West Dorset
Encyclopedia
West Dorset is a local government district
and parliamentary
constituency in Dorset
, England
. Its council is based in Dorchester. The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972
, and was a merger of the borough
s of Bridport
, Dorchester and Lyme Regis
, along with Sherborne
urban district
, and the rural district
s of Beaminster, Bridport, Dorchester and Sherborne.
West Dorset registered a population
of 92,350, estimated to be 94,000 . The population structure reflects the rural nature of the district. 52% of the population are female. The area is a popular retirement area which also exports young people due the low choice of career options. This is reflected in the age structure, with 12.3% of the population over 75, compared to 7.5% in England; 51.7% are between 15 and 59, compared to 59.1% in England. 34.4% of dwellings are pensioner households, compared to 23.8% in England.
The district is an example of the low ethnic minority populations in rural areas, with 96.7% white British ethnicity, compared to 87.0% in England.
The district has a high level of car ownership, at 83.1% of households compared to 73.2% in England.
by the Conservative
front-bencher Oliver Letwin
. Elections in this constituency are usually a two-party contest between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties. It is almost identical in area with the West Dorset district, but a very small part of West Dorset District lies within the South Dorset
county constituency, currently represented in the British House of Commons
by the Conservative Party member Richard Drax
.
and Bridport
. Dorchester is in the south of the district and is the county town of Dorset. It has been an important settlement since Roman
times. Sherborne is in the north of the district and is an important market town
which was, for a time, the capital of Wessex
. Bridport is in the west of the district and is popular with tourists visiting the Jurassic Coast
, as is the smaller coastal town of Lyme Regis
at the county border with Devon
.
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...
and parliamentary
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
constituency 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 Dorchester. The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, and was a merger of the borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
s of Bridport
Bridport
Bridport is a market town in Dorset, England. Located near the coast at the western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the River Brit and its Asker and Simene tributaries, it originally thrived as a fishing port and rope-making centre...
, Dorchester and Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 miles west of Dorchester and east of Exeter. The town lies in Lyme Bay, on the English Channel coast at the Dorset-Devon border...
, along with Sherborne
Sherborne
Sherborne is a market town in northwest Dorset, England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The A30 road, which connects London to Penzance, runs through the town. The population of the town is 9,350 . 27.1% of the population is aged 65 or...
urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
, and the rural district
Rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
s of Beaminster, Bridport, Dorchester and Sherborne.
Demographics
In the Census 2001United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
West Dorset registered a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 92,350, estimated to be 94,000 . The population structure reflects the rural nature of the district. 52% of the population are female. The area is a popular retirement area which also exports young people due the low choice of career options. This is reflected in the age structure, with 12.3% of the population over 75, compared to 7.5% in England; 51.7% are between 15 and 59, compared to 59.1% in England. 34.4% of dwellings are pensioner households, compared to 23.8% in England.
The district is an example of the low ethnic minority populations in rural areas, with 96.7% white British ethnicity, compared to 87.0% in England.
The district has a high level of car ownership, at 83.1% of households compared to 73.2% in England.
Constituency
West Dorset is a county constituency, currently represented in the British House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
by the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
front-bencher Oliver Letwin
Oliver Letwin
Oliver Letwin MP FRSA is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he is currently the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, and a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of West Dorset...
. Elections in this constituency are usually a two-party contest between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties. It is almost identical in area with the West Dorset district, but a very small part of West Dorset District lies within the South Dorset
South Dorset
South Dorset is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
county constituency, currently represented in the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
by the Conservative Party member Richard Drax
Richard Drax
Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax , known as Richard Drax, is a former Army officer and journalist, now Conservative Party politician and Member of Parliament for South Dorset....
.
Settlements
The main settlements in West Dorset are Dorchester, SherborneSherborne
Sherborne is a market town in northwest Dorset, England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The A30 road, which connects London to Penzance, runs through the town. The population of the town is 9,350 . 27.1% of the population is aged 65 or...
and Bridport
Bridport
Bridport is a market town in Dorset, England. Located near the coast at the western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the River Brit and its Asker and Simene tributaries, it originally thrived as a fishing port and rope-making centre...
