As you climb The Street towards the top on the right hand side are three adjoining cottages set back with their pretty front gardens. I will attempt to tell their story as far as I can from the records and information I have been able to glean about them so far.
It was in 1297 that the Abbot of Forde who owned the Village of Charmouth decided to create a Borough out of it. The original document has survived and forms part of a Cartulary kept at Forde Abbey. It records " Those wishing to build within these bounds plots measuring 4 perches by 20 perches, by the view of the monks' bailiff, rendering 6d a year for each burgage in equal portions at Michaelmas and Easter " .
The 1841 Tithe map is valuable as if you add the area of the plot (t.no.70) on which the neighbouring “The Stone House” (t.no.69) stands to the plot making up the 3 properties, the area approximates to that of one of the burgage plots (80 perches). The wall to the north still exists and fragments of the boundary walls can still be seen.
The earliest record of the properties according to the historian, Reginald Pavey appears in the deeds to “The Stone House” to the east, which refer to an Indenture of March 1657 ,” for a term of 800 years between Edward Melpley and Nicholas Clegg and William Armstrong, which said that on the west was a little cottage, stable and garden with a tenement or burgage in the tenure of A. Bolston”. The Protestation List in 1641 records a Balstone living in the village. The first Poor Rates list for 1754 show that the Lord of the Manor at that time - Richard Henvill paying for a property known as "Balsons". The earliest parish record for the family is in 1681 when William Balstone is buried and in 1705 Elizabeth Balstone is laid to rest. Then there is a big jump to 1797 when George Balstone, son of Samuel is baptised. From this we can gather that there was definitely a property here from at least the mid 17th century, which belonged to the Balstone family. But at present the whole of the 18th Century is a blank for the 3 properties, but that could change if I can locate any early deeds. But in the next century it is much easier to trace ownership as Charmouth is fortunate in that the Dorset Record Office has a run of Land Taxes from 1780 until 1832 and Poor Rates that are more detailed from 1800 until 1832. Then there is a jump to 1841, which is the year of the first Census and the Tithe Map, which are much more accurate. Even so, houses rarely have names on these lists and it is a processes of elimination to pin point them. The Tithe Map gives us the best clues as it shows both owners and occupiers of properties. In this case, Tithe Number 70 represents all three buildings and their gardens, which are owned by representatives of Francis Hyde. It then records that John Freeman and others occupy them. In the same year the first accurate Census for the country appeared and provides a tremendous amount of information on the families living there in that year. It shows that Sarah Kennaway, aged 65,is renting Lynwood (Dolphin House) with her servants - Ann Knight and Ann Hunter. Sophia Freeman, aged just 18, is at Grasmere with a servant. Elizabeth Leach, aged 30, of independent means, is renting Omega House (Fountain Cottage), with Mary Richards and Jane How as her servants.
From this information I have slowly been able to work both ways from 1841 to provide a history of the group of houses over two centuries. The most amazing conclusion is that one family were to own them for over 100 years. The first member was John Ridges who originated from Kenilworth in Warwickshire. They were very wealthy and his brother and family appear on a list for the town paying a tax for their hair powder in 1795. John comes to Charmouth in 1785 by purchasing or inheriting a house and orchard. He then prospers and the Poor Rates show him buying a number of other properties over the years that he rents out. His name appears regularly on Voters lists for Dorset and is described as a Gentleman. His first daughter, Dianna, is baptised in 1797 in the village Church and they go on to have at least another three children, but sadly his wife Mary dies in 1807. Their eldest daughter marries Josiah Hyde, a Surgeon living in Kenilworth in 1815. John Ridges is buried in 1823 and his long Will provides a mass of information concerning the many properties he owns, which include a number in Charmouth. He provides details of whom he bought them from and his tenants. He is especially generous to his housekeeper and her daughter and provides them with an annuity. The bulk of his estate was to go to his daughter Diana, who would have been 26 at the time and married to Josiah Hyde living as a Surgeon's wife in Kenilworth. He instructs John Knight of Axminster to be the Trustee and the Poor Rates for the next few years show the tenants paying their rents to him. It is interesting to see that the Knights own the neighbouring “Stone House” which they rent out to Robert Sweeting, who is also a Surgeon. Amongst his tenants is a Robert Kennaway described as Esq. in an 1830 directory of the time, which is also the year of his death and his wife, Sarah who continues renting from the executors. She is later shown in the 1841 Census as being of independent means aged 65, and was employing Ann Knight and Ann Gunter as Servants at the property. She died in 1855 aged 81 and left a considerable Estate as is shown by her Will which is kept at The Public Record Office.
