Description
Canford, Great, or Canford Magna, a village and a parish in Dorset. The village stands on the river Stour, near the S.W.R., 2 miles E of Wimborne-Minster. The parish contains also the village of Little Canford, and the tithings of Kinson, Longfleet, and Parkstone, extends southward to Poole harbour, and includes part of Poole borough. It has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Wimborne. Acreage, 7846; population of the civil parish, 1416; of the ecclesiastical, 1194. The manor belonged once to John of Gaunt, belongs now to the Wimborne family, and is of great extent. The mansion on it, Canford Hall, occupies the site of an Ursuline convent, is an edifice in the Tudor style, built in 1826 for Lord de Manly, includes remains of the convent kitchen, with two huge fireplaces, and has a very fine hall. A gallery, connected by a cloister with the mansion, contains Assyrian sculptures from Nineveh, and drives go through fir woods to the vicinity of Poole. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Salisbury; value, £327 with residence. Patron, Lord Wimborne. The church has Norman features, particularly in the tower, and contains monuments by Bacon to the Willetts of Merly; it was restored in 1876 and 1878.
Parish Church
The ancient parish church (dedication unknown) is an edifice of Norman date, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, north and south porches and a low tower containing 6 bells: there are several monuments and brasses, and memorial windows to Sir Joshua John Guest bart. d. 26 Nov. 1852, and Augustus F. Guest esq. d. 23 May, 1862; and in 1897 two stained windows were placed in the aisles to Lady Charlotte E. Schreiber, widow of Charles Schreiber esq. M.P. and previously Sir J.J. Guest bart. by the Viscount and Viscountess Duncannon: the whole church was restored, the west end rebuilt and porches erected in 1876-78 by the 1st Baron Wimborne: in 1910 additional repairs were carried out, and an oak screen placed in the church by Lady Wimborne: there are 250 sittings.
The register dates from the year 1656.
Villages, Hamlets, &c.
Kinson, a chapelry in Great Canford parish, Dorsetshire, near Wimbome. It became separate in 1865.
Knighton, a hamlet in Canford Magna parish, Dorsetshire, 2 miles NW of Wimborne Minster.
Moretown, a hamlet in Canford Magna parish, Dorsetshire, 3 1/2 miles SE of Wimborne.
Oakley, a hamlet in Cranford Magna parish, Dorsetshire, on the river Stour, 1 mile SE of Wimborne Minster.
