West Dorset was a

local government district The districts of England (also known as local authority districts or local government districts to distinguish from unofficial city districts) are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. As the st ...

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...

, England. Its council was based in Dorchester. The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the

Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant Acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...

, and was a merger of the

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle Ag ...

s of

Bridport Bridport is a market town in Dorset, England, inland from the English Channel near the confluence of the River Brit and its tributary the Asker. Its origins are Saxon and it has a long history as a rope-making centre. On the coast and wit ...

, Dorchester and

Lyme Regis Lyme Regis is a town in west Dorset, England, west of Dorchester and east of Exeter. Sometimes dubbed the "Pearl of Dorset", it lies by the English Channel at the Dorset–Devon border. It has noted fossils in cliffs and beaches on the Herita ...

, along with

Sherborne Sherborne is a market town and civil parish in north west Dorset, in South West England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The parish includes the hamlets of Nether Coombe and Lower Clatcombe. ...

urban district Urban district may refer to: * District * Urban area * Quarter (urban subdivision) * Neighbourhood Specific subdivisions in some countries: * Urban districts of Denmark * Urban districts of Germany * Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland) (hist ...

, and the

rural district Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of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 Ad ...

s of

Beaminster Beaminster ( ) is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England, situated in the Dorset Council administrative area approximately northwest of the county town Dorchester. It is sited in a bowl-shaped valley near the source of the small River ...

, Dorchester and

. The district and its council were abolished on 1 April 2019 and, together with the other four districts outside the greater Bournemouth area, formed a new

unitary authority.

Demography

In the

Census 2001 2001 census may refer to a census covered by: * Census in Australia#2001 * 2001 Bangladesh census * 2001 Bolivian census * Canada 2001 Census * 2001 census of Croatia * 2001 Census of India * Lithuanian census of 2001 * 2001 Nepal census * 2001 New ...

West Dorset registered a population of 92,350, estimated to be 94,000 . The population structure reflected the rural nature of the district. 52% of the population are female. The area was a popular retirement area which also exported young people due to the lack of career options. This was reflected in the age structure, with 12.3% of the population over 75, compared to 7.5% in England; 51.7% were between 15 and 59, compared to 59.1% in England. 34.4% of dwellings were pensioner households, compared to 23.8% in England. The district was an example of the low

ethnic minority The term 'minority group' has different usages depending on the context. According to its common usage, a minority group can simply be understood in terms of demographic sizes within a population: i.e. a group in society with the least number o ...

populations in rural areas, with 96.7% white British ethnicity, compared to 87.0% in England. The district had a high level of car ownership, at 83.1% of households compared to 73.2% in England.

Constituency

West Dorset is a

county constituency In the United Kingdom (UK), each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one member to the House of Commons. Within the United Kingdom there are five bodies with members elected by electoral districts called "constituenc ...

, currently represented in the

British House of Commons The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 mem ...

by the

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

Chris Loder Christopher Lionel John Loder (born 5 September 1981) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the MP for West Dorset since the 2019 general election. He succeeded Sir Oliver Letwin, who was elected as a Conservative but sat as ...

. Elections in this constituency are usually a two-party contest between the Conservative and

Liberal Democrat Several political parties from around the world have been called the Liberal Democratic Party or Liberal Democrats. These parties usually follow a liberal democratic ideology. Active parties Former parties See also *Liberal democracy *Lib ...

parties. It is almost identical in area with what was the West Dorset district, but a very small part of West Dorset District lay within the

South Dorset South Dorset is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Richard Drax, a Conservative. The constituency was created as a consequence of the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, although the area cover ...

county constituency, currently represented in the

by the Conservative Party member

Richard Drax Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax (born 29 January 1958) is a British Conservative politician, journalist and landowner, serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dorset since 2010. Early life Drax was born on 29 January 195 ...

Settlements

The main settlements in West Dorset were Dorchester,

and

. Dorchester, in the south of the district, is the county town of Dorset and has been an important settlement since

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

times. Sherborne, in the north, is an important

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...

which was, for a time, the capital of

Wessex la, Regnum Occidentalium Saxonum , conventional_long_name = Kingdom of the West Saxons , common_name = Wessex , image_map = Southern British Isles 9th century.svg , map_caption = S ...

. Bridport, in the west, is popular with tourists visiting the

Jurassic Coast The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. It stretches from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset, a distance of about , and was inscribed on the World Heritage List in mid-Decembe ...

, as is the smaller coastal town of

at the county border with

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

. :''Settlements with a population over 2,500 are in bold.'' *

Abbotsbury Abbotsbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. The settlement is in the unitary authority of Dorset about inland from the English Channel coast. The village, including Chesil Beach, the swannery and subtropic ...

