It is often said that the two pillars of village life are church and pub and if that were true Godmanstone is blessed with a beautiful church and a public house. It has to be said the village is more famous for its pub, The Smith’s Arms, than for its church.
The parish of Godmanstone is located four miles north of Dorchester at the foot of Cowden Hill. The Parish Church of Holy Trinity stands on the east side of the parish and has been a place of worship for at least eight centuries. The walls are of local flint and stone rubble with bands of flint and stone facing and freestone dressings; the roofs are covered with stone slates, slates and lead.
In the 15th century the nave was rebuilt and the west tower added; in the 16th century the north and south chapels and the south porch were added. The chancel-arch, originally 12th century but rebuilt in the 16th or 17th century is unusual in that it has four shafts separated by ridges, in places like spurs, with scalloped capitals and moulded bases. In the 17th century the tower was partly rebuilt, the north chapel and the chancel were rebuilt in the 19th century when the church benefited from an extensive restoration.
The chancel has a 15th century east window of five trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a square head; in the south wall there is a similar window and a modern doorway; the north wall has a late 16th century window of two four-centred lights in a square head.
The 27-foot nave has, in the north wall, a-mid 16th century moulded arch, and there is a modern window that looks as though it replaced a doorway. In the south wall is a 16th century arcade of two bays similar to the arch in the north wall; the pier has four attached shafts. The 12th century south doorway has been rebuilt and partly renewed.
The north chapel is 16th century but has been much restored; it has windows in the east and west walls both of three four-centred lights and in the north wall is a window similar to the east window found in the chancel. All of these windows have to a greater or lesser extent been restored.
The south chapel is 16th century and has an east window of three four-centred lights in a square head. The two windows in the south wall are similar but have two lights. In the south wall is a 15th century piscina.
The 15th century west tower has been restored and the top stage rebuilt in the 17th century. It is made up of three stages with a plain parapet and pinnacles. The west window is of three cinque-foiled ogee lights in a two-centred head. The second stage has a window of one round-headed light in the west wall and the bell chamber has in each wall a 17th century window of two square-headed lights and incorporated in the north window is a beast-head corbel.
The 15th century font is an octagonal bowl with modern panels in each face and has an octagonal stem and splayed base. The four bells are all 17th century.
The parish registers that have survived can be seen at the Dorset Record Office in Dorchester and include baptisms from 1654 to 2001, Marriages 1654 to 1990, Burials 1654 to 2001 and Banns 1754 to 1811.
Standing on the banks of the river Cerne is The Smith’s Arms the village pub, which claims to be the smallest public house in the country. It was a thirsty King Charles II who stopped at the blacksmith’s forge and requested a glass of porter but was refused with the words “I cannot oblige you Sire, as I have no license.” To that the King replied “From now on you have a license to sell beer and porter.” There is a comfortable 20’ and 10’ bar in the building, which is made of mud and flint and has a thatched roof. The sign depicts the smithy at his labour. Patrons can sit on the bank watching the River Cerne meander bye while enjoying a glass or two and feeding the ducks who have made this place their home.
