North Dorset
Encyclopedia
North Dorset is a local government district
in Dorset
, England
. It is largely rural
, but includes the towns of Blandford Forum, Gillingham
, Shaftesbury
, Stalbridge
and Sturminster Newton
. Much of North Dorset is in the River Stour
valley
and is called the Blackmore Vale
. The economy
of North Dorset is largely dairy
agriculture
based.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972
, from the municipal borough
s of Blandford Forum, Shaftesbury, Blandford Rural District, Shaftesbury Rural District and Sturminster Rural District.
At the 2001 UK census
North Dorset had a population
of 61,905, a rise of 8,300 from 1991, with 25,248 households.
North Dorset is home to North Dorset Rugby Football Club
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...
. It is largely rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
, but includes the towns of Blandford Forum, Gillingham
Gillingham, Dorset
Gillingham is a town in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England. The town is the most northerly in the county. It is 3 miles south of the A303 lying on the B3092 and B3081. It is near to the town of Shaftesbury which lies 7 miles to the south east. Neighbouring hamlets included Peacemarsh, Bay...
, Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury is a town in Dorset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Wiltshire border 20 miles west of Salisbury. The town is built 718 feet above sea level on the side of a chalk and greensand hill, which is part of Cranborne Chase, the only significant hilltop settlement in Dorset...
, Stalbridge
Stalbridge
Stalbridge is a small town and civil parish in Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale area of North Dorset district, near the border with Somerset. In 2001 the town had a population of 2,579, and is still growing. 30.8% of the inhabitants are retired...
and Sturminster Newton
Sturminster Newton
Sturminster Newton, known to locals as Stur, is a town in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England. It is situated on a low limestone ridge in a meander of the River Stour. The town is at the centre of a large dairy agriculture region, around which the town's economy is built...
. Much of North Dorset is in the River Stour
River Stour, Dorset
The River Stour is a 60.5 mile long river which flows through Wiltshire and Dorset in southern England, and drains into the English Channel. It is sometimes called the Dorset Stour to distinguish it from rivers of the same name...
valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
and is called the Blackmore Vale
Blackmore Vale
The Blackmore Vale is a vale, or wide valley, in north Dorset, and to a lesser extent south Somerset and southwest Wiltshire in southern England. The vale is part of the Stour valley...
. The economy
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
of North Dorset is largely dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
based.
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....
, from the municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
s of Blandford Forum, Shaftesbury, Blandford Rural District, Shaftesbury Rural District and Sturminster Rural District.
At the 2001 UK census
United 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....
North Dorset had 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 61,905, a rise of 8,300 from 1991, with 25,248 households.
North Dorset is home to North Dorset Rugby Football Club
North Dorset Rugby Football Club
North Dorset RFC is a rugby union club in Gillingham, Dorset, who have been in existence since 1951. They currently play in the Southern Counties South league after being promoted from the Dorset and Wilts Leagues at the end of the 2004/5 season...
Settlements
- Towns with a population over 2,500 are in bold.
- AndersonAnderson, DorsetAnderson is a village and civil parish in the North Dorset district of Dorset, England, with a population of 72 . The village is sometimes known as Winterborne Anderson, and is near Winterborne Zelston and Winterborne Kingston. It is about twelve miles by road from Poole.To the west is...
, AshmoreAshmoreAshmore is a small village in the North Dorset district of Dorset, England; situated south-west of Salisbury. The local travel links are located from the village to Tisbury railway station and to Bournemouth International Airport. The main road running through the village is North Road... - BelchalwellBelchalwellBelchalwell is a village in the civil parish of Okeford Fitzpaine in the Blackmore Vale, North Dorset, and lies two and a half miles south of Sturminster Newton and six miles north-west of Blandford....
, Blandford Forum, BourtonBourton, DorsetBourton is a village in north Dorset, England, situated north of the A303 road on the border with Somerset and Wiltshire between Mere and Wincanton. The village has a population of 772 and marks the northernmost point in Dorset...
, BryanstonBryanstonBryanston is a village and civil parish in north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour one mile west of Blandford Forum. The parish has a population of 968 . The village is adjacent to the grounds of Bryanston School, an independent school.The village was named after Brian de Lisle, a...