It has been difficult at this stage to find out more about Diana and her husband, Josiah Hyde. No doubt she lived a comfortable life in Kenilworth and trustees ran the estate her father had provided. The Church records later record her and her husband returning to Charmouth to baptise their daughter, Mary in 1821.
The 1851 Census provides information on the three properties we are looking at in that year. Sarah Kennaway is still living at Omega, but she is to die aged 81, 4 years later. Her neighbour at Grasmere is Elizabeth, wife of the late John Freeman, and Lynwood is shown as being unoccupied. The next Census for 1861 reveals that Dianna Hyde, now aged 74, has returned back to live in her childhood home, with her three unmarried daughters – Louisa, Annie and Helen. She is probably living at Lynwood House and renting the adjoining Grasmere House. A decade later shows them all continuing to live in the same house. Mary Hunt appears to be renting the adjoining house from her and is described as a Lodging House Keeper. But in 1872, Diana Hyde, dies aged 73 and is buried at St. Andrews Church in Charmouth, leaving Helen and Louisa to inherit her Estate. Both sisters continue to live in the village. Louisa in a property, next to the Elms, which was known as Miss Hyde's Cottage and was demolished shortly after she died in 1900. Her sister, Helen was to carry on living at Lynwood House and renting out “Grasmere”. Both owned a number of other houses in the village including Wistaria and the Retreat.
The 1881 Census reveals George Pavey,a retired Surgeon, aged 46 renting Grasmere. His son Reginald was to retire young and become Charmouth`s great historian and in his notes he writes:
“When my father came to Charmouth in 1877 with my mother and two sisters he rented 'Grasmere”, the first house on the north side of 'The Street' below 'Portland House', from Miss Hyde, with stables and coach house. The latter were converted into a laundry with a nursery upstairs. The yard in front was cobbled with a sink in the centre. The double gates still stand but are part of the railings. My sister Marguerite and I were both born in 'Grasmere” and as the house became too small the family moved to 'The Limes' with our nurse Sarah Prince (Teddy) who remained with us for over forty years”.
A decade later, with Helen now aged 68 still living at Lynwood, but with no record of her tenant in the Census. The 1895 Poor Rates list still show Grasmere empty. I am not sure as to when Helen Hyde passed away, but Reginald Pavey writes : “ At the end of the century Richard Oliver bought the one-time stables and called it 'Omega' as it was the last house he intended to buy. He turned it into a dwelling-house, removed the cobblestones and altered the entrance. The thatch was removed about the same time”. This would make sense, as there are references to a coach house and the 1875 photograph shows Omega with a wide double door on the left with large gates leading up to it.
