Maps - Visit Dorset Maps Any date in the future Type: Any date in the future Search Food & Drink Please find below downloadable maps of Dorset towns to assist you while visiting Dorset. You will require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and download each map. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader here . For further information on the towns and villages within Dorset please contact one of Dorset’s Tourist Information Centres who will be happy to help. UK Towns and Counties List – Paul Stenning 19th May 2015 Comments Off on UK Towns and Counties List Originally compiled for Campsite Finder , this CSV file contains a list of UK towns and cities sorted by county and country (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). It is compiled from various sources, primarily Wikipedia lists of towns such as with additional information from other websites. Below is a small example of the format of the data: Town Dorset Dorset Dorset, Southern England The English County of Dorset has something for every visitor, from unspoilt heathland to its World Heritage Coast line. Dorset is a county of contrasts and hidden delights.

For the family visitor, Dorset provides some of the best beaches in England, whilst the water sports enthusiast will be delighted and impressed by the sailing and sailboarding facilities. Towns and villages await your visit, all with their own unique character and diversity. The Dorset Coast Sandy beaches, rock pools and dramatic cliffs are all on offer in this amazing county. To the east the town of Christchurch can be found with a natural harbour and close to the World Heritage Coast. Here you can explore the pebble beaches and cliff for the many fossils which have formed in the strata. Travel to Swanage and Purbeck and you will find traditional English Seaside Resorts, established in Victorian times to allow visitors from the cities to enjoy the wonderful sandy beaches. English Villages & Towns The county of Dorset is scattered with many English Village gems including Wimborne Minster, Landford Forum, Shaftresbury and Sturminster Newton. Whilst visiting the county don’t miss the market towns of Bridport, the historic county town of Dorchester and the beautiful Sherborne. Poole Poole is more than just a town, it is a seaside playground. Take a cruise on Poole Harbour for a unique view of this stunning coast and Europe’s largest natural harbour.

For the more adventurous you can try your hand at kite Surfing, windsurfing or jet skiing. If your budget will stretch why not hire your own power boat for a private charter? For those looking for a more tranquil visit a boat trip to Brownsea Island will be rewarded with sites of this amazing island, teaming with wildlife. For your total entertainment visit the bustling Poole Quayside with a vibrant atmosphere. Here you will find marina’s filled with the finest craft, shops, restaurants, cafes and bars, all with amazing views. For evening entertaining take in a show at the Lighthouse, Poole’s centre for the arts. Weymouth & Portland Here you will find a picturesque traditional English harbour and award winning beaches, but it was the London 2012 Olympics that really put this area onto the international map with a state of the art sailing venue. The 2012 investment has left the National Sailing Academy as a lasting legacy of the Olympic Games for all to enjoy. Places to Stay Dorset has many excellent campsites with exceptional facilities, providing the family visitor with a cost effective accommodation option.

One of the many campsites on offer is Pear Tree Holiday Park and Campsite near Poole, providing family entertainment and easy access to the town and surrounding area. If you wish to explore the Jurassic Coast you could consider a stay at Monkton Wyld Touring Caravan & Camping Park. This 5 star site offers 150 level pitches and is just 3 miles from the Charming town of Lyme Regis and a few miles from Charmouth. Further inland is the Blackmore Vale Leisure Campsite, set in rolling fields of Hardy Country and near Stonehenge. Why not hire a touring caravan to place onto a Dorset campsite of your choice? Visit Touringcaravanrentals.com for details and availability. For more information about campsites in Dorset and throughout the UK visit caravanpitches.com . Dorset | Familypedia | Fandom powered by Wikia ɪ t / ) (or archaically , Dorsetshire), is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the non-metropolitan county , which is governed by Dorset County Council , and the unitary authorities of Poole and Bournemouth .

Covering an area of 2,653 square kilometres (1,024 sq mi), Dorset borders Devon to the west, Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north-east, and Hampshire to the east. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. After the reorganisation of local government in 1974 the county's border was extended eastward to incorporate the Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch. Around half of the population lives in the South East Dorset conurbation , while the rest of the county is largely rural with a low population density. The county has a long history of human settlement stretching back to the Neolithic era. The Romans conquered Dorset's indigenous Celtic tribe , and during the early Middle Ages, the Saxons settled the area and made Dorset a shire in the 7th century. The first recorded Viking raid on the British Isles occurred in Dorset during the 8th century and the black death entered England at Melcombe Regis in 1348.

Dorset has seen much civil unrest: during the English Civil War an uprising of vigilantes was crushed by Cromwell's forces in a pitched battle near Shaftesbury ; the Duke of Monmouth 's doomed rebellion began at Lyme Regis ; and a group of farm labourers from Tolpuddle were instrumental in the formation of the trade union movement . During the Second World War , Dorset was heavily involved in the preparations for the invasion of Normandy and the large harbours of Portland and Poole were two of the main embarkation points on D-Day . Dorset has a varied landscape featuring broad elevated chalk downs , steep limestone ridges and low-lying clay valleys. Over half the county is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and three-quarters of its coastline is a World Heritage Site that features notable landforms such as Lulworth Cove , the Isle of Portland , Chesil Beach and Durdle Door . Agriculture was traditionally the major industry of Dorset but is now in decline and tourism has become increasingly important to the economy. There are no motorways in Dorset but a network of A roads cross the county and two railway main lines connect to London.

Dorset has ports at Poole, Weymouth and Portland and an international airport . The county has a variety of museums, theatres and festivals, and is host to one of Europe's largest outdoor shows . It is the birthplace of Thomas Hardy , who used the county as the principal setting of his novels, and William Barnes , whose poetry celebrates the ancient Dorset dialect . Contents Edit Dorset derives its name from the county town of Dorchester . [1] The Romans established the settlement in the 1st century and named it Durnovaria which was a Latinised version of a Brythonic word possibly meaning "place with fist-sized pebbles". [1] The Saxons named the town Dornwaraceaster (the suffix "ceaster" being the Old English name for a Roman town) and Dornsæte came into use as the name for the inhabitants of the area from "Dorn"—a reduced form of Dornwaraceaster—and the Old English word "sæte" meaning people.

