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 Rev.
ArthurShirley |
I was in Dorset a few weeks ago visiting Brian and Janet Shirley. They took me to a little church in the Dorchester area. Here is a story and a few pictures. Posted: June 27th, 2006 See below for a story about Thomas Hardy, English writer from Stinson Parish also. |
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 The Shirleys, who claimed to be the country's oldest family, prided themselves on a tradition of widespread public service. Their family tree encompassed figures as varied as the naval officer who killed the native who shot Captain Cook, and Walter Waddington, the English Prime Minister of France. Just as there had been a Shirley at Agincourt, and a Shirley at Shrewsbury who is mentioned by Shakespeare, the new vicar's brothers served with distinction in the Peninsula, at Waterloo and in the Crimean campaign. Rev Shirley had been an undergraduate of Oxford in the early days of the Oxford or Tractarian movement, which sought to reform the ideas, beliefs and practical effectiveness of the church of England in accordance with the High Church ideas. Undeterred by the fact that Dorset was one of the most Low Church areas in England, Shirley sought to introduce to Stinsford the newest High Church practice. The fabric and music Shirley altered completely. In a sweeping restoration in the early 1840's, he removed the chancel pews, and replaced the string choir with a barrel organ. A susbsequent restoration, in 1868, involved the removal of the church's remaining box pews. These changes, though in strict conformity with the best High Church practice at the time, were greatly to the distaste of the Hardy family, and little though Hardy the writer could have known of the early alterations first hand, he nonetheless never forgave Shirley for them. Taken from a booklet available in the church parish. NOTE: Rev Arthur Shirley is descended from the Ettington Shirleys.
 The Hardy's family had been connected with Stinsford for several years before the writer's birth. Edward Murray, vicar from 1823-1837, resided in the Stinsford House adjoining the church and would welcome members of the Hardy family, particularly Hardy's grandfather and father, Thomas the First and Thomas the Second.  Thomas Hardy, poet and novelist was born in the parish of Stinsford on June 2, 1840 and baptized in this church about a month later. The Hardy family was closely connected with the church. Rev Shirley had been an undergraduate of Oxford in the early days of the Oxford or Tractarian movement, which sought to reform the ideas, beliefs and practical effectiveness of the church of England in accordance with the High Church ideas. Undeterred by the fact that Dorset was one of the most Low Church areas in England, Shirley sought to introduce to Stinsford the newest High Church practice. There was scarcely an aspect of the young Thomas Hardys life which this change did not affect. Hardy was the first pupil to enter the new Stinsford and Bockhampton National School which Shirley had set up in collaboration with the occupant of the nearby Kingston Maurward house, Julia Augusta Martin. He also instituted a Sunday school, at which in due course Hardy became an instructor, along with the vicar's sons Sewallis and Robert. Hardy became an architect while at the same time attempting to establish himself as a writer. Hardy's fiction increasingly brought him prosperity and fame. At the turn of the century, Hardy abandoned fiction for verse drama and poetry. Much of his best verse consists of imaginative reminiscence of the parish and its people and places. His finest work is contained in Poems of 1912-13. Hardy died January 11, 1928 and in the words of The Times of the day following, 'the greatest writer of his time'.   Stafford House was built in 1633 and extended in 1848. It was used for the 1996 adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma and a waterfall in the grounds is mentioned in Thomas Hardy's story 'The Waiting Supper'. Julian Fellowes is an actor-director
in England and is a cousin to Major John Shirley, present owner
of Ettington. His home, Stafford House, is in Dorchester, Dorset.
He bought the mansion for more than £1 million last year
with proceeds from the hit film starring Dame Maggie Smith and
Michael Gambon according to an England publication. It is a beautiful
house. Unfortunately Mr. Fellowes was not home the day we stopped by. |
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