The beginning of the 20th century shows William Belcher who at just 39, is described as a retired Brewer from Burton on Trent living at Grasmere. Mary Knott, aged 40 is living with her sisters - Anne and Agnes Willis at Omega. Lynwood House is empty but by 1903 Kelly's Directory for the village show Charles Innes living there. Trustees of the Hyde family may well have still owned the properties for I located in a newspaper dated 1914 an interesting item referring to the houses. It records an Auction of Charmouth properties that included - “Grasmere” let at £30 per annum, which went for £425 and “Omega House”, let at £18 per annum which sold for £225. A directory for the same year shows: Major Hubert Innes (Omega) Mrs Susan Bush (Grasmere) Charles Alexander Innes (Lynwood House). Susan Bush was to live in the house until she died in 1949. Her father Charles lived next door until his death in 1920 and his obituary reads as follows:
“Death of a Crimean and Indian Mutiny Veteran – The death occurred recently at Lynwood, Charmouth of Deputy – Surgeon C.A. Innes, M.D., A.M.D. (retired), in his 8th year. Dr. Innes was present at the siege and capture of Sebastopol in 1855, receiving the medal with clasp and the Turkish medal. In 1856 he joined the 52nd (Oxford) Light Infantry, and proceeded with them to India and as present at the siege and assault of Delhi, his regiment furnishing the storming party of the Kashmir Gate. He received the medal and was promoted in recognition of his services. He also served for many years with the 16th (Queen's) Lancers. He was the surviving son of Lieutenant Alexander Innes, 42nd Highlanders (Black watch). M.K.W. who fought at the battle of Quatre Bras and Waterloo”.
His son was Sir Charles Alexander Innes, KCSI, CIE, born in 1874, served as Governor of Burma from December 1927 to December 1932. He received the Companion in The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire in 1921 and the KCSI (Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India) three years later. In 1934 the newspapers record his youngest son, Maxwell marrying Kathleen Mary, younger daughter of the late Sheriff William Harvey and Mrs. Harvey, of Gloucester Road, Regents Park. He continued to live in his father's former house – Lynwood until his death in 1959. Afterwards Emily Bertha Gayner is shown living at “Lynwood” later renamed “Dolphin House”. She is born in Cambridge in 1886 - the daughter of Charles, F.R.S. and Caroline Emily Bertha Heycock and marries Dr Gayner in 1907 with whom she had 5 children. She was the sister of Olive Heycock who married Douglas Pass and lived at Wootton Fitzpaine Manor. She died in Aldeburgh in 1975 aged 89.
This is an abstract from "Memorials of Life at Wootton" by Philippa Hill, daughter of Douglas Pass.
" Another special person much loved at Wootton, was Aunt B. Visits to her home at Dolphin House were very exciting with so many stairs going up and up and the cuckoo clock with its long pendulum hanging so far down. I stayed there once along with Aunt B's granddaughter Caroline and I don't remember much except picking plums, which I think we reached climbing up the wall, so they may well have been in the neighbour's garden! I think that that was also the holiday that we used the old lookout hut as our changing hut at the beach and it is of course still there".
Dolphin House was then bought by Arthur & Jean Davy in 1977 and in the same year the Electoral Roll for the village show Katherine Kennedy living at Grasmere and Barry & Diana Stork at Omega. Katherine had formerly lived at Fern Hill with her husband. In more recent years Omega has had its named changed to Fountain Cottage, after the ancient Inn that stood opposite and is now Charmouth House.
I wish to thank Gill Savage and Rosemary Earl for their help and enthusiasm in getting me to put down in print my findings on both their houses.
Neil Mattingly

1841 Tithe Map showing Omega, Grasmere & Dolphin House as no. 70 and the Stone House as no. 69
John Freeman and others living in no. 70. The 3 properties with 1 rood 8 perches are owned by representatives of Francis Hyde. Robert Sweeting a Surgeon is renting no. 69, The Stone House from Thomas Hunt, but interestingly it is owned by the Knights, who are also trustees for the Hydes. John Freeman is aged 74 and is living in Church Street with his wife Elizabeth in Lyme Regis in that year. Alongside it is the 1926 Map as a comparison.

To close a trust estate, Mesrs. Heath Bros., of Bedford Circus, Exeter, conducted a successful sale of freehold residences at the "Coach and Horses" Hotel, Charmouth,, yesterday, “Melbourne House” , with a large gardens, let at £27 per annum, was sold to Mr. Linsoll for £402, and “Grasmere” with garden back and front, let at £30 per annum, was secured by Mr. Jackson, solicitor, of Exeter, on behalf of a client for £425. Mr. Jackson also gave £225 for “Omega House” , let at £18 per annum; and “The Retreat” , with large garden back and front, let at £16 per annum went to Mr. Clarke for £300. Western Times, 20th March 1914.