. Dorchester is in the south of the district and is the county town of Dorset. It has been an important settlement since Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
times. Sherborne is in the north of the district and is an important market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
which was, for a time, the capital of Wessex
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
. Bridport is in the west of the district and is popular with tourists visiting the Jurassic Coast
Jurassic Coast
The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. The site stretches from Orcombe Point near Exmouth in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in East Dorset, a distance of ....
, as is the smaller coastal town of Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 miles west of Dorchester and east of Exeter. The town lies in Lyme Bay, on the English Channel coast at the Dorset-Devon border...
at the county border with Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.
- Settlements with a population over 2,500 are in bold.
- AbbotsburyAbbotsburyAbbotsbury is a large village and civil parish in the West Dorset district of Dorset, England; situated north-west of Weymouth. It is located from Upwey railway station and from Bournemouth International Airport. The main road running through the village is the B3157, connecting Abbotsbury to...
, AllingtonAllington, DorsetAllington is a large village and civil parish in Dorset, England. The village has a population of 614 according to the 2001 Census.Allington Hill is an Iron Age hill fort risingto 90m above the village, now managed by the Woodland Trust...
, Alton PancrasAlton PancrasAlton Pancras is a small village in the West Dorset district of Dorset, England. It is sited at an altitude of 125 metres in the valley of the River Piddle, which has its source just north of the village. The surrounding chalk hills rise to between 230 and 260 metres...
, Askerwell - BatcombeBatcombe, DorsetBatcombe is a small straggling village in the West Dorset district of Dorset, England; situated north-west of Dorchester under the northern slope of the Dorset Downs. The local travel links are located from the village to Chetnole railway station and to Bournemouth International Airport. The...
, BeaminsterBeaminsterBeaminster is a small town and civil parish in the West Dorset district of Dorset in South West England, at the head of the valley of the River Brit. Beaminster is south of Bristol, west of Bournemouth, east of Exeter and northwest of the county town of Dorchester...
, Beer HackettBeer HackettBeer Hackett is a hamlet in west Dorset, England, three miles south west of Sherborne and five miles south east of Yeovil. The village has a population of 86 .- External links :*...
, BettiscombeBettiscombeBettiscombe is a hamlet in west Dorset, England, situated in the Marshwood Vale four miles west of Beaminster. The village has a population of 63 according to the United Kingdom Census 2001....
, BincombeBincombeBincombe is a large village in the West Dorset district of Dorset, England; situated north of Weymouth. The local travel links are located from the village to Upwey railway station and to Bournemouth International Airport. The main road running through the village is Icen Lane...
, Bishops Caundle, BothenhamptonBothenhamptonBothenhampton is a village in south west Dorset, England, just outside the town of Bridport. It is separated from the town only by the River Asker and the A35 Bridport by-pass. The village has a population of 2,186 , of which 45.5% are retired....
, Bradford AbbasBradford AbbasBradford Abbas is a village in north west Dorset, England, three miles south east of Yeovil and five miles south west of Sherborne. The village has a population of 936...
, Bradford PeverellBradford PeverellBradford Peverell is a village in west Dorset, England, situated in the Frome valley two miles north west of Dorchester on the A37 road. The village has a population of 344 .- External links :*...
, BradpoleBradpoleBradpole is a village in south west Dorset, England, in the Brit valley, one mile outside Bridport. The village has a population of 2,270 , 38.8% are retired.- External links :***...
, BridportBridportBridport is a market town in Dorset, England. Located near the coast at the western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the River Brit and its Asker and Simene tributaries, it originally thrived as a fishing port and rope-making centre...
, Broadoak, BroadwindsorBroadwindsorBroadwindsor is a village in west Dorset, England, two miles west of Beaminster. The village has a population of 1,218 .Broadwindsor was also formerly a liberty, containing only the parish itself....
, Buckland NewtonBuckland NewtonBuckland Newton is a village in north Dorset, England, situated under the scarp of the Dorset Downs, six miles south of Sherborne. The village has a population of 618 . People have worshipped at the Church of the Holy Rood in Buckland Newton since the 13th century.The village lies within the...
, BurstockBurstockBurstock is a village in west Dorset, England, five miles south of Crewkerne. The village has a population of 109 .- External links :*...