, Allington, Alton Pancras, Askerwell * Batcombe,

, Beer Hackett,

Bettiscombe Bettiscombe is a small village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, situated in the Marshwood Vale west of Beaminster. Dorset County Council's 2013 mid-year estimate of the population of the civil parish is 50. History The parish church, ...

Bincombe Bincombe is a small village, or hamlet, and civil parish in Dorset, England, north of Weymouth. The village is from Upwey railway station and from Bournemouth International Airport. The main road running through the village is Icen Lane. T ...

, Bishops Caundle, Bothenhampton,

Bradford Abbas Bradford Abbas is a village and civil parish in north west Dorset, England, southeast of Yeovil and southwest of Sherborne. The parish includes the small settlement of Saxon Maybank to the north. In the 2011 census the population of the parish ...

, Bradford Peverell,

Bradpole Bradpole is a village and civil parish in south west Dorset, England, in the Brit valley, outside Bridport. In the 2011 census the population of the parish was 2,339. In 1651 Charles II passed through Bradpole in his efforts to evade captur ...

, Broadoak, Broadwindsor,

Buckland Newton Buckland Newton is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Dorset, England. It is situated beneath the escarpment, scarp slope of the Dorset Downs, south of Sherborne. In the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census the civil pa ...

, Burstock,

Burton Bradstock Burton Bradstock is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England, approximately southeast of Bridport and inland from the English Channel at Chesil Beach. In the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 Census the parish had a population of 948. The v ...

* Castleton,

Cattistock Cattistock is a village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, sited in the upper reaches of the Frome Valley, northwest of the county town Dorchester. The Dorset poet William Barnes called it "elbow-streeted Cattstock", a comment on the l ...

Caundle Marsh Caundle Marsh is a village and civil parish in northwest Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale, southeast of Sherborne. The parish includes the hamlet of Tut Hill and the Dorset County Council estimate that in 2013 the population of th ...

Cerne Abbas Cerne Abbas () is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England. It lies in the Dorset Council administrative area in the Cerne Valley in the Dorset Downs. The village lies just east of the A352 road north of Dorchest ...

, Charminster,

Charmouth Charmouth is a village and civil parish in west Dorset, England. The village is situated on the mouth of the River Char, around north-east of Lyme Regis. Dorset County Council estimated that in 2013 the population of the civil parish was 1,31 ...

Chedington Chedington is a small village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, situated near the A356 road southeast of Crewkerne in Somerset. Dorset County Council estimate that in 2013 the population of the civil parish was 130. It is administered a ...

, Cheselbourne, Chetnole,

Chickerell Chickerell is a town and parish in Dorset, England. In the 2011 census the parish and the electoral ward had a population of 5,515. History Although Roman remains have been found, indicating that there has been settlement in the area for many ...

Chideock Chideock ( ) is a village and civil parish in south west Dorset, England, situated close to the English Channel between Bridport and Lyme Regis. Dorset County Council's 2013 estimate of the parish population is 550. Chideock's economy mostly c ...

, Chilfrome,

Clifton Maybank Clifton Maybank is a hamlet and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. It is located about a mile southwest of the village of Bradford Abbas. It is known for Clifton Maybank House, a country house with surviving Tudor fabric. Dorset Coun ...

Compton Valence Compton Valence is a small village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England. It lies approximately west of the county town Dorchester. It is sited at the head of a narrow valley, formed by a small tributary of the River Fro ...

Corscombe Corscombe is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset, in the Dorset Council administrative area. The parish includes the small settlements of Benville and Toller Whelme to the south and in the 2011 census had a population of ...

, Crossways *

Dewlish Dewlish is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the English county, county of Dorset in southern England, and is situated approximately north-east of the county town Dorchester, Dorset, Dorchester. The village is sited in the ...

, Dorchester *

Evershot Evershot is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southwest England, situated approximately south of Yeovil in Somerset. It is the second highest village in the county at above sea-level. Evershot parish encompasses part of th ...

Fleet Fleet may refer to: Vehicles *Fishing fleet *Naval fleet *Fleet vehicles, a pool of motor vehicles *Fleet Aircraft, the aircraft manufacturing company Places Canada * Fleet, Alberta, Canada, a hamlet England * The Fleet Lagoon, at Chesil Beach ...

Folke Folke is a parish in the county of Dorset in southern England, situated in the Blackmore Vale, approximately south-east of Sherborne. The parish has an area of and is made of the villages of Folke and Alweston, and the hamlet of Bishops Down. ...