[1] [2] It is first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in AD 845 and in the 10th century the county's archaic name, "Dorseteschyre" (Dorsetshire), was first recorded. [3] History Main article: History of Dorset The first human visitors to Dorset were Mesolithic hunters, from around 8000 BC . [4] [5] The first permanent Neolithic settlers appeared around 3000 BC and were responsible for the creation of the Dorset Cursus , a 10.5-kilometre (6.5 mi) long monument constructed for ritual or ceremonial purposes. [6] [7] From 2800 BC onwards Bronze Age farmers cleared Dorset's woodlands for agricultural use and Dorset's high chalk hills provided a location for numerous round barrows . [8] [9] During the Iron Age , Celtic immigrants known as the Durotriges established a series of hill forts across the county—most notably Maiden Castle which is one of the largest in Europe. [10] [11] The Romans arrived in Dorset during their conquest of Britain in AD 43.

Maiden Castle was captured by a Roman legion under the command of Vespasian , and the Roman settlement of Durnovaria was established nearby. [12] [13] Bokerley Dyke , a large defensive ditch built by the county's post-Roman inhabitants near the border with modern-day Hampshire , delayed the advance of the Saxons into Dorset for almost 150 years. [14] However, by the end of the 7th century Dorset had fallen under Saxon control and been incorporated into the Kingdom of Wessex . [15] The Saxons established a diocese at Sherborne and Dorset was made a shire —an administrative district of Wessex and predecessor to the English county system—with borders that have changed little since. [16] In 789 the first recorded Viking attack on the British Isles took place in Dorset on the Portland coast, and they continued to raid into the county for the next two centuries. [17] [18] After the Norman Conquest in 1066, feudal rule was established in Dorset and bulk of the land was divided between the Crown and ecclesiastical institutions.

[19] The Normans consolidated their control over the area by constructing castles at Corfe , Wareham and Dorchester in the early part of the 12th century. [20] Over the next 200 years Dorset's population grew substantially and additional land was enclosed for farming to provide the extra food required. [21] The wool trade, the quarrying of Purbeck Marble and the busy ports of Weymouth , Melcombe Regis , Lyme Regis and Bridport brought prosperity to the county. [22] However, Dorset was devastated by the bubonic plague in 1348 which arrived in Melcombe Regis on a ship from Gascony . [23] The disease, more commonly known as the Black Death , created an epidemic that spread rapidly and wiped out a third of the population of the country. [24] [25] Corfe Castle , captured and destroyed by Cromwell's army in 1646 The dissolution of the monasteries (1536–1541) met little resistance in Dorset and many of the county's abbeys, including Shaftesbury , Cerne and Milton , were sold to private owners.

[26] In 1642, at the commencement of the English Civil War , the Royalists took control of the entire county apart from Poole and Lyme Regis. However, within three years their gains had been almost entirely reversed by the Parliamentarians . [27] An uprising of Clubmen —vigilantes weary of the depredations of the war—took place in Dorset in 1645. Some 2,000 of these rebels offered battle to Lord Fairfax's Parliamentary army at Hambledon Hill but they were easily routed. [28] [29] Sherborne Castle was taken by Fairfax that same year and in 1646 Corfe Castle, the last remaining Royalist stronghold in Dorset, was captured after an act of betrayal: both were subsequently slighted . [28] [30] The Duke of Monmouth's unsuccessful attempt to overthrow James II began when he landed at Lyme Regis in 1665. [31] A series of trials known as the Bloody Assizes took place to punish the rebels.

Over a five-day period in Dorchester, Judge Jeffreys presided over 312 cases: 74 of the accused were executed, 175 were transported , and nine were publicly whipped. [32] In 1686, at Charborough Park , a meeting took place to plot the downfall of James II of England . This meeting was effectively the start of the Glorious Revolution . [33] During the 18th century, much smuggling took place along the Dorset coast; its coves, caves and sandy beaches provided opportunities for gangs such as the Hawkhursts to stealthily bring smuggled goods ashore. [34] Poole became Dorset's busiest port and established prosperous trade links with the fisheries of Newfoundland which supported cloth, rope and net manufacturing industries in the surrounding towns and villages. [35] However, the industrial revolution largely bypassed Dorset which lacked coal resources and as a consequence the county remained predominantly agricultural.

[36] [37] [38] Farming has always been central to the economy of Dorset and the county became the birthplace of the modern trade union movement when, in 1834, six farm labourers formed a union to protest against falling wages. The labourers, who are now known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs , were subsequently arrested for administering "unlawful oaths" and sentenced to transportation but they were pardoned following massive protests by the working classes. [39] [40] The Dorsetshire Regiment were the first British unit to face a gas attack during the First World War (1914–1918) and they sustained particularly heavy losses at the Battle of the Somme . [41] [42] In total some 4,500 Dorset servicemen died in the war and of the county's towns and villages, only one, Langton Herring , known as a Thankful Village , had no residents killed.

[42] [43] During the Second World War (1939–1945) Dorset was heavily involved in the preparations for the invasion of Normandy : beach landing exercises were carried out at Studland and Weymouth and the village of Tyneham was requisitioned for army training. [44] [45] Tens-of-thousands of troops departed Weymouth, Portland and Poole harbours during D-Day and gliders from RAF Tarrant Rushton dropped troops near Caen to begin Operation Tonga . Dorset experienced an increase in holiday-makers after the war. [46] First popularised as a tourist destination by George III's frequent visits to Weymouth, the county's coastline, seaside resorts and its sparsely populated rural areas attract millions of visitors each year. [36] [47] With farming declining across the country, tourism has edged ahead as the primary revenue-earning sector. [37] [48] Settlements Shaftesbury Some of the larger settlements of Dorset Dorset is largely rural with many small villages, few large towns and no cities.

[49] [50] The only major urban area is the South East Dorset conurbation , which is situated at the south-eastern end of the county and is atypical of the county as a whole. It consists of the seaside resort of Bournemouth, the historic port and borough of Poole, the towns of Christchurch and Ferndown plus many surrounding villages. [51] [52] Bournemouth, the most populous town in the conurbation, was established in the Georgian era when sea bathing became popular. [53] Poole, the second largest settlement (once the largest town in the county), adjoins Bournemouth to the west and contains the suburb of Sandbanks which has some of the highest land values by area in the world. [54] The other two major settlements in the county are Dorchester, which has been the county town since at least 1305, [55] and Weymouth, a major seaside resort since the 18th century.

