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Dorset

Coordinates:50°48′N2°18′W/ 50.800°N 2.300°W/50.800; -2.300
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This article is about the ceremonial county. For the unitary authority area, seeDorset (district).For other uses, seeDorset (disambiguation).

Dorset
Ceremonial county
Durdle Dooron theJurassic Coast,Bournemouth Pier,andSherborne Abbey
Dorset within England
Coordinates:50°48′N2°18′W/ 50.800°N 2.300°W/50.800; -2.300
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionSouth West
EstablishedAncient
Time zoneUTC+0(GMT)
• Summer (DST)UTC+1(BST)
UK ParliamentList of MPs
PoliceDorset Police
Ceremonial county
Lord LieutenantAngus Campbell
High SheriffGeorge Streetfeild[1](2020–21)
Area2,653 km2(1,024 sq mi)
• Rank20th of 48
Population
(2022)[2]
785,172
• Rank32nd of 48
Density296/km2(770/sq mi)
Ethnicity
97.9% White
Unitary authorities
CouncilsBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
Dorset Council
Districts

Districts of Dorset
 Unitary
Districts
  1. Dorset
  2. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Dorset(/ˈdɔːrsɪt/DOR-sit;archaically:Dorsetshire/ˈdɔːrsɪt.ʃɪər,-ʃər/DOR-sit-sheer,-⁠shər) is aceremonial countyinSouth West England.It is bordered bySomersetto the north-west,Wiltshireto the north and the north-east,Hampshireto the east, theIsle of Wightacross theSolentto the south-east, theEnglish Channelto the south, andDevonto the west. The largest settlement isBournemouth,and thecounty townisDorchester.

The county has an area of 2,653 km2(1,024 sq mi) and a population of 772,268. Around half of the population lives in theSouth East Dorset conurbation,which contains three of the county's largest settlements: Bournemouth (183,491),Poole(151,500), andChristchurch(31,372). The remainder of the county is largely rural, and its principal towns areWeymouth(53,427) andDorchester(21,366). Dorset contains twounitary authority areas:Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole,andDorset.The county did nothistoricallyinclude Bournemouth and Christchurch, which were part of Hampshire.

Dorset has a varied landscape ofchalk downs,steep limestone ridges, and low-lying clay valleys. The majority of its coastline is part of theJurassic CoastWorld Heritage Sitedue to its geological andpalaeontologicsignificance, and features notable landforms such asLulworth Cove,theIsle of Portland,Chesil BeachandDurdle Door.The north of the county contains part ofCranbourne Chase,a chalk downland. The highest point in Dorset isLewesdon Hill(279 m (915 ft)), in the southwest.

There is evidence ofNeolithic,Celtic,andRomansettlement in Dorset, and during theEarly Middle Agesthe region was settled by theSaxons;thecountydeveloped in the 7th century. The first recordedVikingraid on the British Isles occurred in Dorset during the eighth century, and theBlack Deathentered England atMelcombe Regisin 1348. The county has seen much civil unrest: in theEnglish Civil Waran uprising ofvigilanteswas crushed byOliver Cromwell's forces in a pitched battle nearShaftesbury;the doomedMonmouth Rebellionbegan atLyme Regis;and a group of farm labourers fromTolpuddlewere instrumental in the formation of thetrade union movement.During theSecond World War,Dorset was heavily involved in the preparations for theinvasion of Normandy,and the large harbours ofPortlandand Poole were two of the main embarkation points. Agriculture was historically the major industry of Dorset, but is now in decline in favour of tourism.

Toponymy[edit]

Dorset derives its name from thecounty townofDorchester.[3]TheRomansestablished the settlement in the 1st century and named itDurnovariawhich was a Latinised version of aCommon Brittonicword possibly meaning "place with fist-sized pebbles".[3]TheSaxonsnamed the townDornwaraceaster(the suffix-ceasterbeing theOld Englishname for a "Roman town"; cf.ExeterandGloucester) andDornsætecame into use as the name for the inhabitants of the area fromDorn(a reduced form ofDornwaraceaster) and the Old English wordsæte(meaning "people" ).[3][4]It is first mentioned in theAnglo-Saxon Chroniclein AD 845 and in the 10th century the county's archaic name,Dorseteschyre(Dorsetshire), was first recorded.[5]

