The village and parish of Little Bredy (often written as one word, Littlebredy) lies nestled in the Bride Valley and just below the Valley of Stones. The Valley of Stones is so known for its stone circles, monoliths and earthworks. High above Little Bredy is the earthwork Old Warren, thought to be an Iron Age hill fort. It stands some 250 feet high above the village.

The Manor of Little Bredy, then recorded as Litelbridia, was anciently held by the Abbey of Cerne and is recorded as such in the Domesday Book of 1086. The actual manor house and estate is not readily identifiable today but is in all likelihood that of Bridehead, the large house and estate lying to the East of the Church. Bridehead was the seat of the most influential family in the village throughout time from at least the late sixteenth century.

The manor continued down through the Meller family until in 1730 it was purchased by William Meech of Charminster, Dorset but leased to the Bridges family for most of the time it was in his ownership. It then passed to his grandson John Meech. In the Land Tax assessments of 1798, John Meech owned the land described as "the farm" assessed at £60.4.9 and "Petcome" assessed at £3.6.0, both were then in the occupation of Christopher Kellaway who also occupied the land of the Rev. Mr. Templeman. John Meech finally sold out in the late 18th century to Robert Williams of Hertfordshire. However, the Williams family were originally of Dorset who had previously lived at Winterborne Herringston since the time of Henry VIII. Robert Williams owned extensive lands already, and was an eminent banker in London. He also owned a fleet of ships trading with the Indies. He had married the daughter of a French refugee, Jane Chasserau who lived to be 102 when she died in 1841.

The Williams family changed Little Bredy over a period of time and over four generations of the family, all with the head named Robert Williams. The house was extended in the 1830s and its surroundings landscaped to include a lake formed by the damming of the spring area, the source of the River Bride. Further extensions to the house were added in 1850.

The old cottages belonging to the estate were rebuilt, but still retaining the charm of their original period. A small school was built at the same time and lodge houses built at the junctions of the drives made to the house and the turnpike road. One such was at Winterbourne Abbas, built in 1837, the same year that Queen Victoria came to the throne.

By the time of the 1861 census Bridehead's list of occupants show Robert Williams then aged 50 described as a banker and landed proprietor born St. George, Bloomsbury, Middlesex. His second wife, Emily Maria aged 45 born St. Marylebone, Middlesex, as were his children, Robert aged 12, John A aged 11, Mary F S aged 10 and Fanny L aged 9. The children had a governess, Ellen Worsley of Plymouth, then aged 36. The household contained numerous servants in the form of housemaids, laundry maids, Lady's maid, nurse, groom and others.

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