[56] [57] Blandford Forum , Sherborne , Gillingham , Shaftesbury and Sturminster Newton are historic market towns which serve the farms and villages of the Blackmore Vale in north Dorset. [58] Beaminster and Bridport are situated in the west of the county; Verwood and the historic Saxon market towns of Wareham and Wimborne Minster are located to the east. [58] Lyme Regis and Swanage are small coastal towns popular with tourists. [59] Under construction on the western edge of Dorchester is the experimental new town of Poundbury commissioned and co-designed by Prince Charles . [60] The suburb, which is expected to be fully completed by 2025, was designed to integrate residential and retail buildings and counter the growth of dormitory towns and car-oriented development. [61] Physical geography Main articles: Geography of Dorset and Geology of Dorset Dorset covers an area of 2,653 square kilometres (1,024 sq mi) and contains considerable variety in its underlying geology , which is partly responsible for the diversity of landscape.

[62] [63] [64] A large percentage (66%) of the county comprises either chalk , clay or mixed sand and gravels . The remainder is less straightforward and includes Portland and Purbeck stone , other limestones , calcareous clays and shales . [65] Portland and Purbeck stone are of national importance as a building material and for restoring some of Britain's most famous landmarks. [66] [67] Almost every type of rock known from the Early Jurassic to the Eocene epochs can be found in the county. [68] [69] Geological map of Dorset Dorset has a number of limestone ridges which are mostly covered in either arable fields or calcareous grassland supporting sheep. [70] These limestone areas include a wide band of Cretaceous chalk which crosses the county as a range of hills from north-east to south-west, incorporating Cranborne Chase and the Dorset Downs , and a narrow band running from south-west to south-east, incorporating the Purbeck Hills . [71] [72] Between the chalk hills are large, wide vales and wide flood plains .

[69] These vales are dotted with small villages, farms and coppices , and include the Blackmore Vale ( Stour valley ) and Frome valley . [72] [73] The Blackmore Vale is composed of older Jurassic deposits, largely clays interspersed with limestones, [69] and has traditionally been a centre for dairy agriculture. [74] South-east Dorset, including the lower Frome valley and around Poole and Bournemouth, comprises younger Eocene deposits, [69] mainly sands and clays of poor agricultural quality. [75] The soils created from these deposits support a heathland habitat which sustains all six native British reptile species. [76] Most of the Dorset heathland has Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) status with three areas designated as internationally important Ramsar sites . [77] In the far west of the county and along the coast there are frequent changes in rock strata, which appear in a less obviously sequential way compared to the landscapes of the chalk and the heath. [78] In the west this results in a hilly landscape of diverse character that resembles that of neighbouring county Devon .

[79] Marshwood Vale , a valley of Lower Lias clay at the western tip of the county, [80] lies to the south of the two highest points in Dorset: Lewesdon Hill at 279 metres (915 ft) and Pilsdon Pen at 277 metres (909 ft). [81] A former river valley flooded by rising sea levels 6,000 years ago, Poole Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world. [82] [83] The harbour is very shallow in places and contains a number of islands, notably Brownsea Island , the birthplace of the Scouting movement and one of the few remaining sanctuaries for indigenous red squirrels in England. [84] The harbour, and the chalk and limestone hills of the Isle of Purbeck to the south, lie atop Western Europe's largest onshore oil field . [85] The field, operated by Perenco from Wytch Farm , has the world's oldest continuously pumping well at Kimmeridge which has been producing oil since the early 1960s.

[85] [86] Dorset's diverse geography ensures it has an assortment of rivers, although a moderate annual rainfall coupled with rolling hills, means most are typically lowland in nature. [87] Much of the county drains into three rivers, the Frome , Piddle and Stour which all flow to the sea in a south-easterly direction. [88] The Frome and Piddle are chalk streams but the Stour, which rises in Wiltshire to the north, has its origins in clay soil. [89] The River Avon , which flows mainly through Wiltshire and Hampshire, enters Dorset towards the end of its journey at Christchurch Harbour . [90] The rivers Axe and Yeo , which principally drain the counties of Devon and Somerset respectively, have their sources in the north-west of the county. In the south-west, a number of small rivers run into the sea along the Dorset coastline; most notable of these are the Char , Brit , Bride and Wey .

[91] Most of Dorset's coastline is part of the Jurassic Coast , a World Heritage Site , which stretches for 155 kilometres (96 mi) [92] between Studland and Exmouth in Devon. This coast documents the entire Mesozoic era, from Triassic to Cretaceous and is noted for its geological landforms . [93] The Dorset section has yielded important fossils, including Jurassic trees and the first complete Ichthyosaur , discovered near Lyme Regis in 1811 by Mary Anning . [93] The county features some notable coastal landforms, including examples of a cove ( Lulworth Cove ), a natural arch ( Durdle Door ) and chalk stacks ( Old Harry Rocks ). [94] [95] Jutting out into the English Channel at roughly the midpoint of the Dorset coastline is the Isle of Portland , a limestone island that is connected to the mainland by Chesil Beach , a 27-kilometre (17 mi) long shingle barrier beach protecting Britain's largest tidal lagoon .

[96] [97] The county has one of the highest proportions of conservation areas in England—including two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty which together cover 53% of the county. [98] [99] It has two Heritage Coasts totalling 92 kilometres (57 mi) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest covering 199 km2 (77 sq mi). [100] [101] The South West Coast Path , a National Trail , runs along the Dorset coast from the Devon boundary to South Haven Point near Poole. [102] Climate Edit Dorset's climate of warm summers and mild winters is partly due to its position on Britain's south coast. The third most southerly county in the UK, Dorset is less affected by the more intense Atlantic winds than Cornwall and Devon. Dorset, along with the entire south-west, has higher winter temperatures, average 4.5 to 8.7 °C (40 to 48 °F), than the rest of the United Kingdom.

[103] However, Dorset maintains higher summer temperatures than Devon and Cornwall, with average highs of 19.1 to 22.2 °C (66 to 72 °F). [104] Excluding hills such as the Dorset Downs, the average annual temperature of the county is 9.8 to 12 °C (50 to 54 °F). [105] The south coast counties of Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex , East Sussex and Kent enjoy more sunshine than anywhere else in the United Kingdom, receiving 1,541–1,885 hours a year. [106] Average annual rainfall varies across the county—southern and eastern coastal areas receive as little as 741 millimetres (29.2 in) per year; the Dorset Downs receive between 1,061 and 1,290 millimetres (41.7 to 50.8 in) per year; less than Devon and Cornwall to the west but more than counties to the east.

[107] ^ Excluding Bournemouth and Poole The 2001 Census records Dorset's population as 692,712. This consisted of 390,980 for the non-metropolitan county (not including Bournemouth and Poole), 163,444 for the unitary authority of Bournemouth and 138,288 for the unitary authority of Poole. [108] [110] [112] In 2009 it was estimated that the population had risen by around 2.5% to 710,100: 404,000 in the non-metropolitan county and 164,900 and 141,200 in Bournemouth and Poole respectively. [114] The South East Dorset conurbation which comprises Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch contains 62% of the population; the next largest urban area is Weymouth. [50] The remainder of the county is largely rural with a relatively sparse population.