, Burton BradstockBurton BradstockBurton Bradstock is a village in south west Dorset, England. The village has a population of 979 . Situated on the Chesil Beach, east of Bridport the village nestles around the church of St... - CastletonCastleton, DorsetCastleton is a village in west Dorset, England. The village had a population of 130 in 2001. Castleton is in the group parish of Yeo Head together with the three village parishes of Poyntington, Goathill and Oborne. This parish is within the district of West Dorset....
, CattistockCattistockCattistock is a village in west Dorset, England, sited in the upper reaches of the Frome Valley eight miles north west of Dorchester. The Dorset poet William Barnes called it "elbow-streeted Cattstock", a comment on the less-than-linear village street...
, Caundle MarshCaundle MarshCaundle Marsh is a hamlet in north west Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale, four miles south east of Sherborne. The village has a population of 58 .- External links :*...
, Cerne AbbasCerne AbbasCerne Abbas is a village located in the valley of the River Cerne, between steep chalk downland in central Dorset, England. The village is located just to the east of the A352 road north of Dorchester. There was a population of 732 at the 2001 census, a figure which has fallen from 780 in 1998.In...
, CharminsterCharminsterCharminster is a village in west Dorset, England, situated on the River Cerne and A352 road one mile north of Dorchester. The village has a population of 1,940 . The village has a small church of St. Mary. These two things give the village its name, Cerneminster , which eventually evolved into...
, CharmouthCharmouthCharmouth is a village at the mouth of the River Char in West Dorset, England, with a population of 1,687 according to the 2001 census.-The village:...
, ChedingtonChedingtonChedington is a hamlet in west Dorset, England, situated on the A356 road four miles south east of Crewkerne. The village has a population of 82 and is administered as part of Parrett and Axe Parish Council....
, CheselbourneCheselbourneCheselbourne is a village in Dorset, England, situated in the Dorset Downs, seven miles north east of Dorchester. The village has a population of 301 . The village also benefits from a local public house called the Rivers Arms.- External links :*...
, ChetnoleChetnoleChetnole is a village in west Dorset, England, seven miles south of Sherborne. There are around 128 houses in the village. It has a public house in the heart of the village called The Chetnole Inn which is in the Michelin Guide, and was named The Best Freehouse in the UK by the Great British Pub...
, ChickerellChickerellChickerell is a small town and parish in the West Dorset district of Dorset, England. The parish has a population of 5,282 .-History:Although Roman remains have been found, indicating that there has been settlement in the area for many years, as a modern town, Chickerell is recent and one of...
, ChideockChideockChideock is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated on the A35 trunk road between Bridport and Lyme Regis. The village has a population of 597 based on the 2001 census....
, ChilfromeChilfromeChilfrome is a hamlet in the county of Dorset in England. It is situated in the West Dorset administrative district of the county, about 9 miles northwest of the county town of Dorchester. It lies between the villages of Cattistock and Maiden Newton in the upper reaches of the Frome Valley in the...
, Clifton MaybankClifton MaybankClifton Maybank is a hamlet in west Dorset, England. It is perhaps best known for Clifton Maybank House, a country house with surviving Tudor fabric.-Clifton Maybank settlement:...
, Compton ValenceCompton ValenceCompton Valence is a hamlet in west Dorset, England, six miles west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 63 .- External links :*...
, CorscombeCorscombeCorscombe is a small village in west Dorset, England, halfway between Yeovil and Beaminster. The village has a population of 465 .The musician Polly Jean Harvey is a former resident....
, Crossways - DewlishDewlishDewlish is a village in the English county of Dorset. It is situated in the West Dorset administrative district of the county, about seven miles north-east of the county town of Dorchester. It is sited in the valley of the small Devil's Brook, amongst the chalk hills of the Dorset Downs. The...
, Dorchester - EvershotEvershotEvershot is a village in west Dorset, England, south of Yeovil. It is the second highest village in the county , the centre of the village lying at 175 metres above sea-level. The village has a population of 206...
