Made up largely of thatched cob houses, Milton Abbas is not only one of the most picturesque villages in Dorset but it is also the first planned village. Built in the 18th century, Lord Milton disliked looking at the village of Middleton and wanted a more rural vista. As a result, he ordered it demolished and moved the village a short way to the south east.

The village is particularly interesting as it features 36 near-identical houses. It's very pretty and has a pub, perfect for a lunch stop.

Charlie Cosh

November 29, 2022

Milton Abbas was created in the 1770/80's after Lord Milton decided that the village of Middleton was disturbing his rural peace at nearby Milton Abbey. He therefore asked Capability Brown, a famous landscape gardener, to create a new village in a nearby wooded valley. He then relocated most of the villagers of Middleton.

Mike Cree

May 3, 2025

notable for being one of the first planned settlements in England. In the 1770s, the owner of Milton Abbey, Joseph Damer (later Lord Milton and Earl of Dorchester), decided the original village of Middleton was spoiling his view and commissioned architect Sir William Chambers and landscape gardener Capability Brown to design a new village in a nearby wooded valley. The old village was demolished, and most of its residents were relocated to this new model village, now known as Milton Abbas.
The village is characterized by its single, sinuous main street lined with 36 almost identical whitewashed and thatched cottages. These were originally designed to house two families each.

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Elevation 170 m

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Sunday 26 October

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100 %

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Max wind speed: 14.0 km/h

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Location: Milton Abbas, North Dorset, Dorset, South West England, England, United Kingdom

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