, Frampton, Frome St Quintin,

Frome Vauchurch Frome Vauchurch is a parish in the county of Dorset in southern England, situated approximately northwest of the county town Dorchester. It includes the hamlets of Frome Vauchurch, Higher Frome Vauchurch, Lower Frome Vauchurch and Tollerford. F ...

Godmanstone Godmanstone (or Godmanston) is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England, situated approximately north of the county town Dorchester. Its name means ''Godman's Farm'' and it is sited by the River Cerne amongst chal ...

Halstock __NOTOC__ Halstock is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England, situated approximately south of Yeovil in Somerset. It lies on the route of the ancient Harrow Way. In the 2011 census the parish had a populatio ...

, Hermitage,

Hilfield Hilfield is a small, scattered village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, situated under the scarp face of the Dorset Downs south of Sherborne. Dorset County Council's 2013 estimate of the parish population is 50. Hilfield parish churc ...

, Holnest, Holwell,

Hooke Hooke may refer to: * Hooke, Dorset, England ** River Hooke, nearby watercourse * Robert Hooke (1635–1703), English natural philosopher who discovered Hooke's law * Hooke (surname), a surname * Hooke (lunar crater) * Hooke (Martian crater) * ...

Langton Herring Langton Herring is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in South West England. It lies about north-west of the coastal resort town of Weymouth. It is "prudently set on a ridge above the Fleet", the Fleet being a brackish lagoon be ...

Leigh Leigh may refer to: Places In England Pronounced : * Leigh, Greater Manchester, Borough of Wigan ** Leigh (UK Parliament constituency) * Leigh-on-Sea, Essex Pronounced : * Leigh, Dorset * Leigh, Gloucestershire * Leigh, Kent * Leigh, Staf ...

, Lillington,

Littlebredy Littlebredy (also written Little Bredy, pronounced ) is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset, situated approximately west of the county town Dorchester. It is sited at the head of the valley of the small River B ...

Litton Cheney Litton Cheney is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in south-west England. It lies west of the county town Dorchester. It is sited beneath chalk hills in the valley of the small River Bride. In the 2011 census the parish had a ...

Loders Loders is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. It lies north-east of the town of Bridport. It is a linear village, sited in the valley of the small River Asker, between Waddon Hill and Boarsbarrow Hill. In the 2011 ce ...

Long Bredy Long Bredy is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in south-west England, situated approximately west of the county town Dorchester. It is sited in the valley of the small River Bride, beneath chalk hills of the Dorset Downs. In t ...

Longburton Longburton or Long Burton is a village in Dorset, England, three miles (5 km) south of Sherborne. It is sited on a narrow outcrop of Cornbrash limestone, at the western end of Blackmore Vale. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 470 ...

Maiden Newton Maiden Newton is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in south-west England. It lies within the Dorset Council administrative area, about north-west of the county town, Dorchester. Geography The village is sited on Upper Greens ...

Marshwood Marshwood is a village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, situated on the northern edge of the Marshwood Vale approximately northeast of Lyme Regis. Dorset County Council estimate that the parish had a population of 310 in 2013. Figures p ...

, Melbury Bubb,

Melbury Osmond Melbury Osmond is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England. It lies approximately south of the Somerset town of Yeovil. The underlying geology is Cornbrash limestone, with adjacent Oxford clay. Within the clay can ...

, Melcombe Horsey,

Minterne Magna Minterne Magna is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England, situated midway between Dorchester and Sherborne. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 184. The village is sited near the source of the River Cerne among the chalk ...

Mosterton Mosterton is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England, situated approximately north of Beaminster. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 604. The village's name derives from Old English and means the thorn tree belonging to a ...

Netherbury Netherbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. It lies within the Dorset Council administrative area, by the small River Brit, south of Beaminster and north of Bridport. The A3066 road connecting those towns lies 0 ...

Nether Compton Nether Compton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset, situated approximately west of Sherborne and 3 miles east of Yeovil in Somerset. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 328. History Nether Compton was bu ...

Oborne Oborne is a village and civil parish in north west Dorset, England, situated just north of the A30 road approximately northeast of Sherborne, and is close to the border with Somerset. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 101. Obo ...

Osmington Osmington is a village and civil parish within Dorset, England, situated on the Jurassic Coast north-east of Weymouth. In the 2011 census the parish—which includes the small settlements of Upton, Ringstead and Osmington Mills—had a popu ...

Over Compton Over Compton is a village and civil parish in north west Dorset, England, situated in the Yeo valley east of Yeovil. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 183. Compton House, formerly the home of the Goodden family, lies outside th ...