[50] Dorset's population has a high proportion of older people and a lower than average proportion of young people: 26.7% are of retirement age, significantly higher than the England and Wales average of 19.5%, and 16.8% are less than 15 years old, lower than the England and Wales average of 18.7%. [115] The working age population (females between 16 and 59 and males between 16 and 64) is lower than average at 56.5%. [115] Average life expectancy in the county is 83.4 years for females and 79.3 years for males. This compares favourably with the averages for Great Britain of 81.6 and 77.3 years respectively. [116] Around 97.93% of Dorset's population are of white ethnicity, 74.38% of the population are Christian and 15.94% say they are not religious.

[117] [118] [119] The county has low birth rates at 9.1 births per 1,000 in 2010 compared to the England and Wales average of 13.1 per 1,000. [120] It has a higher than average mortality rate at 11.6 deaths per 1,000 population (8.9 for England and Wales). [120] In 2010 deaths exceeded births in the non-metropolitan county by 1,028; however between 1991 and 2010, more people moved into the county than out, and this contributed to an overall growth of the population by 12.2% (9.1% for England and Wales). [120] This rate of growth is set to continue; a 12.7% population growth is predicted between 2008 and 2033. [120] The unitary authorities of Bournemouth and Poole followed a similar pattern and only a net gain of migrants prevented a decline in the population.

[121] [122] However, in Bournemouth in 2007, births began to exceed deaths and in 2010 there were 224 more births than deaths. [121] Between 1998 and 2004 Poole borough experienced a decline in its population when there was a fall in the level of net migration. [122] The trend has since been reversed and a continued increase in Poole's population has been predicted. [123] [Note 1] Historical population of Dorset See also: List of Parliamentary constituencies in Dorset Local government in Dorset consists of a county council ( Dorset County Council ) and two unitary authorities ( Bournemouth Borough Council and the Borough of Poole ). Dorset County Council was created by the Local Government Act 1888 to govern the newly created administrative county of Dorset which was based largely on the historic county borders. Dorset became a two-tier non-metropolitan county after a reorganisation of local government in 1974 and its border was extended eastwards to incorporate the former Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch.

[Note 2] [127] Following a review by the Local Government Commission for England , Bournemouth and Poole each became administratively independent single-tier unitary authorities in 1997, although they remain part of the county geographically and for ceremonial purposes. The county council is based in Dorchester and comprises six second-tier districts : West Dorset , East Dorset , North Dorset , Purbeck , Christchurch, and Weymouth and Portland . The council is controlled by the Conservative Party : at the 2009 local elections 28 Conservative, 16 Liberal Democrat and one independent county councillors were elected. [128] Bournemouth is also Conservative-controlled: the council comprises 46 Conservative, three Liberal Democrat, three Labour and two independent councillors. [129] The Conservatives lost overall control of Poole at local elections in 2011 but subsequently formed a minority administration —the council comprises 21 Conservative councillors, 18 Liberal Democrat and three Poole People (a political party of Poole residents). [130] For representation in Parliament Dorset is divided into eight Parliamentary constituencies—five county constituencies and three borough constituencies .

At the 2010 general election , the Conservative Party was dominant, strengthening their lead in six seats, and regaining one other from Labour. [131] The borough constituencies of Bournemouth East , Bournemouth West and Poole are traditionally Conservative safe seats and are all represented by Conservative Members of Parliament. [132] The county constituencies of North Dorset and Christchurch are also represented by Conservative MPs. West Dorset is represented by Conservative MP Oliver Letwin who is the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office . [133] The marginal seat of South Dorset is represented by Richard Drax , who gained the seat from Dorset's only Labour representative, Jim Knight , in 2010. [131] [134] Mid Dorset and North Poole is held by Liberal Democrat MP Annette Brooke who retained her seat in 2010 with a slim majority of 269 (0.6% of the vote) over the Conservative candidate.

[135] For the European Parliament the county lies within the South West England constituency which elected three Conservative, two UK Independence Party and one Liberal Democrat Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) at the 2009 European Parliament election . [136] Economy and industry ^ Excluding Poole and Bournemouth In 2003 the gross value added (GVA) for the non-metropolitan county was £4,673 million, with an additional £4,705 million for Poole and Bournemouth. [140] Primary industry produced 2.03% of GVA, secondary industry produced 22.44% and 75.53% came from tertiary industry . [140] The average GVA for the 16 regions of South West England was £4,693 million. [140] The principal industry in Dorset was once agriculture. It has not, however, been the largest employer since the mid 19th century as mechanisation substantially reduced the number of workers required. [141] [142] Agriculture has become less profitable and the industry has declined further.

Within the administrative county between 1995 and 2003, GVA for primary industry (largely agriculture, fishing and quarrying) declined from £229 million to £188 million—7.1% to 4.0%. [140] In 2007, 2,039 km2 (787 sq mi) of the county was in agricultural use, up from 1,986 km2 (767 sq mi) in 1989, although this was due to an increase in permanent grass, and land set aside . [143] By contrast, in the same period, arable land decreased from 9,925 km2 (3,832 sq mi) to 9,157 km2 (3,536 sq mi). [143] Excluding fowl, sheep are the most common animal stock in the county; between 1989 and 2006 their numbers fell from 252,189 to 193,500.

Cattle and pig farming has declined similarly; during the same period the number of cattle fell from 240,413 to 170,700, and pigs from 169,636 to 72,700. [144] In 2009 there were 2,340 armed forces personnel stationed in Dorset including the Royal Armoured Corps at Bovington , Royal Signals at Blandford and the Royal Marines at Poole . [145] The military presence has had a mixed effect on the local economy, bringing additional employment for civilians, but on occasion having a negative impact on the tourist trade, particularly when popular areas are closed for military manoeuvres. [146] [147] Plans to relocate the Royal School of Signals from Blandford to South Wales could result in a loss of up to £74 million GVA for the area. [148] Other major employers in the county include: BAE Systems , Sunseeker International , J.P. Morgan , Cobham plc and Bournemouth University .

