The Puddletown Society helps to promote a greater appreciation of the village within the community.
It organises monthly talks and visits, covering on a range of topics from history to literature to nature. Recent talks included a biography of Jane Austen, a talk on local butterflies, and a guided walk about Thomas Hardy’s links to the village.
We aim to spread pride in the range of events and activities that make our village a happy and interesting place to live. To this end the Society was key in the creation of this village website.
The Society also produced a popular 2026 calendar of the postbox toppers we all know and love.
Membership of the Society is open to everyone and we hope to see you at an event soon.
– The Puddletown Society
Join the Puddletown Society
To become a member, contact puddletownsociety@gmail.com.
Coming up in 2026
Recent talks
April talk: REWILDING. Wild Woodbury at Bere Regis
by Sarah Dixon
Daisy Meadowcroft, Ranger for the West Dorset Wildlife Trust, came to talk to the Puddletown Society about the project at Bere Regis, now 5 years old.
With great enthusiasm and an excellent selection of slides, Daisy explained that the site of over 400 acres was identified as being suitable for a rewilding project, the first for the Trust, because of its diverse topography and soil structure, and the fact that the site is immediately accessible to the public, being just off the A35.
The site was previously used as a farm producing arable and livestock, and in common with farming practice historically, the fields had been systematically drained by large ditches and land drains, creating a hard and ultimately barren surface trodden hard by animals and machinery and increasingly inhospitable to the spread of natural plants.
The plan was to allow the land to revert to its natural condition by filling in ditches and smashing up land drains, permitting water to take its natural course across the fields. Over the years this has taken place and regular hydrological checks have been made to record what changes have taken place and the effects not only for the site, but further downstream. It has been noted that slowing up water upstream has assisted in preventing flooding.
Additionally, no pesticides have been used on the land which has allowed runoff into Poole harbour to remain without pollution. Significant changes in biodiversity have been noted, as have an increase of flora and bird species, some rare. In particular, the numbers of skylarks amongst other birds in the area have significantly increased, and wading birds have overwintered in the fields when wet. Increase in some types of flora have attracted rare butterflies, such as the Painted Lady.
Continued monitoring of insects and plant varieties takes place, carried out by volunteering groups organised by the Ranger.
Animals were introduced to aid the naturalisation process of the land in the form of a small group of hardy ponies, cows, and 2 Mangerlitzer pigs. These live happily in their own area of the site, and are free to roam, eating as they choose and living on the land as naturally as possible. The animals are managed by the local farmer, and due to their lifestyle no antibiotics are used in their care. The Trust works closely with adjacent land owners to aid understanding of land use and how this can be advantageous to all.
Since the purchase of the site, a tarmac access road and car park have been installed and there are a number public footpaths through the site. It is hoped that visitors will increasingly visit, and DWT organises regular guided walks and talks. It is yet to be decided what should happen to the various large agricultural buildings on the site, however a visitor centre, organic shop and cafe would be a definite addition to the neighbourhood.
Daisy explained that she developed her love of the wild as a small child growing up in a family of plant nurseries, and reminded the audience that everyone can contribute to the biodiversity of their neighbourhood with gardens with ponds and habitats, and window sills.
March talk: Life aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia
by Sarah Balchin
Having moved to Puddletown last August from Stratton, I saw in the Parish Mag about various very interesting organisations and volunteering opportunities.
I decided to attend the Puddletown Society talk in February about ropemaking in Bridport. This was informative and the Puddletown Society team were very welcoming and friendly, so I decided to join!
What a treat the next talk in March was! The Speaker, a Puddletown resident of 40 years, Mike Crankshaw, was fascinating, talking about his years as a proud and loyal crew member of the Royal Yacht Britannia.
He had the audience spellbound and captivated. He explained the routine of life aboard – both when the Royal family and world leaders were there and when it was just the ship’s crew. He and the catering team were responsible to feed 220 crew, three times a day! In very cramped gallies! And in a various of different weather conditions – good and rough!
Mike was very discreet but gave a wonderful insight from the concept of the yacht in the late 40s from early design and the immense involvement of both the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.
The yacht was comfortable, practical, and tastefully furnished and maximised every square inch of space and no way ostentatious. It was designed that it could have been used as a hospital ship, if necessary, although this never happened. Also, this yacht was used all around the world for Trade Days, some 300 per year, and earned this country economy billions of pounds during its history.
Mike reflected on the horrendous time when the yacht was decommissioned in the late 1990s and this was a time of deep sadness for all the Royal family and crew too. The yacht is now in Edinburgh and Scotland’s second largest tourist attraction! Mike still, as part of an Association of Past crew members, visits and actively participates in annual working maintenance parties to ensure the yacht still looks splendid.
It was a super evening and I hope that Mike comes back again to answer more questions!
November 2025: David Illingworth - the life of an architect
In mid November, David Illingworth, who has lived in the village for over 40 years, gave an illustrated talk about his life as an architect.
He highlighted the importance of preserving local heritage and the challenges of balancing modern needs with traditional aesthetics, emphasising the need for sensitivity when introducing new materials or technologies to historic settings.
David shared anecdotes about collaborating with local craftspeople and planners to achieve harmonious results.
His stories offered a fascinating insight into the unique character of the area’s architecture and the lasting impact thoughtful design can have on a community.
David elaborated on the complexities involved in designing three local buildings, including Dr Taylor’s Surgery’, now Piddle Valley Vets, on The Backwater here in the village.
David incorporated a traditional vernacular building form called a horse engine house, from when horses turned threshing machines, as a large semicircular reception space.
The Puddletown Society recently supported the creation and launch of this website.
A word from Diana
I would like to say just how thrilled I am to see a community website for Puddletown.
Just over a year ago, when going through a book on the history of the village, I was struck with the fact that the information I was looking at was the result of a survey of the village conducted exactly 300 years ago, by a previous vicar, Rev Henry Dawnay.
I thought it would be exciting to do something similar about the village of today and hey presto we have a website - which uses modern technology to record a snapshot in the life of the village today.
Three hundred years ago there were only 156 houses with 605 people living in them. The range of occupations is very different to today as there were five innkeepers, a clockmaker and gunsmith, butcher, baker, chandler, weaver, bricklayer, glazier and plasterer and on the outskirts of the village 5 farmers employing about 20 labourers and a shepherd.
- Diana Hooper, Chair of The Puddletown Society. November 2025.
Members' Newsletter - 1 Dec 2025
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