- FleetFleet, DorsetFleet is a hamlet and parish in south Dorset, England, situated two miles west of Weymouth. The village is named for The Fleet, the nearby lagoon behind Chesil Beach. J. Meade Falkner's smuggling novel, Moonfleet is set in the village. On 24 November 1824 strong winds and a storm surge caused...
, FolkeFolkeFolke is a village in north west Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale south-east of Sherborne. The village has a population of 309 and an area of . Folke Wood is nearby.- External links :* *...
, FramptonFrampton, DorsetFrampton is a village in west Dorset, England, situated in the Frome valley three miles north west of Dorchester at . The village has a population of 456 , 6.9% of dwellings are second homes ....
, Frome St QuintinFrome St QuintinFrome St Quintin is a village in west Dorset, England, situated in the Frome valley seven miles north of Dorchester. The village has a population of 157 . There are naturally occurring springs and the first habitation is likely to have been during the Roman era.- External links :*...
, Frome VauchurchFrome VauchurchFrome Vauchurch is a village in west Dorset, England, situated in the Frome valley just outside Maiden Newton, seven miles north west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 154 .It was the home of Sylvia Townsend Warner and Valentine Ackland.... - GodmanstoneGodmanstoneGodmanstone is a village in west Dorset, England, situated in the Cerne Valley four miles north of Dorchester and south of Cerne Abbas. The village has a population of 144 in about 60 homes....
- HalstockHalstockHalstock is a village in north west Dorset, England, five miles south of Yeovil, and lies on the route of the ancient Harrow Way. The village has a population of 470 , down from a peak of over 600 in the mid-nineteenth century.-History:...
, HermitageHermitage, DorsetHermitage is a hamlet in Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale under the scarp of the Dorset Downs, six miles south of Sherborne. The village has a population of 101 .-External links:*...
, HilfieldHilfieldHilfield is a hamlet in west Dorset, England, situated under the scarp face of the Dorset Downs seven miles south of Sherborne. The village had a population of 52 at the time of the 2001 Census, mostly residents of the Friary of Saint Francis....
, HolnestHolnestHolnest is a village in west Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale four miles south of Sherborne. The village has a population of 174 .-External links:*...
, HolwellHolwell, DorsetHolwell is a village in north west Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale five miles south east of Sherborne. The village has a population of 380 . Until 1844, Holwell was an exclave of Somerset.-External links:*...
, HookeHooke, DorsetHooke is a small village in west Dorset, England, 13 kilometers northwest of Dorchester. The village has a population of 118 . The village is situated in the valley of the short River Hooke, a tributary of the River Frome, in the Dorset Downs chalk hills... - Langton HerringLangton HerringLangton Herring is a village in west Dorset, England, situated beside The Fleet Lagoon , four miles north east of the town of Weymouth....
, LeighLeigh, DorsetLeigh is a village in northwest Dorset, England, six miles southwest of Sherborne. The village has a population of 509 . In a field just south of the village lie the remains of the "Miz Maze", an earthwork of uncertain origin that, centuries ago, folklore attributes to having connections with...
, LillingtonLillington, DorsetLillington is a hamlet in north west Dorset, England, three miles south of Sherborne. The village has a population of 82 .-External links:*...
, LittlebredyLittlebredyLittlebredy is a village in south west Dorset, England, seven miles west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 85 .-External links:* **...
, Litton CheneyLitton CheneyLitton Cheney is a village in south west Dorset, England, nine miles west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 348, according to the United Kingdom Census 2001....
, LodersLodersLoders is a village in south west Dorset, England, two miles north east of Bridport. The village has a population of 502 . It is a linear village, sitting in a long valley between Waddon Hill and Boarsbarrow Hill, following the road between Bradpole and Askerswell, with another road parallel to...
, Long BredyLong BredyLong Bredy is a village in west Dorset, England, situated in a small valley seven miles west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 202 . The village has some notable history, being located near the strategic chalk hills it has some Iron Age and Roman history, including a stone circle,...
, LongburtonLongburtonLongburton is a village in west Dorset, England, three miles south of Sherborne. The village has a population of 435 .-Geography:...
