MILBORNE-PORT, a small town, a parish, and a sub-district, in Wincanton district, Somerset. The town stands at the foot of a hill, on a small affluent of the river Yeo, ¾ of a mile WNW of the boundary with Dorset, 1 SE of the Salisbury and Yeovil railway, and 2¾ NE by E of Sherborne; took its name from its situation on a mill-stream, and from the Saxon word Port signifying a borough; was a place of some consequence prior to the Norman conquest; is a borough by prescription, having still nine capital bailiffs; sent two members to parliament in the time of Edward III., and from that of Charles I., till the passing of the reform act, but then was disfranchised; was long a market-town, but has ceased to be so; possesses still the pediment and steps of an ancient market-cross; has also a curious old townhall, half a cottage, with a Norman doorway; has likewise a ball-court, erected by Sir William Medlycott for the use of its inhabitants; was occupied, for some time, by a party of Cromwell's soldiers, who provoked the town's people to rise against them, and drive them from the town; consists now chiefly of detached houses; and has a post office under Sherborne, a railway station, a good inn, a church, Independent and Wesleyan chapels, national and British schools, and charities £39. The church is Norman; was recently restored; consists of nave, aisles, transept, and chancel, with a large tower; and contains monuments of the Medlycotts. Fairs are held on 5 June and 28 Oct.; a manufacture of cloth, dowlas, and stockings was formerly considerable; and glove-making, leather-dressing, and shoe-making are now carried on.—The parish contains also the tything of Kingsbury-Regis and the hamlet of Milborne-Wick. Acres, 3,277. Real property, £7,368. Pop., 1,814Houses, 351. Venn House, a red brick mansion of somewhat unique appearance, built by Inigo Jones, is the seat of Sir William Medlycott, Bart. An ancient camp is at Milborne-Wick. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Bath and Wells. Value, £233.* Patron, Sir W. Medlycott, Bart.—The sub-district contains also six other parishes. Acres, 17,606. Pop., 5,395. Houses, 1,159.

(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))