Evershot, Dorset

 

Evershot is a small Dorset village which lies about 6 miles north of Dorchester (map).  It is the village where the Groves family originated, who were destined to marry and become the Moores of Pontypridd.  The known family records start with William Groves who married Sarah Gale in 1707 at St Osmund’s Parish Church, Evershot.

Some of the original St Osmund’s church records still reside in the church safe and during a visit to the village, I was lucky enough to be able to view and photograph all the entries for the Groves family.  This included births, marriages and burials.

 

Extract from Marriage records seen in St Osmunds church -

John Groves marries Sarah Warry Barrett on 17^th December 1860

 

There was only one old Groves gravestone in the churchyard and this turned out to be in my direct line of descendancy.  It reads :

 

In memory of

Richd Groves

who died

?? January 1795

aged 80

also

Elizabeth

Wife of the above

who died

April 5th 1796

Aged 78

 

The main street, Fore Street, looking East

 

Fore Street looking West

 

Tan Yard looking South.  Some of the family lived in this area in 1881.

 

St Osmunds and cottages

 

St Osmunds and Tess Cottage

 

St Osmunds interior

 

St Osmunds font

This is almost certainly the font where many of the Groves children were baptised.

The decorations are for a festival taking place at the time I was visiting.

 

Acorn Inn and St Osmunds

 

Further links

 

A great website all about Evershot

This includes the history of the village including an important event in 1865 when many members of the Groves family were made homeless by a fire in a row of cottages in Back Lane.

 

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