East Dorset
Encyclopedia
East Dorset is a local government district
in Dorset
, England
. Its council is based in Furzehill
, near Wimborne Minster
.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Wimborne Minster Urban District with part of the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Rural District
and the Wimborne and Cranborne Rural District. The district was originally known as Wimborne, and adopted its present name in 1988.
The popularity of the area, being close to the New Forest, Bournemouth and the Dorset coast, has seen a rapid expansion in housing from the 1970s with the Verwood
, Ferndown
, West Moors
and Corfe Mullen
populations more than quadrupling. There still remains a rural feel, however, especially in the north and west of the area. Wimborne Minster
has managed to retain its identity as a historic market town.
East Dorset also contains a large amount of the remaining lowland heath
, managed by East Dorset Countryside Management Services in partnership with the Forestry Commission
. The expansion of housing has led to a massive decrease in the area of this unusual and unique habitat, which once covered 500 km² but now covers only 15% of that.
Statistics released by the Office for National Statistics
show that life expectancy
at birth for males in East Dorset was 80.1 years in 2001-2003, the highest in the United Kingdom. Female life expectancy at birth for the same period was 83.4 years, ranking seventh in the UK. The figures for East Dorset during 1991-1993 were 77.9 years for males and 82.5 for females.
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Its council is based in Furzehill
Furzehill
Furzehill is a hamlet in the North Devon district of Devon, England. Its nearest town is Lynton, which lies approximately north from the hamlet. The hamlet is situated in the Exmoor National Park, near the Devon-Somerset border....
, near Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster is a market town in the East Dorset district of Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town...
.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Wimborne Minster Urban District with part of the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Rural District
Ringwood and Fordingbridge Rural District
Ringwood and Fordingbridge was a rural district in Hampshire from 1932 to 1974. It was formed by the merger of part of the disbanded Christchurch Rural District along with Ringwood Rural District and Fordingbridge Rural District. Its main urban centres were Ringwood and Fordingbridge.The district...
and the Wimborne and Cranborne Rural District. The district was originally known as Wimborne, and adopted its present name in 1988.
The popularity of the area, being close to the New Forest, Bournemouth and the Dorset coast, has seen a rapid expansion in housing from the 1970s with the Verwood
Verwood
Verwood is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England. The town lies north of Bournemouth and north of Poole. The town has a population of 14,820 according to latest figures from Dorset County Council, making it the largest town in Dorset without an upper school in terms of population.-Early...
, Ferndown
Ferndown
Ferndown is a town and civil parish in the East Dorset district of Dorset in southern England, situated immediately to the north of unitary authorities of Poole and Bournemouth. The parish, which until 1972 was called Hampreston, includes the communities of Hampreston, Longham, Stapehill and...
, West Moors
West Moors
West Moors is a village in East Dorset, England, on the northern fringe of the Poole-Bournemouth conurbation, just outside the larger settlements of Ferndown and Verwood...
and Corfe Mullen
Corfe Mullen
Corfe Mullen is a village in Dorset, England, on the north-western urban fringe of the South East Dorset conurbation and is part of the rural district of East Dorset. The population is 10,147 ....
populations more than quadrupling. There still remains a rural feel, however, especially in the north and west of the area. Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster is a market town in the East Dorset district of Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town...
has managed to retain its identity as a historic market town.
East Dorset also contains a large amount of the remaining lowland heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
, managed by East Dorset Countryside Management Services in partnership with the Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
. The expansion of housing has led to a massive decrease in the area of this unusual and unique habitat, which once covered 500 km² but now covers only 15% of that.
Statistics released by the Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
show that life expectancy
Life expectancy
Life expectancy is the expected number of years of life remaining at a given age. It is denoted by ex, which means the average number of subsequent years of life for someone now aged x, according to a particular mortality experience...
at birth for males in East Dorset was 80.1 years in 2001-2003, the highest in the United Kingdom. Female life expectancy at birth for the same period was 83.4 years, ranking seventh in the UK. The figures for East Dorset during 1991-1993 were 77.9 years for males and 82.5 for females.
Settlements
- Settlements with a population over 2,500 are in bold.
- AlderholtAlderholtAlderholt is a large village and civil parish in the East Dorset district of Dorset, England; situated west of Fordingbridge. The local travel links are located from the village to Salisbury railway station and to Bournemouth International Airport. The main road running through the village is...
- ChalburyChalburyChalbury is a village in east Dorset, England, four miles north of Wimborne Minster and four miles west of Verwood. The village has a population of 140 .-Fiction:...
, ColehillColehillColehill is a parish, neighbouring Wimborne Minster, in Dorset, England, with a population of 7,000 .-History:The name Colehill originated in 1431 as Colhulle, becoming Colhill in 1518 and Collehill in 1547, but the origins of Colehill as a settlement predate this by a long way.Six round barrows,...
, Corfe MullenCorfe MullenCorfe Mullen is a village in Dorset, England, on the north-western urban fringe of the South East Dorset conurbation and is part of the rural district of East Dorset. The population is 10,147 ....
