Description
Stafford, West, a parish, with a village, in Dorsetshire, 3 miles S by E of Dorchester station on the G.W.R. and L. & S.W.R. It has a post office under Dorchester; money order and telegraph office, Dorchester. Acreage, 1015; population, 206. Stafford House is the seat of the Floyer family. The living is a rectory, with Frome Billet annexed, in the diocese of Salisbury; gross value, £280 with residence. The church is ancient.
Parish Church
The church of St. Andrew is a building of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, north porch and a small embattled western tower containing 3 bells: on the north side of the chancel is a tomb with recumbent effigy to the late Rev. Canon Reginald Southwell Smith M.A. rector here 1836-96. The pulpit, screen and altar rail are Jacobean, the chandelier is Georgian: over the porch is the date 1645, in which year it was rebuilt: the church was thoroughly restored and the chancel enlarged in 1897-8: there are 150 sittings.
The register dates from the year 1558.