, Buckhorn WestonBuckhorn WestonBuckhorn Weston is a village in the English county of Dorset. It lies within the North Dorset administrative district of the county, and is situated three miles west of the town of Gillingham in the Blackmore Vale... - Cann, Charlton MarshallCharlton MarshallCharlton Marshall is a village in north Dorset, England, situated beside the River Stour on the A350 road two miles south of the market town Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 1,150 ....
, ChettleChettleChettle is a hamlet in North Dorset, in southern England, situated on Cranborne Chase on the A354 road six miles north east of Blandford Forum. Chettle has a population of 80 ....
, Child OkefordChild OkefordChild Okeford is a quiet village in north Dorset, England, situated four miles east of Sturminster Newton and downstream from it along the River Stour which passes half a mile west of the village...
, Compton AbbasCompton AbbasCompton Abbas is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale next to Cranborne Chase, on the A350 road three miles south of Shaftesbury. The village has a population of 200 . The village gives its name to a nearby airfield on the downs... - DurwestonDurwestonDurweston is a village in north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour where it flows out of the Blackmore Vale through a steep, narrow gap between the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase hills, two miles west of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 429...
- East OrchardEast OrchardEast Orchard is a small village in the rural Blackmore Vale area of north Dorset, England, adjacent to West Orchard, from which it is separated by a stream, and half way between Shaftesbury and Sturminster Newton. The village has a population of 127 ....
, East Stour - FarnhamFarnham, DorsetFarnham is a village in North Dorset, in the south of England, situated on Cranborne Chase nine miles north east of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 205 .Augustus Pitt Rivers lived nearby on the Rushmore Estate...
, Fifehead MagdalenFifehead MagdalenFifehead Magdalen is a hamlet and civil parish in the north of Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour in the Blackmore Vale three miles south of Gillingham and five miles west of Shaftesbury. The village has a population of 88 ....
, Fifehead NevilleFifehead NevilleFifehead Neville is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale two miles south west of Sturminster Newton. The village has a population of 127. The village is situated next to the stream of the Divelish which runs down from the high hill of Bulbarrow Hill...
, Fontmell MagnaFontmell MagnaFontmell Magna is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale under Cranborne Chase on the A350 road five miles south of Shaftesbury and eight miles north of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 671... - GillinghamGillingham, DorsetGillingham is a town in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England. The town is the most northerly in the county. It is 3 miles south of the A303 lying on the B3092 and B3081. It is near to the town of Shaftesbury which lies 7 miles to the south east. Neighbouring hamlets included Peacemarsh, Bay...
, Glanvilles WoottonGlanvilles WoottonGlanvilles Wootton, or Wootton Glanville, is a village in North Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale under the scarp of the Dorset Downs, five miles south of Sherborne. The village has a population of 201 . One mile south east of the village is the hill fort Dungeon Hill.- External... - HammoonHammoonHammoon is a hamlet and parish in the county of Dorset in south-west England. It lies within the North Dorset administrative district of the county. It is sited on alluvial silt by the River Stour, approximately 2 miles east of the town of Sturminster Newton...
, Hazelbury BryanHazelbury BryanHazelbury Bryan is a village in Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale five miles south west of Sturminster Newton. At the Census 2001 the parish had a population of 800. It includes the hamlets of Droop, Kingston, Parkgate, Pidney, Pleck, Wonston and Woodrow.-External links:* *...
, HiltonHilton, DorsetHilton is a village in north Dorset, England. It lies at an altitude of 135 metres in a small valley in the eastern part of the Dorset Downs. The summit of Bulbarrow Hill is 1.5 miles north of the village. The nearest town is Blandford Forum, which lies 8 miles east-north-east...
, Hinton St MaryHinton St MaryHinton St Mary is a village in north Dorset, England, situated on a low limestone ridge beside the River Stour, one mile north of the market town Sturminster Newton. The village has a population of 221... - IbbertonIbbertonIbberton is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale under the scarp face of the Dorset Downs hills, five miles south of Sturminster Newton and seven miles west of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 134 ....
, Iwerne CourtneyIwerne CourtneyIwerne Courtney, also known as Shroton, is a village in north Dorset, England, north-west of Blandford Forum. It lies on the River Iwerne under Hambledon Hill to the south-west and with Cranborne Chase to the east. The village has a population of 400 .- External links :*...