, Lyme RegisLyme RegisLyme Regis is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 miles west of Dorchester and east of Exeter. The town lies in Lyme Bay, on the English Channel coast at the Dorset-Devon border... - Maiden NewtonMaiden NewtonMaiden Newton is a village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, north of Dorchester. Located on the River Frome, the village has a population of 952 , of whom 29.7% are retired. Maiden Newton railway station, which serves the village, is situated on the Heart of Wessex Line...
, MarshwoodMarshwoodMarshwood is a village in west Dorset, England, situated on the northern edge of the Marshwood Vale six miles north of Lyme Regis. The village has a population of 283 , 8.6% of dwellings are second homes....
, Melbury BubbMelbury BubbMelbury Bubb is a hamlet in north west Dorset, England, situated on a chalk hill seven miles south of Sherborne. It is just off the road between Dorchester and Yeovil in Somerset. The village has a population of 78 .-External links:*...
, Melbury OsmondMelbury OsmondMelbury Osmond is a village in north west Dorset, England, situated on the A37 road seven miles south of Yeovil. The village has a population of 190 . It is mentioned in the Domesday Book as a possession of the Arundell family, and remained so until the 19th century. The parish church, St...
, Melcombe HorseyMelcombe HorseyMelcombe Horsey is a village in west Dorset, England. The village has a population of 141 .Bingham's Melcombe is a medieval house nearby. It takes its name from Robert Bingham who acquired the property through marriage in the 13th Century. It remained in the Bingham family until 1895.The house...
, Minterne MagnaMinterne MagnaMinterne Magna is a village in west Dorset, England, situated at the source of the River Cerne in the Dorset Downs, on the A352 main road half way between Dorchester and Sherborne. The village has a population of 188 .-Minterne House:...
, MostertonMostertonMosterton is a village in west Dorset, England, three miles south of Crewkerne. The village has a population of 626 .Home of the Admiral Hood pub, Eeles Pottery, Parrett and Axe Primary School and St... - NetherburyNetherburyNetherbury is a village in west Dorset, England, with a population of 1,276 . It is situated one mile south of Beaminster and five miles north of Bridport, just off the A3066 road.Netherbury consists of a church, a village hall, and a play park....
, Nether ComptonNether ComptonNether Compton is a small village in north west Dorset, England, situated 3 miles west of Sherborne and 3 miles east of Yeovil.The village has an estimated population of 300 .-History: Nether Compton was burnt in 1066 by William, Duke of Normandy.... - OborneOborneOborne is a village in north west Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale close to the border with Somerset, on the A30 road adjacent to the town of Sherborne. The village has a population of 115 . Oborne is in the group parish of Yeo Head together with the three villages of Castleton,...
, OsmingtonOsmingtonOsmington is a village and civil parish in the District of West Dorset within Dorset, England, situated on the Jurassic Coast northeast of Weymouth. The village has a population of 609.To the east is Osmington Hill.-History:...
, Over ComptonOver ComptonOver Compton is a village in north west Dorset, England, situated in the Yeo valley 2 miles east of Yeovil. The village has a population of 158 ....
, OwermoigneOwermoigneOwermoigne is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated six miles south east of Dorchester. The village has a population of 450 .The parish was formerly part of hundred of Winfrith, and subsequently constituted a liberty by itself.-External links:... - PiddlehintonPiddlehintonPiddlehinton is a village in west Dorset, England situated in the Piddle valley five miles north of Dorchester. The village has a population of around 600 .Piddlehinton formerly constituted a liberty containing only the parish itself....
, PiddletrenthidePiddletrenthidePiddletrenthide is a village in west Dorset, England, situated in the Piddle valley on the dip slope of the Dorset Downs, eight miles north of Dorchester. The village has a population of 691...
, PorteshamPorteshamPortesham is a village in the English county of Dorset, situated close to the south coast, between the towns of Weymouth and Dorchester. The village has a population of 708...
, PoundburyPoundburyPoundbury is an experimental new town or urban extension on the outskirts of Dorchester in the county of Dorset, England.The development is built on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. It is built according to the principles of Prince Charles...
, PowerstockPowerstockPowerstock is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated in a steep valley on the edge of the Dorset Downs, five miles north east of the market town of Bridport. The village contains many cottages and 2 inns: The Three Horseshoes near the church and The Marquis of Lorne Inn on the other...
