RETIRED Owen and Doreen Watts have returned to live at Charlton Down, where their family gave 339 years of dedicated service when it was a hospital.

The couple ended generations of family employment at Herrison Hospital when they left the historic estate near Dorchester 33 years ago.

Now they have moved back into one of the new homes as the site is developed for housing - and villagers want to name one of the rooms at the new village hall in honour of their family.

Mr Watts, who was an engineer at Herrison for 20 years, said: "It is great that they are naming the room at the hall after our family.

"Our family's service goes back to 1886 when my grandfather Edwin Watts first started work here and ended up as works manager."

Mr Watts, who grew up in a cottage at the hospital, added: "My wife and I loved it when we were here years ago.

"It is going to be really nice here when the village hall and shop are completed."

The couple, who have three children and two grandchildren, have moved into a house in Deverel Road at Charlton Down.

The homecoming came after a gap of 33 years when they left Herrison for Hitchin in Hertfordshire in 1970.

The Charlton Down village hall committee decided to call a room at the new complex the Watts Room after hearing of the family affair.

Mr Watts's grandfather Edwin was the first of more than a dozen family members to give a combined total of 339 years service over the next century.

Many of Edwin's 13 children from two marriages followed in their father's footsteps.

There was head carpenter Ernest, who gave 40 years service, his receptionist wife Lily, and head seamstress Edith - who made uniforms for 30 years.

Other siblings included Christine, Florence - who was dismissed from the laundry for getting married without permission - and Owen's father Arthur.

Arthur worked at Herrison for 48 years as group engineer, and his wife Lillian was a supervisor at the nursing home.

Owen's brother Graham, who lives at Charminster, gave 37 years service as a nurse and Graham's wife Megan was also a nurse at the hospital.

Doreen, who has also worked at the Damers Hospital in Dorchester and at a hospital in Hitchin, said: "I came to work at the laundry but the matron talked me into nursing.

"There was a smashing community here with various clubs and the annual panto. Where I used to work is all flats now and the apartments in Herrison House are very nice."