Dark Lane falls into disuse
Year 1901
Dark Lane (home of the Black dog!) was once the main road in between Okeford Fitzpaine and Belchalwell. It ran from a point approx. three/quarters of the way up Church Lane, now a driveway with garage, and crossed the fields south of the church, emerging onto the current Okeford road about two thirds of the way from The Cross to Okeford, and now marked by a footpath sign (see Tithe Map). Much of the middle section out in the fields remains as an overgrown sunken lane.
Immediately prior to this time, the last known use of Dark Lane was for funerals travelling to St. Aldhelms Church via this route due to the renovation works being carried out there at the time.
There are many signs of human use and habitation along the route of the lane, though little firm evidence of anything 'solid'. As can be seen by the Tithe map, which shows the route remarkably well, Dark Lane takes a sharp right angled turn about half way along it's length. If the route is followed straight ahead for a hundred yards or so it meets a spring and pond, and it would seem likely that the lane originated as a path between the village and the spring water source. Pottery finds from around the area of the spring would support this.Source: Local knowledge |
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