TWO fans of poet William Barnes bought his old house near Dorchester and have spent 10 years piecing together its history.

Now the Came Rectory owners, Warren Davis and Phil Leach, want to find out more about the house’s history and are asking anyone with relevant memories or photos to contact them.

The pair bought the property in 1998 and have preserved its history by restoring it to the way it was when the Dorset dialect poet William Barnes lived there in the 1860s.

Warren Davis, 70, who used to work for the National Trust before retiring, said the house was full of historical treasures that were there originally or have been purchased.

He said: “The house has great historical importance and it is very fragile.

“We have had a lot of visitors over the years of people who remember the house or have a story about the house.

“A lot of William Barnes’s belongings are now in the museum but we would like to know if anyone has any photographs of the family or the house.

“We want to find out the memories people have of the house.”

A few weeks ago Mr Leach bought the portrait of a lady, thought to be the wife of William Barnes, at an auction in Dorchester.

The five-bedroom thatched cottage was modernised in the 1950s and the ceilings and original flooring were covered over.

Now the proud cottage owners have restored the architectural detail by uncovering the building’s original floors and features.

The house is private but special tours or the garden and house can be arranged by appointment.

William Barnes was ordained to the church as a clergyman in 1947 after being a solicitor’s clerk and a schoolmaster.

He is now known for his Dorset dialect poems, which were published in books and periodicals from 1844.

Barnes was also friends with and lived close to Thomas Hardy.

To contact Mr Davis write to Old Came Rectory, Came, Dorchester, DT2 8NX.