History[edit]

Main article:History of Dorset

Early history[edit]

The first human visitors to Dorset wereMesolithichunters, from around 8000 BC.[6][7]The first permanentNeolithicsettlers appeared around 3000 BC and were responsible for the creation of theDorset Cursus,a 10.5-kilometre (6.5 mi) monument for ritual or ceremonial purposes.[8][9]From 2800 BC onwardsBronze Agefarmers cleared Dorset's woodlands for agricultural use and Dorset's high chalk hills provided a location for numerousround barrows.[10][11]During theIron Age,theBritishtribe known as theDurotrigesestablished a series ofhill fortsacross the county—most notablyMaiden Castlewhich is one of the largest in Europe.[12][13]

The Romans arrived in Dorset during theirconquest of Britainin AD 43. Maiden Castle was captured by aRoman legionunder the command ofVespasian,and the Roman settlement of Durnovaria was established nearby.[14][15]Bokerley Dyke,a large defensive ditch built by the county's post-Roman inhabitants near the border with modern-dayHampshire,delayed the advance of the Saxons into Dorset for almost 150 years.[16]It appears to have been re-fortified during this period, with the former Roman Road atAckling Dykealso being blocked by the Britons, apparently to prevent the West Saxon advance into Dorset.[17]

However, by the end of the 7th century Dorset had fallen under Saxon control and been incorporated into theKingdom of Wessex.[18]The precise details of this West Saxon conquest and how it took place are not clear, but it appears to have substantially taken place by the start of the reign ofCaedwallain 685.[19]The Saxons established adioceseatSherborneand Dorset was made ashire—an administrative district of Wessex and predecessor to theEnglish countysystem—with borders that have changed little since.[20]In 789 the first recordedVikingattack 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.[21][22]

After theNorman Conquestin 1066,feudalrule was established in Dorset and the bulk of the land was divided between the Crown and ecclesiastical institutions.[23]The Normans consolidated their control over the area by constructing castles atCorfe,WarehamandDorchesterin the early part of the 12th century.[24]Over the next 200 years Dorset's population grew substantially and additional land was enclosed for farming to provide the extra food required.[25]The wool trade, the quarrying ofPurbeck Marbleand the busy ports ofWeymouth,Melcombe Regis,Lyme RegisandBridportbrought prosperity to the county.[26]However, Dorset was devastated by the bubonic plague in 1348 which arrived in Melcombe Regis on a ship fromGascony.[27]The disease, more commonly known as theBlack Death,created an epidemic that spread rapidly and wiped out a third of the population of the country.[28][29]Dorset came under the political influence of a number of different nobles during the Middle Ages. During the Wars of the Roses, for instance, Dorset came into the area influenced byHumphrey Stafford, earl of Devon(originally ofHooke,Dorset) whose wider influence stretched from Cornwall to Wiltshire. After 1485, one of the most influential Dorset figures was Henry VII's chamberlainGiles Daubeney.[30]

Modern history[edit]

Further information:Dorset in the English Civil War
the ruins of Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle,captured and destroyed byCromwell'sarmy in 1646

Thedissolution of the monasteries(1536–1541) met little resistance in Dorset and many of the county's abbeys, includingShaftesbury,CerneandMilton,were sold to private owners.[31]In 1642, at the commencement of theEnglish Civil War,theRoyaliststook control of the entire county apart from Poole and Lyme Regis. However, within three years their gains had been almost entirely reversed by theParliamentarians.[32]An uprising ofClubmen—vigilantes weary of the depredations of the war—took place in Dorset in 1645. Some 2,000 of these rebels offered battle toLord Fairfax'sParliamentary army atHambledon Hillbut they were easily routed.[33][34]Sherborne Castlewas 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 subsequentlyslighted.[33][35]TheDuke of Monmouth'sunsuccessfulattempt to overthrow James IIbegan when he landed at Lyme Regis in 1685.[36]A series of trials known as theBloody Assizestook place to punish the rebels. Over a five-day period in Dorchester,Judge Jeffreyspresided over 312 cases: 74 of the accused were executed, 175 weretransported,and nine were publicly whipped.[37]In 1686, atCharborough Park,a meeting took place to plot the downfall ofJames II of England.This meeting was effectively the start of theGlorious Revolution.[38]

