Dewlish is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England, and is situated approximately north-east of the county town Dorchester. The village is sited in the valley of the small Devil's Brook among the chalk hills of the Dorset Downs; the parish covers about and extends west to include part of the valley of the small Cheselbourne stream, and east to include a dry valley at Dennet's Bottom. The surrounding area is part of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 284. Dewlish was also the main part of the Liberty of the same name, including Dewlish itself and a part of Milborne St Andrew. Dewlish House One of the most significant properties in the area, Dewlish House was built in 1702. It served as the childhood home of John Michel (who later became a field marshal) from 1804 to 1823 and later served as his retirement home between 1880 and 1886. Recently owned by Mr and Mrs Anthony Boyden (from 1962 to 2020) the Grade I-listed Queen Anne style house and its property were sold in 2020. The buyer was an American already living in the UK. Church of All Saints The parish church of All Saints, south of the village, is a Grade II* listed building.The oldest parts of the building are of the 12th century, and it was modified and enlarged in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. There was restoration in 1872 by T. H. Wyatt, when the south aisle was remodelled and an organ chamber was added. In the north aisle is a monument to Sir John Michel (1886). History and prehistory Court Close To the east and south of the parish church and west of the Devil's Brook there are earthworks, the remains of a former settlement. They are a scheduled monument. On the tithe map of 1844 it has the name Court Close. It covers an area of about . Most of it is occupied by a large embanked enclosure, within which there are banks and scarps; its purpose is unknown. In the east there is a small rectangular moat, once probably enclosing a manor house. Roman villa About 1740 the tessellated pavement of a Roman villa was discovered in the village, near Michel's Farm. In 1971 a full excavation began of the site; by 1973, 24