# Godmanstone

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Godmanstone
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Godmanstone.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godmanstone
> Source revision: 1343646222
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Village and civil parish in Dorset, England

Human settlement in England

Godmanstone Parish church of the Holy Trinity, Godmanstone Godmanstone Location within Dorset Interactive map of Godmanstone Population 166 (2021 census) OS grid reference SY667972 Unitary authority Dorset Ceremonial county Dorset Region South West Country England Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town Dorchester Postcode district DT2 Police Dorset Fire Dorset and Wiltshire Ambulance South Western UK Parliament West Dorset List of places UK England Dorset 50°46′25″N 2°28′27″W / 50.7736°N 2.4742°W / 50.7736; -2.4742

**Godmanstone** (or **Godmanston**[1]) is a village and [civil parish](/source/Civil_parish) in [Dorset](/source/Dorset) in southern England, situated approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the county town [Dorchester](/source/Dorchester%2C_Dorset). Its name means "Godman's Farm"[1] and it is sited by the [River Cerne](/source/River_Cerne) amongst [chalk](/source/Chalk) hills of the [Dorset Downs](/source/Dorset_Downs).

## The Smiths Arms

Godmanstone used to have a [pub](/source/Public_house) — The Smiths Arms — which claimed to be the smallest in Britain, with the interior measuring 3.6 metres (12 ft) by 4.6 metres (15 ft).[2] The story attached to the claim was that the original licence was granted by [Charles II](/source/Charles_II_of_England) when he requested that the village [blacksmith](/source/Blacksmith) serve him a glass of [porter](/source/Porter_(beer)). The smith refused because he had no licence, so Charles granted him one on the spot and was served his drink. The licence only applied to the smithy; adjacent living quarters, subsequently used by drinkers, were larger.[3] The business closed at the start of 2011.[4]

## Holy Trinity Church

The parish church is partly Norman, chiefly perpendicular, with a tower; and was recently[*[when?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items)*] repaired. A tune 'Godmanstone' by Cyril Vincent Taylor 1907-1991, vicar of nearby [Cerne Abbas](/source/Cerne_Abbas) 1958-1969, was set in Hymns Ancient and Modern New Standard (#399i), part of which he edited, to the hymn 'Lord, we are blind'.

## Demographics

Census population of Godmanstone parish Census Population Female Male Households Source 1921 111 [5] 1931 95 [5] 1951 120 [5] 1961 121 [5] 1971 140 [5] 1981 120 [5] 1991 120 [5] 2001[a] 171 85 86 67 [6] 2011 156 82 74 63 [7] 2021 166 85 81 67 [8]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** In 2001, data reported for Godmanstone was combined with data for [Nether Cerne](/source/Nether_Cerne) parish.

## Notable inhabitants

[Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington](/source/Francis_Cottington%2C_1st_Baron_Cottington) (ca.1579–1652) came from Godmanstone. He was the English lord treasurer and ambassador and leader of the pro-Spanish, pro-Roman Catholic faction in the court of [Charles I](/source/Charles_I_of_England).[9]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Gant_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Gant_1-1) Roland Gant (1980). *Dorset Villages*. Robert Hale Ltd. p. 149. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0 7091 8135 3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0_7091_8135_3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Remembering The Smiths Arms, Godmanstone"](https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/24563045.remembering-smiths-arms-godmanstone-dorset/). Doset Echo. 7 September 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Ralph Wightman](/source/Ralph_Wightman) (1983). *Portrait of Dorset* (4 ed.). Robert Hale Ltd. pp. 102–3. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0 7090 0844 9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0_7090_0844_9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Smiths Arms, Godmanstone"](https://camra.org.uk/pubs/smiths-arms-godmanstone-141348). CAMRA.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CensusHistory_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CensusHistory_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-CensusHistory_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-CensusHistory_5-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-CensusHistory_5-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-CensusHistory_5-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-CensusHistory_5-6) ["Past population - Parishes (A-L), 1921-2001 Census Years"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120906154647/http://www.dorsetforyou.com/345038). Dorset County Council. Archived from [the original](http://www.dorsetforyou.com/345038) on 6 September 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Census2001_7-0)** ["Key Statistics"](https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/sources/census_2001_ks). Office for National Statistics. ONSID 19UH051 (Godmanstone/Nether Cerne) in Tables KS001 (Usual resident population) and KS016 (Household spaces and accommodation type). Retrieved 23 June 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Census2011_8-0)** ["Key Statistics"](https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/sources/census_2011_ks). Office for National Statistics. E04003542 : Godmanstone in Table KS101EW (Usual resident population) and Table KS105EW (Household composition). Retrieved 23 June 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Census2021_9-0)** ["Parish Profiles"](https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/sources/census_2021_pp). *2021 United Kingdom census*. Office for National Statistics. GSS E04003542 (Godmanstone parish) in tables PP001 (Number of Households) and PP002 (Sex). Retrieved 5 August 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Yorke, Philip Chesney (1911). ["Cottington, Francis Cottington, Baron"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Cottington,_Francis_Cottington,_Baron). *[Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition)*. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). p. 254.

