All Saints Church
Tarrant Keyneston
All Saints Church in Tarrant Keyeston Dorset sitting on the site we see today, is mostly Victorian having been a rebuild in 1853. It has largely replaced its successor built 1218 with other survivors of its past being the 15th century tower and one of the bells from around 1400.
The church is unusual – it’s aligned South East to North West rather than the more usual East to West alignment and its long list of rectors begins in 1317 although there’s even some record of previous incumbents in 1286.
Famous architects lie at rest in its pretty churchyard. Here can be found the tomb of the Bastard family, responsible for many fine local houses and nearby Blandford Forum’s impressive Parish Church and Town Hall.
Bishop Poore, the builder of Salisbury Cathedral, is thought to have been buried in Tarrant Keyneston Church, in accordance with his wishes, within the Anchorites Cell in the earlier building. There’s some mystery around this though. The veracity of this claim is confused by reference to his burial also made in Tarrant Crawford’s St Mary’s Church. Visit the Tarrant Crawford webpages for more…..
