| DACKOMBE FAMILY The Dackombes of Stepleton, Dorset |
Before 1378 THOMAS DACKOMBE married Agnes, Daughter and heiress of William de Stepleton. Thomas and Agnes were litigants against her stepmother, Alice (Shephurd), over Stepleton lands and property which were being abused by Alice (1378)
Stepleton (Iwerne Stepleton) is on the Blandford to Shaftesbury road, between Child Okeford and Shroton, and takes its name from its situation under a steep hill (Hambledon Hill - famous site of both battle against the Romans and later against the Roundheads) and the small rivulet, Iwerne, on which it stands. It is within the bounds of Cranbourne Chase.
The manor was held by the Dackombe until about 1610-1620 and the following Pedigrees will show a fairly constant line for these 250 years. At an Inquisition Post Mortem in 1431 WILLIAM DACKOMBE (Daccombe) was held of the manor of Iwerne Stepleton and Lytelfantmel; and his son and heir, WILLIAM DACKOMBE, was 21 years and upwards.
In former times it comprised a village and manor, and in 1744 the farm contained 763 acres of land. It is now reduced to the mansion house and adjacent church with 96 acres of parkland. The estate was advertised as being one of the finest period houses in south west England when sole in 1985.
The original manor house was rebuilt by Thomas Fownes about 1700; parts of the existing walls date from the first half of the sixteenth century, when all the lands in the valley belonged to the Monastery of Shaftesbury. In 1745 Thomas Fownes sold it to Julines Beckford for £12,600 (a considerable sum). His son, Peter, succeeded in 1765. Peter Beckford was a sportsman and one of his principal interests was breeding hounds; his kennels were at Stepleton, and his prestige in the hunting fraternity was renowned. he travelled a great deal and lived mostly in Italy but his protege, the composer Clementi, lived at Stepleton from 1770-1777 in one of the apartments; his wonderful music must have inspired to some degree by the beautiful surroundings of his patron's house.
The house passed down through the Beckfords to the Pitt Rivers and then on to Sir John Hadley D'Oyly in about 1850. No research has been made as to more recent owners but it was bought in 1985 by Coombes. There is no reason to assume distant relationship to the Dackombes but it is a possibility. The adjacent church, St. Mary's, stands within the grounds of Stepleton House. It is a very small church and was rebuilt in the Gothic style about 1840-50, but Norman architecture has been established and about 1080 has been suggested as its foundation. It is now a Chapel of Ease to Shroton parish church and services are held there - Easter, Harvest Festival and Christmas. Many Dackombes were buried in the church but as there is no crypt it must be assumed that their remains were removed when the church was later rebuilt.
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