Dorset
The title of this article is ambiguous. For other meanings, see Dorset (disambiguation).
Dorset [ˈdɔːsɪt] (formerly also Dorsetshire) is a traditional and ceremonial county in southwest England. Its capital was Dorchester. The neighbouring counties are Devon to the west, Somerset to the northwest, Wiltshire to the northeast and Hampshire to the east.
Dorset has a population of around 750,000 and has the highest proportion of older residents of any county in the UK, with 25.9% of the population aged over 65.
Bournemouth and Christchurch were reclassified from Hampshire to Dorset in 1974.
The seaside resort of Bournemouth and the port of Poole dominate the southeast of the otherwise rather rural county. As recently as the 19th century, the current conurbation was little more than a small harbour town surrounded by heathland.
In literature, Dorset is known as the home of the author and poet Thomas Hardy. Many of the places he attributes to the fictional Wessex in his stories are in Dorset. His cottage, located in the woods east of Dorchester, and his house in Dorchester are managed by the National Trust and can be visited. Stalbridge is the home of Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The poet William Barnes, the writers Theodore Francis Powys, John le Carré and P. D. James, and the satirist Thomas Love Peacock are also from Dorset.
In addition, Dorset was the birthplace of artist Sir James Thornhill, musicians Sir John Eliot Gardiner, PJ Harvey and Robert Fripp (King Crimson), palaeontologist Mary Anning, rowing champion Matthew Pinsent and Archbishops John Morton and William Wake.
In St. Martin's Church Wareham, after the death of Thomas Edward Lawrence, who had become known as Lawrence of Arabia (1888-1935), a tombstone was erected by his friend Eric Kennington with a portrait of Lawrence in Arab dress.
The port of Poole is the second largest natural harbour in the world after that of Sydney. In the very shallow bay are numerous islands. Among them is Brownsea Island, the founding site of the Scout movement. Under the harbour is one of the few English oil fields.
Much of the Dorset coastline was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 for its outstanding geological formations.
On 1 April 2019 the Unitary Authorities of Bournemouth and Poole and the District of Christchurch merged to form the Unitary Authority of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and the Districts of East Dorset, North Dorset, Purbeck, West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland merged to form the Unitary Authority of Dorset.
Cities and towns
- Abbotsbury, Ashmore
- Beaminster, Bere Regis, Blandford Forum, Bournemouth, Bradford Paverell, Bradpole, Bridport, Broadstone, Broadwindsor, Burton Bradstock
- Cerne Abbas, Chaldon Herring, Charminster, Charmouth, Chedington, Cheselbourne, Chetnole, Chettle, Chideock, Child Okeford, Chilfrome, Christchurch, Church Knowle, Corfe Castle, Corscombe
- Dewlish, Dorchester, Durweston
- East Lulworth, Easton, Edmondsham, Evershot
- Ferndown, Forde Abbey, Fortunesmill, Furzebrook
- Gillingham
- Halstock, Hinton Martell, Hooke
- Iwerne Courtney, Iwerne Minster
- Kimmeridge, Kingston, Kington Magna
- Langton Herring, Langton Matravers, Littlebredy, Litton Chiney, Loders, Lyme Regis, Lytchett Matravers, Lytchett Minster
- Maiden Newton, Melbury Osmond, Melbury Sampford, Melcombe Regis, Milton Abbas, Minterne Magna
- Netherbury, Nettlebury
- Osmington
- Piddlehinton, Piddletrenthide, Plush, Poole, Portesham, Poundbury, Powerstock, Puddletown, Puncknowle
- Ryall
- Sandford Orcas, Seatown, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Shipton Gorge, Sixpenny Handley, St. Ives, Stalbridge, Stoke Abbot, Stourpaine, Studland, Sturminster Marshall, Sturminster Newton, Swanage, Sydling St. Nicholas
- Tolpuddle
- Uploders
- Verwood
- Wareham, Warmwell, West Bay, West Lulworth, West Milton, West Moors, West Stour, Weymouth, Wimborne, Wimborne Minster, Winfrith Newburgh, Winterbourne Steepleton, Winterborne Stickland, Worth Matravers
- Yetminster, Yondover
Places of interest
See also: List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Dorset
- Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens
- Abbotsbury Swannery
- Athelhampton Hall
- Badbury Rings
- blue pool
- Bovington Tank Museum
- Brownsea Island
- Bryanston School
- Cerne Abbas Giant
- Chideock Castle
- Clavell Tower
- Corfe Castle
- Durdle Door
- Durlston Country Park
- Edmondsham House
- Fiddleford Manor, 14th century manor house near Sturminster Newton.
- Forde Abbey
- Golden Cap, cliff between Bridport and Charmouth
- Great Dorset Steam Fair, world's largest tractor meeting
- Hambledon Hill
- Hardy Cottage, birthplace and residence of the English writer Thomas Hardy
- Hardy Monument, dedicated to Admiral Thomas Masterman Hardy
- Hod Hill, hill fort in the Blackmore Vale
- Isle of Portland and Portland Bill with the Portland Bill Lighthouse
- Roman temple near Jordan Hill
- Jurassic Coast (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Kingston Lacy
- Lulworth Castle
- Maiden Castle
- Mapperton House
- Max Gate, later residence of the English writer Thomas Hardy
- Melbury House, 16th century manor house in Melbury Sampford.
- Nine Stones (Winterbourne Abbas)
- Nothe Fort
- Osmington White Horse, hill figure near Osmington
- Purse Caundle Manor
- Sherborne Abbey
- Sherborne Castle
- Sherborne School
- South West Coast Path, a long-distance hiking trail
- Stair Hole
- Sturminster Newton Mill
- Swanage Railway
- Swyre Head
- Thorncombe Beacon, hill between Bridport and Charmouth
- Wimborne Minster
Beaches and bays
- Charmouth Beach
- Chesil Beach
- Fleet Lagoon
- Kimmeridge Bay
- Lulworth Cove
- Man O'War Beach
- Sandy Beach
- St. Gabriel's Mouth
- Studland Bay
- Tyneham Beach
- Worbarrow Beach
The large stone globe of Swanage (c. 1900)