, PoyntingtonPoyntingtonPoyntington is a village in north west Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale two miles north of Sherborne. The village has a population of 135.The parish was part of the hundred of Horethorne....
, PuddletownPuddletownPuddletown is a village in Dorset, England, 5 miles east of Dorchester in the River Piddle valley. The village has a population of 1,177 , of which 30.3% are retired....
, PuncknowlePuncknowlePuncknowle is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated at in a steep valley beside Chesil Beach five miles east of Bridport. The village has a population of 429 . There is a single public house in the village called The Crown Inn, and many holiday properties.-External links:* *...
, Purse CaundlePurse CaundlePurse Caundle is a village in north west Dorset, England, about 5 miles east of Sherborne. The village has a population of 107 . The village is based around the large fifteenth-century Manor house.- External links :*... - RampishamRampishamRampisham is a village in west Dorset, England, situated in a steep valley ten miles north west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 102...
, Ryme IntrinsecaRyme IntrinsecaRyme Intrinseca is a village in north west Dorset, England, four miles south of Yeovil, and a mile west of Yetminster. The village has a population of 130 . The name means the inner, or home, part of the Ryme manor as opposed to the outer parts, once called Ryme Extrinseca.The church at Ryme... - Sandford OrcasSandford OrcasSandford Orcas is a village and parish in north west Dorset, England, three miles north of Sherborne The village has a population of 195 . Just to the east of the village itself is the hamlet of Holway...
, SeaboroughSeaboroughSeaborough is a hamlet in north west Dorset, England, situated on the River Axe two miles south of Crewkerne. The village has a population of 65 .The parish was part of the hundred of Crewkerne.-External links:*...
, SherborneSherborneSherborne is a market town in northwest Dorset, England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The A30 road, which connects London to Penzance, runs through the town. The population of the town is 9,350 . 27.1% of the population is aged 65 or...
, Shipton GorgeShipton GorgeShipton Gorge is a village in south west Dorset, England, three miles east of Bridport. The village has a population of 319 , 11% of dwellings are second home....
, South PerrottSouth PerrottSouth Perrott is a village in northwest Dorset, England, two miles south east of Crewkerne. The village has a population of 247 .The name Perrott comes from the River Parrett.The manor was held with North Perrott just over the border in Somerset....
, Stanton St GabrielStanton St GabrielStanton St Gabriel is a hamlet and civil parish in west Dorset, England, with a population of 89 . The population in 1991 was 93, and in 1921 was 54....
, StinsfordStinsfordStinsford is a village in south west Dorset, England, one mile east of Dorchester. The village has a population of 346 , 13.5% of dwellings are second homes ....
, Stoke AbbottStoke AbbottStoke Abbott is a village in west Dorset, England, two miles west of Beaminster. The village has a population of 209 , with 14.5% of dwellings being second homes...
, StrattonStratton, DorsetStratton is a civil parish in West Dorset, England, in the Frome valley about north-west of Dorchester. The parish includes the village itself and the hamlets of Grimstone, Ash Hill and Wrackleford, all of which lie on or near main road, the A37. Ash Hill is a small estate east of the village near...
, SwyreSwyreSwyre is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated in a valley beside Chesil Beach six miles south east of Bridport. The village has a population of 109 ....
, Sydling St NicholasSydling St NicholasSydling St Nicholas is a village in the county of Dorset in southwest England. It is situated in the West Dorset district of the county, about nine miles northwest of the county town of Dorchester. It is sited on Sydling Water, a tributary of the River Frome. Sydling Water divides upon entering the...
, SymondsburySymondsburySymondsbury is a village in south west Dorset, England, west of Bridport and west of Dorchester. The village is located just to the north of the A35 trunk road, which runs between Southampton and Honiton. The village has a pub , a pottery and a primary school... - ThorncombeThorncombeThorncombe is a village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, situated on the borders of Somerset and Devon, five miles south east of Chard. The civil parish has a population of 714 , and 8.4% of dwellings are second homes.-Geography:...
, ThornfordThornfordThornford is a village in north west Dorset, England, situated in the Yeo valley four miles south west of Sherborne. Thornford is in Thornhackett Parish, a combined parish comprising the villages of Thornford and Beer Hackett....