, Iwerne MinsterIwerne MinsterIwerne Minster is a village in North Dorset, England, situated under Cranborne Chase in the Blackmore Vale just off the A350. The village has a population of 889 . A cheese shop employs 57 persons... - Kington MagnaKington MagnaKington Magna is a village in the Blackmore Vale area of north Dorset, England with a population of 376 . It is west of Shaftesbury, north of Sturminster Newton and east of Sherborne. The village was founded in the twelfth century, but most of the current buildings are no older than the seventeenth...
- Langton Long Blandford, LydlinchLydlinchLydlinch is a village in north Dorset, England, situated on the River Lydden in the Blackmore Vale, three miles west of Sturminster Newton. The village has a population of 431 . Poet William Barnes was born in the village and wrote about the five bells which hang on the tower of the 13th-century...
- ManstonManston, DorsetManston is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale two miles east of Sturminster Newton. The village has a population of 135 .-External links:*...
, MappowderMappowderMappowder is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale nine miles south east of Sherborne. The village has a population of 137 . The name of the village comes from mapuldor, Old English for 'maple tree'...
, Margaret Marsh, MarnhullMarnhullMarnhull is a village in the Blackmore Vale area of north Dorset, England. It is north of Sturminster Newton, between Shaftesbury and Sherborne and about north of Bournemouth and Weymouth...
, Melbury AbbasMelbury AbbasMelbury Abbas is a village in north Dorset, England, situated between Shaftesbury and Blandford Forum on Cranborne Chase. The village has a population of 301 , 34.4% are retired. 6.1% of dwellings are second homes....
, Milborne St AndrewMilborne St AndrewMilborne St Andrew is a village in central Dorset, England, situated in a winterbourne valley on the dip slope of the Dorset Downs, straddling the A354 road nine miles north east of Dorchester. The village has a population of 1,042...
, Milton AbbasMilton AbbasMilton Abbas is a village in Dorset in the south-west of England, approximately seven miles south-west of the market town of Blandford Forum and 11 miles north-east of Dorchester. The village has a population of 766...
, MotcombeMotcombeMotcombe is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale half way between the market towns of Gillingham and Shaftesbury. The village has a population of 1,404 .... - Okeford Fitzpaine
- PimpernePimpernePimperne is a village in north Dorset, England, situated on Cranborne Chase two miles north east of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 995 ....
, PulhamPulhamPulham is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale seven miles south east of Sherborne. The village has a population of 211 .-External links:*... - ShaftesburyShaftesburyShaftesbury is a town in Dorset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Wiltshire border 20 miles west of Salisbury. The town is built 718 feet above sea level on the side of a chalk and greensand hill, which is part of Cranborne Chase, the only significant hilltop settlement in Dorset...
, ShillingstoneShillingstoneShillingstone is a village in the Blackmore Vale area of north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour between Sturminster Newton and Blandford Forum...
, SiltonSiltonSilton is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale four miles north west of Gillingham. The village has a population of 134 ....
, SpetisburySpetisburySpetisbury is a village in north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour and the A350 road, four miles south east of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 542 . It is notable for being a very linear settlement, with mostly only one line of buildings adjacent to the A350 road...
, StalbridgeStalbridgeStalbridge is a small town and civil parish in Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale area of North Dorset district, near the border with Somerset. In 2001 the town had a population of 2,579, and is still growing. 30.8% of the inhabitants are retired...
, Stoke WakeStoke WakeStoke Wake is a very small hamlet, originally part of the Whiteway hundred in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale under Bulbarrow Hill west of Blandford Forum....
, StourpaineStourpaineStourpaine is a village in north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour and A350 road in the south east corner of the Blackmore Vale, under Cranborne Chase, three miles north west of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 608 ....
, Stour ProvostStour ProvostStour Provost is a village in the Blackmore Vale area of north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour between Sturminster Newton and Gillingham. The village has a population of 560 . 5.6% of dwellings are second homes....
, Stourton CaundleStourton CaundleStourton Caundle is a village in the Blackmore Vale area of north Dorset, England, about 5 miles east of Sherborne. The village has a population of 408 .The village was a venue for stave dances.-External links:*...
, Stour RowStour RowStour Row is a village in north Dorset, England, situated beside Duncliffe hill three miles south west of Shaftesbury....