[149] Dorset's three ports, Poole , Weymouth and Portland , and the smaller harbours of Christchurch, Swanage, Lyme Regis, Wareham and West Bay generate a substantial amount of international trade and tourism. [150] Around 230 fishing vessels that predominantly catch crab and lobster are based in Dorset's ports. [151] When the waters around Weymouth and Portland were chosen for the sailing events in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games , the area underwent an increased investment in infrastructure and a growth in the marine leisure sector. It is expected that this will continue to have a positive effect on local businesses and tourism. [152] The beach near Bournemouth Pier . Dorset's coastline is a major attraction for tourists. Tourism has grown in Dorset since the late 18th century and is now the predominant industry. [153] It is estimated that 37,500 people work in Dorset's tourism sector.

[154] Some 3.2 million British and 326,000 foreign tourists visited the county in 2008, staying a total of 15.1 million nights. [155] In addition there were 14.6 million day visitors. [155] The combined spending of both groups was £1,458 million. [155] Towns received 56% of Dorset's day trippers, 27% went to the coast and 17% to the countryside. [156] A survey carried out in 1997 concluded that the primary reason tourists were drawn to Dorset was the attractiveness of the county's coast and countryside. [157] Numbers of domestic and foreign tourists have fluctuated in recent years due to various factors including security and economic downturn, a trend reflected throughout the UK. [158] Manufacturing industry in Dorset provided 10.3% of employment in 2008. This was slightly above the average for Great Britain but below that of the South West region which was at 10.7% for that period.

[159] [160] [161] The sector is the county's fourth largest employer, but a predicted decline suggests there will be 10,200 fewer jobs in manufacturing by 2026. [162] Culture Traction engines on display at the Great Dorset Steam Fair Dorset hosts a number of annual festivals, fairs and events including the Great Dorset Steam Fair near Blandford, one of the largest events of its kind in Europe, [181] and the Bournemouth Air Festival , a free air show that attracted 1.3 million visitors in 2009. [182] The Spirit of the Seas is a maritime festival held in Weymouth and Portland. Launched in 2008, the festival features sporting activities, cultural events and local entertainers. [183] The Dorset County Show, which was first held in 1841, is a celebration of Dorset's agriculture. [184] The two-day event exhibits local produce and livestock and attracts some 55,000 people.

[184] In addition to the smaller folk festivals held in towns such as Christchurch and Wimborne , [185] [186] Dorset holds several larger musical events such as Camp Bestival , Endorse It In Dorset, End of the Road and the Larmer Tree Festival . [187] [188] [189] [190] Dorset's only Football League club is A.F.C. Bournemouth , which plays in League One —the third highest division in the English football league system . Non-League semi-professional teams in the county include Conference South team Dorchester Town F.C. and Southern Premier Division team Weymouth F.C. . Dorset County Cricket Club competes in the Minor Counties Cricket Championship and is based at Dean Park Cricket Ground in Bournemouth. Poole Stadium hosts regular greyhound racing and is the home to top-flight speedway team Poole Pirates . The county's coastline, on the English Channel , is noted for its watersports which take advantage of the sheltered waters in the bays of Weymouth and Poole , and the harbours of Poole and Portland.

[191] [192] Dorset hosted the sailing events at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy in Portland Harbour. The venue was completed in May 2009 and was used by international sailing teams in preparation for the Games. [193] [194] [195] Thomas Hardy Dorset is famed in literature for being the native county of author and poet Thomas Hardy , and many of the places he describes in his novels in the fictional Wessex are in Dorset, which he renamed South Wessex. [196] [197] The National Trust owns Thomas Hardy's Cottage , in Higher Bockhampton, east of Dorchester; and Max Gate , his former house in Dorchester.

[198] Several other writers have called Dorset home, including Douglas Adams who wrote much of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy while he lived in Stalbridge ; [199] John le Carré , author of espionage novels was born in Poole; [200] Tom Sharpe of Wilt fame lived in Bridport; [201] John Fowles ( The French Lieutenant's Woman ) lived in Lyme Regis before he died in late 2005; [202] T.F. Powys lived in Chaldon Herring for over 20 years and used it as inspiration for the fictitious village of Folly Down in his novel Mr. Weston's Good Wine; [203] John Cowper Powys , his elder brother, also set a number of his works in Dorset such as the novels Maiden Castle and Weymouth Sands. [204] [205] The 19th century poet William Barnes was born in Bagber and wrote many poems in his native Dorset dialect .

[197] Originating from the ancient Norse and Saxon languages, the dialect was prevalent across the Blackmore Vale but has fallen into disuse. [206] [207] Dorset's flag , which is known as the Dorset Cross or St Wite's Cross, was adopted in 2008 following a public competition organised by Dorset County Council. [208] [209] The winning design, which features a white cross with a red border on a golden background, attracted 54% of the vote. [210] All three colours are used in Dorset County Council's coat of arms and the red and white was used in recognition of the English flag . [211] The golden colour represents Dorset's sandy beaches and the Dorset landmarks of Golden Cap and Gold Hill . It is also a reference to the Wessex Dragon , a symbol of the Saxon Kingdom which Dorset once belonged to, and the gold wreath featured on the badge of the Dorset Regiment . [211] Transport Main article: Transport in Dorset Dorset is connected to London by two main line railways.

The West of England Main Line runs through the north of the county at Gillingham and Sherborne. [212] Running west from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids in Devon, it provides a service for those who live in the western districts of Dorset. [212] The South Western Main Line runs through the south at Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester and the terminus at Weymouth. [213] Additionally, the Heart of Wessex Line runs north from Weymouth to Bristol and the Swanage Railway , a heritage steam and diesel railway , runs the 10 kilometres (6 mi) between Norden and Swanage. [214] Dorset is one of the few counties in England not to have a motorway. [215] The A303 , A35 and A31 trunk roads run through the county. [216] The A303, which connects the West Country to London via the M3 , clips the north-west of the county.

[217] The A35 crosses the county in a west-east direction from Honiton in Devon, via Bridport, Dorchester, Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch, to Southampton in Hampshire. The A31 connects to the A35 at Bere Regis , and passes east through Wimborne and Ferndown to Hampshire, where it later becomes the M27 . Other main roads in the county include the A338 , A354 , A37 and A350 . The A338 heads north from Bournemouth to Ringwood (Hampshire) and on to Salisbury (Wiltshire) and beyond. The A354 also connects to Salisbury after travelling north-east from Weymouth in the south of the county. The A37 travels north-west from Dorchester to Yeovil in Somerset. The A350 also leads north, from Poole through Blandford and Shaftesbury , to Warminster in Wiltshire. [217] Two passenger sea ports and an international airport are situated in the county.

Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries , operate out of Poole Harbour; Brittany Ferries provide access to Cherbourg in France and Condor Ferries sail a seasonal service to the Channel Islands and St Malo , France. [218] Condor Ferries also operate services from Weymouth harbour to Guernsey, Jersey and St. Malo throughout the year. [219] Poole, since the dredging of the main channel in 2008, and Portland harbours are capable of taking cruise liners. [220] Bournemouth Airport , which is situated on the edge of Hurn village 6 kilometres (4 mi) north of Bournemouth, has flights to 36 destinations and serves some 600,000 passengers a year. [221] [222] In August 2007 work began on a £32 million expansion programme which includes enlargement of the terminal building and an increase in parking. [223] Dorset is served by 14 commercial bus operators. [224] The Wilts & Dorset bus company has a county wide network with frequent services linking major towns and a limited service in rural locations.

[225] The First Group operate buses in the Weymouth and Bridport area, including: a regular route along the A35 from Weymouth to Axminster, which helps to compensate for the missing rail link west of Dorchester; and the Jurassic Coast service, one of the longest bus routes in the UK, which provides through travel from Poole to Exeter, exploiting a popular tourist route. [226] [227] Yellow Buses are the main providers of routes within the South East Dorset Conurbation. [228] Damory Coaches is one of a number of operators that provide access to more rural communities. [229] Religious sites Sherborne Abbey Unlike all of its neighbouring counties, Dorset does not have a cathedral. [230] Over 95% of the county falls within the Church of England Diocese of Salisbury . [231] A small section to the west comes under the Diocese of Bath and Wells and to the east Christchurch and much of Bournemouth—both historically part of Hampshire—belong to the Diocese of Winchester .

[232] [233] The Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth incorporates most of Dorset with the exception of Christchurch and a portion of Bournemouth which belongs to the Diocese of Portsmouth . [234] [235] Few purpose-built places of worship exist in Dorset for faiths other than Christianity. In 2008 a Hindu temple was constructed in Blandford Forum for the Gurkhas based at the town's military camp, and Bournemouth, which contains a higher proportion of Jewish residents than the national average, has two synagogues. [111] [236] Christianity was introduced to Dorset by the Romans. [237] A 4th century Roman mosaic discovered near Hinton St Mary contains what is generally accepted to be an image of Christ. [238] [239] Christianity became firmly established in the county during the Saxon period although there are few surviving Saxon churches; the most complete is St. Martin's in Wareham which has features from the early 11th century.

[240] [241] Mediaeval churches are more prevalent in Dorset; most are 15th century and are of a Perpendicular style. [242] Sherborne Abbey , one of the county's largest, is noted for its broad fan vaulting added during an extensive 15th century rebuild. [243] Founded in AD 705 by Aldhelm , the Abbey contained the chair of the Bishop of Sherborne and was granted cathedral status until 1075 when the diocese was transferred to Old Sarum . [244] Wimborne Minster features a chained library and a 14th century astronomical clock ; [245] Christchurch Priory is renowned for its miraculous beam which, according to legend, was installed by Christ; [246] and the 15th century roof spanning the nave at St John the Baptist Church in Bere Regis is described by architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner as the "finest timber roof of Dorset".

[247] St Candida and Holy Cross at Whitchurch Canonicorum is the only church in the country, besides Westminster Abbey , to have a shrine that contains the relics of a saint. [248] Monastic foundations were once abundant in Dorset, but all ceased to exist at the Dissolution . [249] The Reformation and the political and religious turmoil that ensued largely checked the building of new churches until the turn of the 18th century. [250] [251] Notable examples of Early Georgian churches include the Bastard brothers ' Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Blandford Forum, and St George's Church on the Isle of Portland, which has a steeple and tower inspired by the works of Christopher Wren . [252] From the late 18th century onwards, churches in Dorset tended towards a Gothic Revival style. [253] A notable exception to this trend, however, is the Church of St Mary in East Lulworth —the first freestanding Roman Catholic church built in England after the Reformation .

[254] George III gave permission to erect the building on the condition that it resembled a garden mausoleum rather than a church. It was completed in 1789. [250] [254] Bournemouth, founded in 1810, has a wealth of 19th century churches including St Peter's and St Stephen's . St Dunstan's Church (formerly St Osmund's) in Poole is one of a small number of 20th century churches in Dorset. The final major work of Edward Schroeder Prior , it is one of the last examples of the Neo Byzantine style . [255] The Church of St Nicholas and St Magnus in Moreton is noted for its elaborate engraved glass windows designed by Laurence Whistler . Severely damaged by a stray German bomb in 1940, the church subsequently underwent extensive renovation and Whistler had replaced every window by 1984.

[256] Education See also: List of schools in Dorset , List of schools in Bournemouth , and List of schools in Poole Responsibility for state schools in Dorset is divided between three local education authorities : Dorset County Council, which covers the majority of the county, and Bournemouth and Poole unitary authorities. Most of the Dorset County Council area operates a two-tier comprehensive system whereby pupils attend a primary school before completing their education at secondary school . Only Dorchester, Ferndown, Wimborne and Purbeck maintain a three-tier system ( first , middle and high school ), [257] although Purbeck is expected to switch to a two-tier system by 2013 because of an excess of unfilled places. [258] Bournemouth operates a two-tier system; Poole operates a three-tier system but will switch to two tiers from September 2013. [259] Poole and Bournemouth are two of a minority of local authorities in England to maintain selective education, each containing two single-sex grammar schools which select pupils on the basis of an eleven plus examination.

Some of the county's schools are academies —self-governing state schools which have become independent of their local education authority and are maintained directly by the Department for Education . [260] In 2010, 59.4% of pupils attending schools in the county council area gained at least five GCSEs at A*–C grades including English and maths, above the national average of 53.4%. [261] Bournemouth and Poole also recorded above average results at 56.5% and 55.3% respectively. [262] [263] However, most non-selective schools in the two unitary authorities fell below the national average. [264] Dorset contains a range of privately funded independent schools . Many are boarding schools which also take day pupils , such as the co-educational Canford School which is based around a 19th century Grade I listed manor house ; St Mary's , a Catholic girls' school in Shaftesbury; and Sherborne School , a boys school founded in the 16th century.