## External links

- [Flight of Prince Charles from Worcester](http://www.thedorsetpage.com/history/Flight_of_Charles/flight_of_charles.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070927034252/http://www.thedorsetpage.com/history/Flight_of_Charles/flight_of_charles.htm) 27 September 2007 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

Media related to [Godmanstone](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Godmanstone) at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Towns, villages and hamlets in the former West Dorset district of Dorset, England Abbotsbury Allington Alton Pancras Askerswell Athelhampton Batcombe Beaminster Beer Hackett Bettiscombe Bincombe Bishop's Caundle Bothenhampton Bradford Abbas Bradford Peverell Bradpole Bridport Broadmayne Broadwindsor Buckland Newton Burstock Burton Bradstock Castleton Catherston Leweston Cattistock Caundle Marsh Cerne Abbas Charlton Down Charminster Charmouth Chedington Cheselbourne Chetnole Chickerell Chideock Chilcombe Chilfrome Clifton Maybank Compton Valence Corscombe Crossways Dewlish Dorchester Drimpton East Chelborough Evershot Eype Fleet Folke Frampton Frome St Quintin Frome Vauchurch Goathill Godmanstone Halstock Hermitage Hilfield Holnest Holwell Hooke Langton Herring Leigh Lillington Littlebredy Litton Cheney Loders Long Bredy Longburton Lyme Regis Maiden Newton Mapperton Marshwood Melbury Bubb Melbury Osmond Melcombe Horsey Minterne Magna Morcombelake Mosterton Netherbury Nether Cerne Nether Compton North Poorton North Wootton Oborne Osmington Osmington Mills Over Compton Owermoigne Piddlehinton Piddletrenthide Pilsdon Plush Portesham Poundbury Powerstock Poxwell Poyntington Puddletown Puncknowle Purse Caundle Rampisham Ryall Ryme Intrinseca Sandford Orcas Seaborough Seatown Sherborne Shipton Gorge South Perrott Stanton St Gabriel Stinsford Stoke Abbott Stratton Swyre Sydling St Nicholas Symondsbury Thorncombe Thornford Tincleton Toller Fratrum Toller Porcorum Toller Whelme Tolpuddle Trent Uploders Walditch Warmwell West Bay West Bexington West Compton West Knighton West Milton West Stafford Whitchurch Canonicorum Whitcombe Winterborne Came Winterborne Monkton Winterborne St Martin Winterbourne Abbas Winterbourne Steepleton Woodsford Wootton Fitzpaine Wraxall Wynford Eagle Yetminster

This Dorset location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

- [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Dorset-geo-stub)
- [t](/source/Template_talk%3ADorset-geo-stub)
- [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Dorset-geo-stub)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Godmanstone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godmanstone) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godmanstone?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.