, Sturminster NewtonSturminster NewtonSturminster Newton, known to locals as Stur, is a town in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England. It is situated on a low limestone ridge in a meander of the River Stour. The town is at the centre of a large dairy agriculture region, around which the town's economy is built...
, Sutton WaldronSutton WaldronSutton Waldron is a village in north Dorset, England, situated on the A350 road between Iwerne Minster and Fontmell Magna, in the Blackmore Vale under the scarp of Cranborne Chase, eight miles north of Blandford Forum and five miles south of Shaftesbury. The village has a population of 192 . It... - Tarrant CrawfordTarrant CrawfordTarrant Crawford is a small village at the end of the Tarrant Valley in Dorset, England. It is mainly a farm with a few houses. OS maps show it at the position of Tarrant Abbey, an even smaller village with only three houses. Although still part of the farm, it is referred to by the locals as a...
, Tarrant GunvilleTarrant GunvilleTarrant Gunville is a village in north Dorset, England, situated at the head of the Tarrant Valley on Cranborne Chase five miles north east of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 236 . The large parish church is dedicated to St...
, Tarrant HintonTarrant HintonTarrant Hinton is a village in North Dorset, England, situated in the Tarrant Valley five miles north-east of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 195 ....
, Tarrant Keyneston, Tarrant LauncestonTarrant LauncestonTarrant Launceston is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Tarrant Valley five miles north east of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 414 .-External links:*...
, Tarrant MonktonTarrant MonktonTarrant Monkton is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Tarrant Valley five miles east of Blandford Forum. Within the parish boundary, sited 1.5 miles over hills to the west, lies Blandford Camp army base. The parish as a whole, including the army base, had a population of 2,370 as...
, Tarrant RawstonTarrant RawstonTarrant Rawston is a hamlet in Dorset, England. It has a small church built of flint and stone. Surrounding the village are many pre-historic barrows. The hamlet is named after the River Tarrant which flows through the parish.-Reference:...
, Tarrant RushtonTarrant RushtonTarrant Rushton is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Tarrant Valley five miles east of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 105 ....
, TodberTodberTodber is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale five miles south west of Shaftesbury. The village has a population of 124 .-External links:*...
, TurnworthTurnworthTurnworth is a hamlet in north Dorset, England, situated on the Dorset Downs five miles west of Blandford Forum. The village consists of a few cottages and farmhouses scattered around a church and manor house. Nearby is Ringmoor, an ancient settlement on the top of the scarp face of the downs. ... - West OrchardWest OrchardWest Orchard is a small village in the rural Blackmore Vale area of north Dorset, England, adjacent to East Orchard, from which it is separated by a stream, and situated half way between Shaftesbury and Sturminster Newton. The village has a population of 77 .- External links :*...
, West Stour, Winterborne ClenstonWinterborne ClenstonWinterborne Clenston is a village in Dorset, England.The first name of "Winterborne" comes from the River Winterborne, which flows from north to south through the village.The river only flows overground during the winter, hence the name....
, Winterborne HoughtonWinterborne HoughtonWinterborne Houghton is a village in north Dorset, England. It is situated in a winterbourne valley on the Dorset Downs, five miles south west of Blandford Forum...
, Winterborne KingstonWinterborne KingstonWinterborne Kingston is a village in north Dorset, England. It is situated in a winterbourne valley on the Dorset Downs, seven miles south of Blandford Forum and northeast of Bere Regis.- Overview :The village has a population of 613...
, Winterborne SticklandWinterborne SticklandWinterborne Stickland is a village in the English county of Dorset. It is situated in the North Dorset administrative district of the county, about four miles west of the town of Blandford Forum. It is sited in a winterbourne valley in the Dorset Downs. The village has a population of 576...
, Winterborne WhitechurchWinterborne WhitechurchWinterborne Whitechurch, also Winterborne Whitchurch, is a village in central Dorset, England, situated in a winterbourne valley on the A354 road on the Dorset Downs five miles south west of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 694 ....
, Winterborne ZelstonWinterborne ZelstonWinterborne Zelston is a village in north Dorset, England. It is situated in a winterbourne valley on the A31 road eight miles south of Blandford Forum and ten miles north west of Poole...
, WoollandWoollandWoolland is a village in north Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale under Bulbarrow Hill seven miles west of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 76 . The village is first mentioned in Cartularium saxonicum from the year 939 Wonlond, the Domesday Book from the year 1086...
- Anderson