[265] Four of the county's five largest towns contain a further education college: Weymouth College , Kingston Maurward College in Dorchester and Bournemouth and Poole College which is one of the largest in the UK. [266] Dorset has two higher education establishments situated in the heart of the county's south east conurbation. Bournemouth University has facilities across Bournemouth and Poole and over 17,000 students. [267] Previously named Bournemouth Polytechnic, it was granted university status as a result of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 . [267] The Arts University Bournemouth is situated between the border of Poole and Bournemouth. It became a higher education institute in 2001 and was given degree-awarding powers in 2008. [268] It was granted full university status in 2012. [269] See also Edit ^ 2010 figures are mid year estimates produced by the ONS.

Taking the 2001 census as a starting point, each year, the previous year's population is aged by one year, births and deaths are added and removed respectively whilst those leaving the county are subtracted and those moving in are added, each according to age and gender. ^ Alterations to Dorset's boundary prior to 1974 have been comparatively minor. In 1844 Stockland was transferred to Devon in exchange for Thorncombe and Holwell was gained from Somerset. In 1896 the Somerset villages of Adber , Goathill , Poyntington , Sandford Orcas , Seaborough and Trent were added in exchange for Wambrook while Chardstock , Hawkchurch and Tytherleigh were ceded to Devon. [125] [126] Notes Villages in Dorset - VisitDorset.com You are here: Explore > Villages Villages in Dorset Any date in the future Type: Name: Dorset is home to some of the prettiest villages in England.

If you’re looking to wander down winding country lanes lined with sweet scented wild flowers, tinkling streams, thatched cobb cottages before chancing upon a quaint little village pub or tea room, you’ve come to the right place! Picturesque Dorset Villages One of the most popular villages in Dorset is Abbotsbury , a picture postcard village set in the Dorset AONB countryside. Whilst here, visit the famous Swannery , or climb to St Catherine’s Chapel for tremendous views along Chesil Beach and the Jurassic Coast. You’re in for a treat if you visit West Lulworth as the small hamlet is dotted with little trinket shops and ice cream parlours as it meanders down to the stunning Lulworth Cove . Milton Abbas is also well worth a visit, with its uniformed line of thatched white cottages. Visit in July for the 18th Century Street Fair and be whisked back in time. And set in the heart of Cranborne Chase , once a mediaeval hunting estate, are the intimate, rural villages of the Tarrants, Chrichels and the Gussages.

Quirky village names Dorset villages have their fair share of strange place names and many of these are often cause for much tittering. Whilst in Dorset you may find yourself in the Piddle Valley and stumble across the villages of Piddlehinton and Piddletrenthide. Whilst strolling in the beautiful Purbecks, you may see a signpost to Happy Bottom. And, what other English county has such evocative village names as Whitchurch Canonicorum, Rhyme Intrensica or Gussage All Saints? There is one village name in Dorset which is far too rude to mention here but bound to cause a few laughs, why not come and visit and see if you can find it (we'll give you a clue, it's near Bere Regis). Villages full of folklore and history Each Dorset village has its own character, history, individual charm and tale to tell. Visit Cerne Abbas and see the famous club wielding chalk giant, imagine historic battles as you stand in Corfe Castle with its romantic castle ruins, stand under the Martyrs Tree at Tolpuddle , birthplace of the Trade Union and hear the whispers in the walls at Tyneham – Dorset’s ghost village.

Make a wish at the Upwey Wishing Well, hunt for fossils at Charmouth , visit Thomas Hardy’s Cottage in the forest at Higher Bockhampton or ascend to Ashmore, the highest village in Dorset. Experience the rural ideal and explore Dorset’s villages As you can see there are many quirky little villages in Dorset, each with their own history, claim to fame and individual mysteries just waiting to be discovered and unless you spend a night or two, there’s no way you will be able to see them all!

Fortunately, there's lots of great accommodation close to each of these villages so why not take advantage, simply click the links below to get started: A picture book English cob and thatch village on the Milton Abbey estate Search Accommodation Genealogy and Dorset, England Genealogy and Dorset, England Introduction This page is devoted to the county of Dorset, England (prior to the boundary changes of 1974), and covers the origin of its name, an outline of its history and geography, links to other web sites concerned with the county, genealogical resources relating to the county and the same types of information in more detail for those cities, towns and villages in the county in which I have a family history interest. In doing this, it is not my intention to duplicate unnecessarily, nor to compete with, web pages which already do some of those things, but to complement such pages and provide links to them, with appropriate description of what they have to offer. My maternal grandmother, and all her ancestors that I have traced, were born in various villages and small towns in Dorset, but they seem to have moved frequently, so tracing them has been difficult.

This is the number two area of interest, after Wiltshire, so far as my ancestry is concerned. Limitations on the time I have available mean that a lot of the work here remains to be done. For example, I have not yet joined either of the two(?!?) family history societies that cover it. Geography The 1923 Whitaker's Almanack records that Dorset then had a total area of 625,612 acres, which was almost exactly equal to the average for English counties at that time, whereas its population at 228,258 was well under one third of the average. The average population density in England at that time was 734 per square mile, compared with only 233 in Dorset. These bare statistics reveal immediately that Dorset was, as it still is, a largely agricultural county, devoid of large cities and major industries. For such a small county it includes an almost incredible variety of landscape, a direct result of its complex geology. In the north east are the acid heathlands of Cranborne Chase, with a smaller area of heath also on the Studland peninsula in the south east between Swanage and Poole Harbour.

Beyond are rolling chalk downs and fertile river valleys, and along the extensive coast remarkable features such as Poole Harbour (one of the largest natural harbours in the world), the near-island of Portland Bill with its great white cliffs and Chesil Bank, about 16 miles of heaped up pebbles making a single smooth curve on the map, a major hazard to shipping in the days of sail, and a great mystery in its form and maintenance. Chesil Bank is a heap of shingle 42 feet high and 200 yards wide at its eastern end where it meets Portland Bill and where the pebbles are all about 3 inches across, but it slowly diminishes in all respects towards the west, and is fine gravel, almost sand, at Bridport. It is claimed that locals can tell in fog how far they are along the beach by examining the size of the pebbles. The bank is separated from the mainland along most of its length by the brackish water called the Fleet, which opens to the sea only at Weymouth Harbour, its eastern end. The effect of the bank on shipping is well described in the book Moonfleet by Meade Falkner.

In addition to these major coastal features, there are numerous sandy beaches, many of them offering safe bathing at resorts such as Studland Bay, Swanage, Lulworth, Weymouth, West Bay, etc. Further west around Charmouth and Lyme Regis the unstable cliffs and beach are a treasure store for fossil hunters. Dorset has three relatively large rivers. The biggest is the Stour, flowing south from its Somerset source, then turning south east at Sturminster Newton and continuing its meandering course in that same general direction through Blandford Forum and Wimborne Minster to meet the sea and the River Avon simultaneously at Christchurch, in what was (until the reorganisation of 1974) Hampshire. The River Frome has its source in the hills of west Dorset, near the Somerset border, flows first south east, then generally eastwards to Wareham and the western end of Poole Harbour.

