| Country: | England |
| Official Name: | Winterborne Houghton |
| Static Image Name: | St Andrew's, Winterborne Houghton.JPG |
| Static Image Caption: | St Andrew's Church, Winterborne Houghton |
| Coordinates: | 50.8394°N -2.2571°W |
| Population: | 183 |
| Unitary England: | Dorset |
| Shire County: | Dorset |
| Constituency Westminster: | North Dorset |
| Post Town: | Blandford Forum |
| Postcode Area: | DT |
| Postcode District: | DT11 |
| Region: | South West England |
| Os Grid Reference: | ST820045 |
Winterborne Houghton is a village and civil parish in north Dorset, England. It is situated in a winterbourne valley on the Dorset Downs, 5miles southwest of Blandford Forum. In the 2011 census the parish had 82 households and a population of 183.[1] In 2001 the population was 195.[2]
The name derives from the River Winterborne, which has its source here.[3] The river only flows overground during the winter, hence the name. To the east is Winterborne Stickland and the river flows on to this village, eventually joining the River Stour. To the southwest is Milton Abbas.[4]
Residents of Winterborne Houghton used to be known as "Houghton Owls", in reference to the story of a villager who, when calling for help having got lost in the woods, mistook the calls of owls for answering human voices. In his book Dorset Villages Roland Gant posits the theory that Thomas Hardy used this tale as inspiration for the scene where Joseph Poorgrass gets lost in Yalbury Wood in Far from the Madding Crowd.[5]
The Church of St Andrew, grade II listed since 1955, was designed by Thomas Henry Wyatt and built during 1861–62.[6] It is in the Perpendicular style and faced with flint with a tiled roof. It has a simple plan with nave, chancel, north aisle and south porch. The tower is on the west end and is built in two stages with a battlemented parapet. Internally, the nave has a hammer beam roof and the chancel a wagon roof. The fifteenth century font has a carved octagonal bowl on an octagonal stem, and the other fittings are nineteenth century.[7]
Higher Houghton is a hamlet located at the top of Winterborne Houghton. It is only accessible from Winterborne Houghton. Occasionally, cross country horse races are held in fields in Higher Houghton.
Houghton Down is a series of fields located towards the west of Winterborne Houghton. It is accessible from the Bridleway (nicknamed 'The Grovers Track') leading to Milton Abbas.
There used to be a post office in the village with a shop but this closed in the 1990s.
There is a fish farm in the village called 'Houghton Springs Fish Farm', which provides fish to many restaurants and companies around the UK.
To the east of the village there is a small pond, Millennium Pond, built in 2000. In 2002, the pond won a design award.
Towards the north of the village there is an orchard, 'Jubilee Orchard', placed there on the queen's jubilee.
Dorset
. . Newman, John . Pevsner, Nikolaus . Nikolaus Pevsner . 481 . 1972 . 0-14-071044-2.