1
Northover Close, Piddletrenthide
Seen from bridleway S36 23, looking across the Piddle valley.
Image: © Derek Harper
Taken: 23 May 2022
0.01 miles
2
Crossing the B3143 in Piddletrenthide
The village of Piddletrenthide is strung out along the B4143 road which runs along the Piddle valley. Here a footpath crosses the road and becomes a bridleway leading steeply up to the downs to the east of the village.
Image: © Jim Champion
Taken: 25 Dec 2005
0.02 miles
3
Piddletrenthide School: the mystery of the "missing" school gates (1)
This is the old village school building of 1848, the gift of one John Bridge, a local benefactor. In Jo Draper's excellent book "Dorset - The Complete Guide" she describes the school gates as dating from the 16th century that had once graced the tomb of Lady Margaret Beaufort in Westminster Abbey. There is also an illustration in the book of the same gates outside the school before its closure and conversion to a private house. When this book illustration was compared with the old *English Heritage 'Images of England' database description and photo, it was obvious that the gates they were describing were not the historic ones. Their photo featured the same modern replacements as in my photo above, confusing these gates with the old historic ones. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=104951&mode=adv.
Which begged the question - what had happened to the original gates?
Image
Image: © Mike Searle
Taken: 30 Nov 2013
0.06 miles
4
Piddletrenthide School: the mystery of the "missing" school gates (2)
This is the new village school which opened in 1999. Fortunately the mystery of what had happened to the gates was solved after visiting the school. The historic C16 gates from the tomb of Lady Margaret Beaufort had been transferred to the new school in 1999, and there is a notice to this effect by the gates.
Image
Image: © Mike Searle
Taken: 30 Nov 2013
0.06 miles
5
Piddletrenthide School: the mystery of the "missing" school gates (4)
Close-up of the upper rail of the gates that once stood outside the old school building that were transferred to the new school in 1999. In their description of them, English Heritage state that 'The upper rail is broad and bears a cable moulding with lozenge shaped jewels beneath.' These gates match the railings surrounding the monument of Lady Margaret Beaufort in Westminster Abbey, and were from the collection of the benefactor and founder of the old school John Bridge, who had them installed there. Pevsner also mentions the gates in his Dorset volume of the "Buildings of England" and asks "...should they not be returned where they belong?"
Image: © Mike Searle
Taken: 30 Nov 2013
0.06 miles
6
Piddle Valley First School
The Piddle Valley First School
Image: © Marilyn Peddle
Taken: 13 Apr 2006
0.07 miles
7
Piddletrenthide School: the mystery of the "missing" school gates (3)
These are the genuine C16 gates from the tomb of Lady Margaret Beaufort in Westminster Abbey that were transferred from the old school building to the new in 1999. There is a small plaque recording this event on the gate pier to the right. It is unfortunate that *English Heritage at one time seem to have confused these with the modern replacements that are now at the old school building. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=104951&mode=adv. The two dates on the gate piers record the founding of the old and new schools.
Image
*To be fair to English Heritage, their current online database entry for the gates does contain the amendment that they were transferred to the new school in 1999.
Image: © Mike Searle
Taken: 30 Nov 2013
0.07 miles
8
River Piddle, Piddletrenthide
The village school is on one side of the small river and the road is on the other. it is accessed by two small bridges such as this one. this is the view south downstream.
Image: © Nigel Mykura
Taken: 30 Dec 2008
0.07 miles
9
Village School Piddletrenthide.
This is a very modern Church of England school with 61 pupils aged 4 to 9. It is located right next to the River Piddle in the village.
Image: © Nigel Mykura
Taken: 30 Dec 2008
0.08 miles
10
River Piddle, Piddletrenthide
Running beside the B3143 here, and seen from a footbridge at the start of footpath S36 30.
Image: © Derek Harper
Taken: 23 May 2022
0.10 miles