The River Piddle meets the sea very close to the same point, having originated almost in the centre of the county and travelled south east through Piddletrenthide, Puddletown and numerous other villages incorporating the name Piddle or its bowdlerised version Puddle in their names; Wareham is almost an island, being set between the two rivers Frome and Piddle just before they meet the sea. In addition to the larger rivers, there are many smaller one's. Some, like the Brit and Marston Vale in the west of the county flow, in these two cases north to south, directly into the sea, while others, like the Winterborne and the Tarrant, are tributaries of one or other of the larger rivers. These last two, like the Piddle, have a string of villages along their courses with the name of the river incorporated into their names. Pre-1974 Dorset's largest town, and only significant industrial centre, is Poole, an old port and minor ship-building centre, benefitting from its marvellous natural harbour.

Weymouth comes next, though well under half as big, again enjoying the benefit of a natural harbour formed by having its beach protected from the open sea by the mass of Portland Bill. Less than one third the size of Weymouth is the county town of Dorchester, with a population of only 14,000 as recently as 1985. A review of Dorset's geography cannot be completed without mentioning the incongruous modern addition to this agricultural county. At Wytch Farm it is host to Britain's largest mainland oilfield. History and Pre-History While Dorset may lack the major neolithic and early bronze age structures such as Stonehenge and Avebury in its neighbour Wiltshire , it does have long barrows, which reveal that it was certainly occupied in neolithic times by people sufficiently prosperous to build such structures. Bronze age round barrows are also found in numbers, showing some continuity of occupation, while in the iron age/Celtic/Roman period it was clearly an area of major importance. Maiden Castle in particular appears to have been the most important fortification in England at that time, judging by its size and complexity.

Maiden Castle is just the largest of many iron age hill forts found in Dorset, used by the Celtic tribes in their wars with each other and later in their defence against the Romans, and later still against the invading Saxons. The Romans themselves almost certainly used Badbury Rings, one of the larger such forts, since two of their roads meet right by it. Dorchester was a major Roman town. Throughout the middle ages Dorset ports were thriving centres, Poole, Weymouth, Melcombe Regis, Bridport and Lyme Regis all being important. The Civil War, however, hit Dorset hard, and destroyed the prosperity of these places, especially Melcombe Regis, now a mere suburb of Weymouth. Dorset was roughly evenly split between the two sides in this war, and was the location of many battles. The civilian population suffered so much from the ill-disciplined soldiers of both sides that they founded their own army, the Clubmen, to defend themselves against both. The Clubmen resorted to using Badbury Rings once more as a place to defend in one of their final losing battles against Cromwell's army.

Since the Civil War Dorset's part in warfare has been mainly in providing manpower for the armed forces and bases for all three main forces. The RAF had an airfield at Tarrant Rushton, now returned to agricultural use. The army uses a large area of south Dorset, in the region around Lulworth, as a training ground, while the navy has for long had a major base at Portland Harbour, which has no doubt contributed to the prosperity of neighbouring Weymouth. Dorset was, however, one of the main centres of activity of the Swing rioters of the 19th century, as well as home to the Tolpuddle Martyrs, two instances of the struggle by agricultural labourers to survive in conditions of economic difficulty. Dorset is quite well provided with books about its history and topography, and Dorset County Library has a useful catalogue. Some of the more useful books are listed below: Robert Douch: A Handbook of Local History: Dorset (1952, revised 1960). C.H. Mayo: Bibliotheca Dorsetiensis (1885). Don't be put off by the pretentious title!

Thomas Gerard: General Description of the County of Dorset. This was written in the 1620s, published in 1732 but wrongly attributed to Rev. John Coker. A facsimile was published, with correct attribution in 1980. This was the earliest book on the history and topography of the county, but is mainly concerned with prominent families. John Hutchins: History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset was published in 1774 (in 2 volumes). A larger 4 volume edition was published 1796-1815 by R. Gough and J.B. Nichols, and a third and fullest edition edited by W. Shipp and J.W. Hodson was published in 4 volumes 1861-1870 and reprinted in 1973. This is generally regarded as the standard text on Dorset history. J. Britton and W. Brayley: Topographical and Historical Description of Dorset, published 1804 as part of their The Beauties of Britain series is probably the best topographical and descriptive text.

There are many more specialised books on ancient history and archaeology in the county. Some good non-book resources are: Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries, a series published continuously since 1888. Several of this series (as well as various old trade directories and other old Dorset publications), are now available quite cheaply on CD from the excellent, non-profit-making, Archive CD Books . The Proceedings (published annually from 1877) and library of Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, located at the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester. Buildings in Dorset are well covered by the 8 volume survey published by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, which is claimed to cover all existing monuments and buildings dating from before 1850. Elections and voting - dorsetforyou.com Elections and voting See previous elections and referendum information and results for your area. Elections Remember this location ? If you select for your location to be remembered, we will set a cookie (opens in a new window) on your device. The sole purpose of this small file is to remember your location the next time you visit Dorsetforyou.com so you won't need to enter it every time you visit.

See our privacy and cookies information for more details. Remember your location on this computer so you don't have to localise on your next visit. Don't remember if you are on a public or shared computer. Help icon for more information on data storage and cookies. If you select for your location to be remembered, we will set a cookie (opens in a new window) on your device. The sole purpose of this small file is to remember your location the next time you visit Dorsetforyou.com so you won't need to enter it every time you visit. See our privacy and cookies information for more details. ? Travel Dorset – live traffic and travel information in Dorset - dorsetforyou.com Category: Roadworks 10/01/2017 10:50:04 From 16th to 20th January. Location: Ashley Heath, Dorset Category: Roadworks 09/01/2017 13:47:32 Limited right and left turn restrictions in place from late January 2017.

Between 19:00 and 7:00 from 15th January 2017 to 30th April 2017. Location: Dorchester, Dorset Category: Roadworks 20/12/2016 17:04:30 All approaches shut. Between 19:00 and 7:00 from 19:00 on the 15th to 7:00 on 20th January 2017. Location: Dorchester, Dorset

Question: In which English county would you find the towns of Blandford Forum, Sherborne and Bridport?
Answer: Dorset