, TincletonTincletonTincleton is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated on the River Frome five miles east of Dorchester. The village has a population of 142 . The name "Tincleton" has nothing to do with the names of nearby villages, such as Puddletown, Piddletrenthide and Piddlehinton. The name actually...
, Toller PorcorumToller PorcorumToller Porcorum is a village and civil parish in West Dorset, England, situated in the Toller valley ten miles north west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 292 ....
, TolpuddleTolpuddleTolpuddle is a small village in the southern English county of Dorset, situated in the Piddle valley, eight miles east of Dorchester and 12 miles west of Poole. The village has a population of 331 ....
, TrentTrent, DorsetTrent is a village in north west Dorset, England, situated in the Yeo valley four miles north west of Sherborne and four miles north east of Yeovil. It was formerly in Somerset... - WarmwellWarmwellWarmwell is a hamlet in south west Dorset, England, situated five miles south east of Dorchester. The village has a population of 97 .Warmwell contains several historic buildings and was the home of Dorset RAF Warmwell Air Station, dating back to the late 1930's...
, West BexingtonWest BexingtonWest Bexington is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated on the Chesil Beach six miles south east of Bridport.The village of West Bexington provides access to the Chesil Beach. The West Bexington nature reserve is one of the Dorset Wildlife Trust's few coastal reserves...
, West KnightonWest Knighton, DorsetWest Knighton is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated three miles south west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 415 .This small village as such features as an 11th century church and a village pub and also a disused farm house....
, West StaffordWest StaffordWest Stafford is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated in the Frome valley two miles east of Dorchester. The village has a population of 270 . It contains 'The Wise Man Inn', which is the village pub, and St Andrew's Church. The river Winterbourne runs beside the village and 2 miles...
, Whitchurch CanonicorumWhitchurch CanonicorumWhitchurch Canonicorum or Whitechurch Canonicorum is a village in south-west Dorset, England, situated in the Marshwood Vale five miles northwest of Bridport.The village has a population of 647 ; 10.1% of dwellings are second homes...
, Winterborne MonktonWinterborne MonktonWinterborne Monkton is a hamlet and civil parish in the south-west of the English county of Dorset.It is just off the A354 road, three miles south of Dorchester. The village has a population of 84 , and consists of a few houses and a church. The great hill fort of Maiden Castle stands within the...
, Winterborne St Martin, Winterbourne AbbasWinterbourne AbbasWinterborne Abbas is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated in a valley on the A35 road west of Dorchester. The village has a population of 295 .The Nine Stones stone circle lies just to the west of the village just to the south of the A35 road....
, Winterbourne SteepletonWinterbourne SteepletonWinterbourne Steepleton is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated in a winterbourne valley five miles west of Dorchester, next to the village of Winterbourne Abbas. The village has a population of 295 , and derives its name from having one of only three stone church steeples in the...
, WoodsfordWoodsfordWoodsford is a hamlet in south west Dorset, England, situated in the Frome valley five miles east of Dorchester. The village has a population of 67 ....
, Wootton FitzpaineWootton FitzpaineWootton Fitzpaine is a village in south west Dorset, England, situated in the Marshwood Vale three miles north east of Lyme Regis. The village has a population of 347 , 16.3% of dwellings are second homes.-External links:*...
, WraxallWraxall, DorsetWraxall in the English county of Dorset is a civil parish consisting of two small villages - Higher Wraxall and Lower Wraxall - between Rampisham and Cattistock in West Dorset.... - YetminsterYetminsterYetminster is a village in the English county of Dorset. It lies within the West Dorset administrative district of the county, about five miles south-west of the town of Sherborne. It is sited on the River Wriggle, a tributary of the River Yeo, and is built almost entirely of honey-coloured...
- Abbotsbury
Places of interest
- Abbotsbury CastleAbbotsbury CastleAbbotsbury Castle is an Iron Age hill fort in south west Dorset, England, situated on Wears Hill above the village of Abbotsbury, seven miles west of Dorchester and the famous hill fort at Maiden Castle. The fort was occupied by the Celtic Durotriges tribe and was situated on a high chalk hill...