Owermoigne Owermoigne ( ) is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England, situated south-east of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 467. The parish is within an electoral ward with the same name, whic ...

Piddlehinton Piddlehinton is a village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, situated in the Piddle valley north of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 403. Piddlehinton formerly constituted a liberty containing only the paris ...

, Piddletrenthide,

Portesham Portesham, sometimes also spelled Portisham, is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southwest England, situated in the Dorset Council administrative area approximately northwest of Weymouth, southwest of the county town Do ...

Poundbury Poundbury is an experimental planned community or urban development, urban extension on the western outskirts of Dorchester, Dorset, Dorchester in the Counties of England, county of Dorset, England. The development is led by the Duchy of Cornwal ...

Powerstock Powerstock is a village and civil parish in south west Dorset, England, situated in a steep valley on the edge of the Dorset Downs, north-east of the market town of Bridport. The civil parish includes the village of West Milton to the west and ...

Poyntington Poyntington is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in South West England. It lies on the edge of the Blackmore Vale about north of Sherborne. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 128. Poyntington shares a grouped pa ...

Puddletown Puddletown is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England. It is situated by the River Piddle, from which it derives its name, about northeast of the county town Dorchester. Its earlier name Piddletown fell out of favour, probably because ...

Puncknowle Puncknowle ( ) is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the English counties, county of Dorset in southwest England, situated on the southern slopes of the River Bride, Dorset, Bride Valley approximately east of Bridport and ...

Purse Caundle Purse Caundle is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southwest England. It lies within the Dorset Council administrative area, about east of Sherborne. In 2013 the estimated population of the parish was 90. Purse Caundle mano ...

, Pymore * Rampisham,

Ryme Intrinseca Ryme Intrinseca () is a village and civil parish in northwest Dorset, England, south of Yeovil and west of Yetminster. It is sited on a low ridge of cornbrash limestone on the edge of the Blackmore Vale. The Intrinseca part of the name derive ...

Sandford Orcas Sandford Orcas is a village and parish in northwest Dorset, England, north of Sherborne. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 180. Just to the east of the village itself is the hamlet of Holway. The village lies in hilly country on ...

Seaborough Seaborough is a small village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southwest England. It is sited in the valley of the River Axe and lies approximately south of Crewkerne in Somerset. The parish was previously part of the hundred of Crew ...

, Shipton Gorge,

South Perrott South Perrott is a village and civil parish in northwest Dorset, England, southeast of Crewkerne. In 2012 the estimated population of the parish was 220. Figures from the 2011 census have been published for South Perrott parish combined with th ...

, Stanton St Gabriel, Stinsford, Stoke Abbott, Stratton, Swyre, Sydling St Nicholas,

Symondsbury Symondsbury () is a village and civil parish in southwest 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 ...

Thorncombe Thorncombe is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. It was historically, until 1844, an exclave of Devon. It lies five miles (8 km) south east of the town of Chard in neighbouring Somerset. Thorncombe is situated ...

Thornford Thornford is a village and civil parish in north west Dorset, England, situated in the Yeo valley southwest of Sherborne. Dorset County Council's 2013 mid-year estimate of the population of the parish is 830. Thornford is in Thornhackett Parish ...

Tincleton Tincleton is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England. It is situated near the River Frome, approximately east of the county town Dorchester. The name of the village comes from the Old English "Tin la Ton", or "f ...

Toller Porcorum Toller Porcorum () is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England, situated in the Toller valley northwest of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the civil parish—which also includes the small settlements of Higher and Lower Kingcombe to the n ...

Tolpuddle Tolpuddle () is a village in Dorset, England, on the River Piddle from which it takes its name, east of Dorchester, the county town, and west of Poole. The estimated population in 2013 was 420. The village was home to the Tolpuddle Martyrs, ...

Trent Trent may refer to: Places Italy * Trento in northern Italy, site of the Council of Trent United Kingdom * Trent, Dorset, England, United Kingdom Germany * Trent, Germany, a municipality on the island of Rügen United States * Trent, California, ...

Warmwell Warmwell is a small village and civil parish in south west Dorset, England, situated on the B3390 road about southeast of Dorchester. In 2013 the estimated population of the parish was 80. Warmwell contains several historic buildings, includin ...

West Bexington West Bexington is a village in south-west Dorset, England, sited just behind the Chesil Beach about southeast of Bridport. It forms part of the civil parish of Puncknowle. The coast here is part of the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site. His ...

