason 1554 for taking part in an attempt to overthrow Queen Mary I.
Towards the end of the volume Broadley has added some brief descriptions of Dorset taken from various, often unnamed sources. Our favourite contains the following quote, which seems a good way to end this blog:
‘The manner of the Natives, in general, are a little more polished than in some other Western Counties. They are proud of the saying of King Charles II that he never saw a finer county than Dorsetshire.’
Come back in February for more about the diverse content stored in volume 2 of Hutchins’ Extra Illustrated.
Now that is exciting. We would love to see the volume which contains Milton Abbas.
Do you have the catalogue reference for these 12 volumes, and which one contains Milton Abbas?
Hi Bryan, thanks for your comment.
The volume which contains Milton Abbas is Volume 12, so you will have to wait until December before reading about it here! Obviously you are welcome to come and consult it in our search-rooms, Hutchins is one of our rare books, with a library catalogue number of 942.33.
I have really enjoyed this piece and look forward to future blogs on the same subject.
According to ‘Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900’, John Hutchins died in Wareham on 21 June 1773 and the first edition of his ‘History of Dorset’ was published the following year in 1774.
Thank-you Rachel, we will be producing these blogs on a monthly basis, to cover all 12 of the volumes of Hutchins’ Extra Illustrated, so stay tuned!
We will also double check the dates of his death and publication, and correct them if necessary!
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We have updated the article with the correct dates. Thank-you.
It’s really timely that you are doing this blog. I believe my 12th Great grandfather William Mescelsey / Marshalsie / Marshallsay is mentioned on page 496 which concerns land that Kind Henry VIII sold to Edmund Fox and his family, this was then leased to my ancestor William. My qyestion to you is: what volume this could have come from and also should I check earlier volumes of work to see if his family is mentioned again. Are their any other books that are concerned with the history of Putton Dorset in that time?
Hi Niall, thanks for your message! This was the first in a series of blogs we wrote across last year and through into this. The most up-to-date list of all these blogs is available at the end of the most recently published one about Royal Weymouth. Unfortunately, this does mean that at present we are unable to check the volumes as the staff at DHC are working from home. The name should be in the indexes to other editions of Hutchins (there were three main editions, and then the Extra Illustrated version as well) so we should be able to find something, but unfortunately we cannot do that remotely. Please keep your eye on our website and social media channels for information about when we might be reopening.
I have a complete set of Hutchins’ History (third edition, 1861), and, browsing through it 20 years or so ago, distinctly remember a description of Rollers and Collared Pratincoles being shot by a certain Vicar. Unfortunately I can no longer put my finger on the passage. I don’t suppose anyone can help me? Cheers.
Hi Alexander – if you would like to send us an email (archives@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk) one of the team can have a look for you.