- Abbotsbury SwanneryAbbotsbury SwanneryAbbotsbury Swannery is the only managed colony of nesting mute swans in the world. It is situated near the village of Abbotsbury in Dorset, England, west of Weymouth on a site around the Fleet lagoon protected from the weather of Lyme Bay by Chesil Beach. The colony can number over 600 swans with...
- Chesil BeachChesil BeachChesil Beach, sometimes called Chesil Bank, in Dorset, southern England is one of three major shingle structures in Britain. Its toponym is derived from the Old English ceosel or cisel, meaning "gravel" or "shingle"....
- Dorset DownsDorset DownsThe Dorset Downs are an area of Chalk downland in the centre of the county Dorset in south west England. The downs are the most western part of a larger Chalk Formation which also includes Cranborne Chase, Salisbury Plain, Hampshire Downs, Chiltern Hills, North Downs and South Downs.The Dorset...
- Golden CapGolden CapGolden Cap is a hill and cliff situated between Bridport and Charmouth in Dorset, England. The cliffs are the highest point on the south coast of Great Britain. The name derives from the distinctive outcropping of golden Greensand rock present at the very top of the cliff.The hill is owned by the...
- Hooke CourtHooke CourtHooke Court is a residential study centre and a private school and nursery for 3-13 year olds located on the outskirts of the small village, Hooke in rural West Dorset, England, 11 miles from the World Heritage Jurassic Coastline. The Court stands in 14 acres of mature park and woodland. It was...
- Jurassic CoastJurassic CoastThe Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. The site stretches from Orcombe Point near Exmouth in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in East Dorset, a distance of ....
- Kingston RussellKingston RussellKingston Russell is a large mansion house and manor near Long Bredy in Dorset, England, west of Dorchester. The present house dates from the late 17th century but in 1730 was clad in a white Georgian stone facade. The house was restored in 1913, and at the same time the gardens were laid out...
- Maiden CastleMaiden Castle, DorsetMaiden Castle is an Iron Age hill fort south west of Dorchester, in the English county of Dorset. Hill forts were fortified hill-top settlements constructed across Britain during the Iron Age...
- Pilsdon PenPilsdon PenPilsdon Pen is a 277 metre hill in West Dorset, England, situated five miles west of Beaminster at the north end of the Marshwood Vale. It is Dorset's second highest point and has panoramic views extending for many miles...
- Poundbury HillPoundbury HillPoundbury Hill hill fort is the site of a Middle Bronze Age enclosure. It is roughly rectangular and it is likely that it was designed to command views over the River Frome and the Frome valley to the north. The main entrance to the fort is on the eastern end. It overlooks the county town of...
- Rampisham DownRampisham DownRampisham Down is a steep chalk hill in the Dorset Downs, eight miles north west of Dorchester in west Dorset, England. The highest part of the hill is 221 metres . To the north east of the hill is the Frome valley and the village of Rampisham, to the south west is the Hooke valley and the...
- River FromeRiver Frome, DorsetThe River Frome is a river in Dorset in the south of England. At 30 miles long it is the major chalkstream in southwest England. It is navigable upstream from Poole Harbour as far as the town of Wareham.-Geography:...
- Sherborne AbbeySherborne AbbeyThe Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin at Sherborne in the English county of Dorset, is usually called Sherborne Abbey. It has been a Saxon cathedral , a Benedictine abbey and is now a parish church.- Cathedral :...
- Sherborne CastleSherborne CastleSherborne Castle is a 16th-century Tudor mansion southeast of Sherborne in Dorset, England. The park formed only a small part of the Digby estate.-Old castle:Sherborne Old Castle is the ruin of a 12th-century castle in the grounds of the mansion...
- Sherborne HouseSherborne House, DorsetSherborne House is a large house in the market town of Sherborne, Dorset, England. Designed by Benjamin Bastard, the former country house that has been converted into a school and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade 1 listed building. Sherborne House was a subject for the...
- The Tolpuddle MartyrsTolpuddle MartyrsThe Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of 19th century Dorset agricultural labourers who were arrested for and convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. The rules of the society show it was clearly structured as a friendly society and operated as...
Museum