, West Knighton,

West Stafford West Stafford is a village and civil parish in southwest Dorset, England, situated in the Frome valley east of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 291. The village contains the public house A pub (short f ...

Whitchurch Canonicorum Whitchurch Canonicorum () is a village and civil parish in southwest Dorset, England, situated in the Marshwood Vale west-northwest of Bridport. In the 2011 Census the parish – which includes the settlements of Morcombelake, Ryall and Fishp ...

Winterborne Monkton Winterborne Monkton is a small village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England. It lies close to the A354 road between the county town Dorchester, to the north, and the coastal resort Weymouth, to the south. Dorset Coun ...

Winterborne St Martin Winterborne St Martin, commonly known as Martinstown, is a village and civil parish in southwest Dorset, England, situated southwest of Dorchester, beside Maiden Castle. In 2013 the estimated population of the civil parish was 780. In the cen ...

Winterbourne Abbas Winterborne Abbas is a village and civil parish in south west Dorset, England, situated in a valley on the A35 road west of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 355. The village Winterbourne Abbas is a pleasant rural ...

Winterbourne Steepleton Winterbourne Steepleton is a village and civil parish in south west Dorset, England, situated in a winterbourne valley west of Dorchester, next to the village of Winterbourne Abbas. The name of the village derives from its site next to a seaso ...

, Woodbridge, Woodsford,

Wootton Fitzpaine Wootton Fitzpaine is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in South West England. It lies approximately north-east of Lyme Regis in a small side valley of the River Char, close to the Marshwood Vale. The civil parish covers an area ...

, Wraxall * Yetminster

Places of interest

Abbotsbury Castle Abbotsbury 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. It is situated on a high chalk hill ov ...

Abbotsbury Swannery Abbotsbury 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 C ...

Athelhampton House Athelhampton (also known as Admiston or Adminston) is a settlement and civil parish in Dorset, England, situated approximately east of Dorchester. It consists of a manor house and a former Church of England parish church. Dorset County Council' ...

Chesil Beach Chesil Beach (also known as Chesil Bank) in Dorset, England is one of three major shingle beach structures in Britain.A. P. Carr and M. W. L. Blackley, "Investigations Bearing on the Age and Development of Chesil Beach, Dorset, and the Associat ...

Dorset Downs The 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 (from west to east) Cranborne Chase, Salisbury Plain, H ...

Eggardon Hill Eggardon Hill is a prehistoric hillfort on a hill in Dorset, England. It is located on chalk uplands approximately four miles to the east of the town of Bridport. The Hill Eggardon Hill stands above sea level and is classified as a Hump (hi ...

Golden Cap Golden Cap is a hill and cliff situated on the English Channel coast between Bridport and Charmouth in Dorset, England. At , it is arguably the highest point on the south coast of Great Britain (although the highest point is set back some 250m fr ...

* Hooke Court *

Kingston Russell Kingston Russell is a settlement and civil parish west of Dorchester, in the Dorset district, in the county of Dorset, England. In 2001 the parish had a population of 35. The parish touches Compton Valence, Littlebredy, Long Bredy and Winterbo ...

* Maiden Castle *

Pilsdon Pen Pilsdon Pen is a 277-metre (909 ft) hill in Dorset in South West England, situated at the north end of the Marshwood Vale, approximately west of Beaminster. It is Dorset's second highest point and has panoramic views extending for many m ...

Poundbury Hill Poundbury Hill () is the site of a Scheduled monument, scheduled Prehistory, Prehistoric and Roman Empire, Roman Archaeology, archaeological remains and includes evidence of a Neolithic Human settlement, settlement, a substantial Bronze Age occup ...

* Rampisham Down * River Frome *

Sherborne Abbey Sherborne Abbey, otherwise the Abbey Church of St. Mary the Virgin, is a Church of England church in Sherborne in the English county of Dorset. It has been a Saxon cathedral (705–1075), a Benedictine abbey church (998–1539), and since 1539, ...

Sherborne Castle Sherborne Castle is a 16th-century Tudor mansion southeast of Sherborne in Dorset, England, within the parish of Castleton. It stands in a park which formed a small part of the Digby estate. Old castle Sherborne Old Castle () is the ruin ...

* Sherborne House * The

Tolpuddle Martyrs The Tolpuddle Martyrs were six agricultural labourers from the village of Tolpuddle in Dorset, England, who, in 1834, were convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. They were arrested on ...

Museum

References

External links

West Dorset District CouncilWest Dorset Directory
{{Former non-metropolitan districts of England Former non-metropolitan districts Non-metropolitan districts of Dorset 2019 disestablishments in England