Chettle

{{Short description|Village in Dorset, England}}

{{for|people named Chettle|Chettle (surname)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}

{{Infobox UK place

|static_image_name = Chettle Church - geograph.org.uk - 223425.jpg

|static_image_caption = Chettle parish church

|country = England

|coordinates = {{coord|50.9203|-2.0692|display=inline,title}}

|map_type = Dorset

|official_name = Chettle

|population = 90

|population_ref = {{cite web |url=https://www.dorsetforyou.com/344882 |title=Parish Population Data |date=20 January 2015 |accessdate=20 January 2015 |publisher=Dorset County Council}}

|civil_parish= Chettle

| unitary_england= Dorset

| lieutenancy_england= Dorset

|region = South West England

|constituency_westminster= North Dorset

|os_grid_reference = ST952134

|post_town= BLANDFORD FORUM

|postcode_area= DT

|postcode_district= DT11

|dial_code= 01258

}}

Chettle is a small village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England. It lies {{convert|6|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} northeast of Blandford Forum.[http://www.ChettleVillage.co.uk Chettle village website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001001437/http://www.chettlevillage.co.uk/ |date=October 1, 2008 }} It is sited at the head of a gently sloping valley on the dip slope of the chalk formation called Cranborne Chase. The A354 trunk road crosses the valley about 1 km to the south. In 2013 the estimated population of the civil parish was 90.

A 2008 report indicated that the entire village was owned by the Bourke family and operated in the mode of "benevolent feudalism". A news item from 2015 confirmed the ownership and provided the following update about the community:{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/it-has-no-crime-full-employment-cheap-housing-and-is-owned-by-the-lord-of-the-manor-so-is-this-the-6806398.html|title=It has no crime, full employment, cheap housing... and is owned by the lord of the manor. So is this the perfect English village?|date=6 August 2008|newspaper=Evening Standard|accessdate=2 December 2020}}

The tiny hamlet, with its hotel, manor house, 40 cottages, farms and lumber yard has belonged to the Bourke family for more than 400 years, in a benign throwback to feudal times.

Chettle House, the village manor, is a red brick Baroque mansion designed by Thomas Archer, a pupil of Vanbrugh, and built by the Bastard brothers of Blandford Forum during the reign of Queen Anne.Gant, R., Dorset Villages, Hale, 1980, p40{{Cite web |url=http://www.ruraldorset.com/days/details.asp?FKID=2&ID=17 |title=Chettle House |access-date=26 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608205430/http://www.ruraldorset.com/days/details.asp?FKID=2&ID=17 |archive-date=8 June 2007 |url-status=dead }} Pevsner called it "the plum among Dorset houses of the early 18th century, and even nationally outstanding as a specimen of English Baroque".{{cite web|url=http://www.countrylife.co.uk/property/great-house-sales-in-2015-81746|title=Country houses sold in 2015|date=30 December 2015|website=Country Life|accessdate=29 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/outdoors-the-thrill-of-the-chase-1170311.html|author=Jack O'Sullivan|title=Outdoors: The thrill of the Chase|date=8 August 1998|publisher=independent.co.uk|accessdate=8 July 2014}} Two rounded ends were added to the house in 1912.

File:Chettle House (2) - geograph.org.uk - 1289858.jpg

From the 1950s to 2015 the house was a series of flats. After 2015, extensive renovations were completed by new owners; the house and gardens were closed to the public.{{Cite web|url=https://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=3748|title=Chettle House: History, tourist information, and nearby accommodation|first=David|last=Ross|website=Britain Express}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2010/03/dorset-%E2%80%93-a-bird%E2%80%99s-eye-view/|title=Dorset a bird’s eye view Chettle House|date=3 March 2010|website=Dorset Life|accessdate=2 December 2020}}

A book about Chettle, "Enduring Village", was published in August, 2008.{{Cite news|title=Village That Became a Family Affair: Christopher Middleton on the Battles for Chettle|date=30 August 2008|url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-daily-telegraph-saturday/20080830/281728380314024|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|via=PressReader.com}}