, CranborneCranborneCranborne is a village in East Dorset, England. In 2001 the village had a population of 779 people. The town is situated on chalk downland called Cranborne Chase, part of a large expanse of chalk in southern England which includes the nearby Salisbury Plain and Dorset Downs.-History:The village... - EdmondshamEdmondshamEdmondsham is a village in Dorset, England, two miles north west of Verwood and ten miles north of Bournemouth. The village has a population of 200 . It also has Edmonsham House and Gardens which is a popular tourist place.- External links :* *...
- FerndownFerndownFerndown is a town and civil parish in the East Dorset district of Dorset in southern England, situated immediately to the north of unitary authorities of Poole and Bournemouth. The parish, which until 1972 was called Hampreston, includes the communities of Hampreston, Longham, Stapehill and...
- GussageGussageGussage is a series of three villages in north Dorset, England, situated along a tributary of the River Allen on Cranborne Chase, eight miles north east of Blandford Forum and 10 miles north of Wimborne. The stream runs through all three parishes: Gussage All Saints, population 192, Gussage St...
- Hinton MartellHinton MartellHinton Martell is a village in east Dorset, England, three miles north of Wimborne Minster. The village has a population of 368 ....
, Hinton ParvaHinton ParvaHinton Parva is a hamlet and civil parish in east Dorset, England, three miles north of Wimborne Minster. The village has a population of 56 . The settlement includes the nearby village of Stanbridge.-External links:*...
, HoltHolt, DorsetHolt is a village in east Dorset, England, two miles north of Wimborne Minster. The village has a population of 1,265 . The village has a football team called Holt United who play in the Dorset Premier League....
, HortonHorton, DorsetHorton is a village in East Dorset, England, situated on the boundary between the chalk downland of Cranborne Chase and the heathland of the New Forest, ten miles north of Poole... - Long CrichelLong CrichelLong Crichel is a hamlet in east Dorset, England, situated on Cranborne Chase five miles north east of Blandford Forum. The hamlet has a population of 81 ....
- Moor CrichelMoor CrichelMoor Crichel is a village and civil parish in East Dorset, England situated on Cranborne Chase five miles east of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 181 ....
- PamphillPamphillPamphill is a village in south-east Dorset, England, just outside Wimborne Minster, four miles north of Poole. The village has a population of 704 .-St Stephen's:...
, PentridgePentridgePentridge is a village in north east Dorset, England, situated on Cranborne Chase on the A354 road ten miles north east of Blandford Forum and twelve miles south west of Salisbury. The village has a population of 215... - St IvesSt Ives, DorsetSt Ives is a village in the county of Dorset in the south of England. It lies close to the border between Dorset and Hampshire, near Ringwood, Verwood and Ferndown. The parish of St Leonards and St Ives has a population of 6,672 ; 41.6% are retired....
, St LeonardsSt Leonards, DorsetSt Leonards is a village in south east Dorset, England, situated on the A31 road in the north of the Bournemouth-Poole urban area, adjacent to St Ives and Ashley Heath...
, ShapwickShapwick, DorsetShapwick is a village and civil parish in east Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour five miles south east of Blandford Forum and eight miles north of Poole...
, Sixpenny HandleySixpenny HandleySixpenny Handley is a village and civil parish in north east Dorset, England, situated on Cranborne Chase ten miles north east of Blandford Forum...
, Sturminster MarshallSturminster MarshallSturminster Marshall is a village and civil parish in east Dorset in England, situated on the River Stour between Blandford Forum and Poole. The parish has a population of 1,895 , and includes the village of Almer west of Sturminster Marshall, near Winterborne Zelston and the hamlet of Henbury to... - VerwoodVerwoodVerwood is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England. The town lies north of Bournemouth and north of Poole. The town has a population of 14,820 according to latest figures from Dorset County Council, making it the largest town in Dorset without an upper school in terms of population.-Early...
- West MoorsWest MoorsWest Moors is a village in East Dorset, England, on the northern fringe of the Poole-Bournemouth conurbation, just outside the larger settlements of Ferndown and Verwood...
, West ParleyWest ParleyWest Parley is a village and civil parish in south east Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour between Bournemouth and Ferndown. The village has a population of 3,532 . West Parley is looked upon as a wealthy region, boasting a good first school, fields and sports club.-External links:* * * *...
, Wimborne MinsterWimborne MinsterWimborne Minster is a market town in the East Dorset district of Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town...
, Wimborne St GilesWimborne St GilesWimborne St Giles is a village in east Dorset, England, situated on Cranborne Chase seven miles north of Wimborne Minster which is north of Poole. The village has a population of 366 ....
, WitchamptonWitchamptonWitchampton is a village in East Dorset, England, situated on the River Allen north of Wimborne Minster. The village has a population of 377 ....
, WoodlandsWoodlands, DorsetWoodlands is a village and civil parish in south east Dorset, England, five miles north of Wimborne Minster. In 2001, the village had a population of 544.The parish is home to Knowlton Church and Earthworks.-External links:*...
- Alderholt
See also
- List of civil parishes in East Dorset