During the 18th century, muchsmugglingtook place along the Dorset coast; its coves, caves and sandy beaches provided opportunities for gangs such as theHawkhurststo stealthily bring smuggled goods ashore.[39]Poole became Dorset's busiest port and established prosperous trade links with the fisheries ofNewfoundlandwhich supported cloth, rope and net manufacturing industries in the surrounding towns and villages.[40]However, theindustrial revolutionlargely bypassed Dorset which lacked coal resources and as a consequence the county remained predominantly agricultural.[41][42][43]Farming has always been central to the economy of Dorset and the county became the birthplace of the moderntrade union movementwhen, in 1834, six farm labourers formed a union to protest against falling wages. The labourers, who are now known as theTolpuddle Martyrs,were subsequently arrested for administering "unlawful oaths" and sentenced to transportation but they were pardoned following massive protests by the working classes.[44][45]

TheDorsetshire Regimentwere the first British unit to face agas attackduring theFirst World War(1914–1918) and they sustained particularly heavy losses at theBattle of the Somme.[46][47]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 aThankful Village,had no residents killed.[47][48]During theSecond World War(1939–1945) Dorset was heavily involved in the preparations for theinvasion of Normandy:beach landing exercises were carried out atStudlandand Weymouth and the village ofTynehamwas requisitioned for army training.[49][50]Tens of thousands of troops departed Weymouth, Portland and Poole harbours duringD-Dayand gliders fromRAF Tarrant Rushtondropped troops nearCaento beginOperation Tonga.

Dorset experienced an increase in holiday-makers after the war.[51]First popularised as a tourist destination byGeorge III'sfrequent visits to Weymouth, the county's coastline, seaside resorts and its sparsely populated rural areas attract millions of visitors each year.[41][52]With farming declining across the country, tourism has edged ahead as the primary revenue-earning sector.[42][53]

Settlements[edit]

See also:List of places in DorsetandList of settlements in Dorset by population
class=notpageimage|
Some of the larger settlements of Dorset

Dorset is largely rural with many small villages, few large towns and no cities.[54][55]The only major urban area is theSouth 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 theseaside resortof Bournemouth, the historic port andboroughof Poole, the towns of Christchurch andFerndownplus many surrounding villages.[56][57]Bournemouth, the most populous town in the conurbation, was established in theGeorgian erawhensea bathingbecame popular.[58]Poole, the second largest settlement (once the largest town in the county), adjoins Bournemouth to the west and contains the suburb ofSandbankswhich has some of the highest land values by area in the world.[59]

The other two major settlements in the county are Dorchester, which has been the county town since at least 1305,[60]and Weymouth, a major seaside resort since the 18th century.[61][62]Blandford Forum,Sherborne,Gillingham,ShaftesburyandSturminster Newtonare historicmarket townswhich serve the farms and villages of theBlackmore Valein north Dorset.[63]Beaminsterand Bridport are situated in the west of the county;Verwoodand the historic Saxon market towns ofWarehamandWimborne Minsterare located to the east.[63]Lyme Regis andSwanageare small coastal towns popular with tourists.[64]Under construction on the western edge of Dorchester is the experimentalnew townofPoundburycommissioned and co-designed byPrince Charles.[65]The suburb, which is expected to be fully completed by 2025, was designed to integrate residential and retail buildings and counter the growth ofdormitory townsand car-oriented development.[66]

Physical geography[edit]

Main articles:Geography of Dorset,Geology of Dorset,List of hills of Dorset,andSouth West Hampshire/South East Dorset Green Belt

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.[67][68][69]A large percentage (66%) of the county comprises eitherchalk,clayor mixedsandandgravels.The remainder is less straightforward and includesPortlandandPurbeck stone,otherlimestones,calcareous claysandshales.[70]Portland and Purbeck stone are of national importance as a building material and for restoring some of Britain's most famous landmarks.[71][72]Almost every type of rock known from theEarly Jurassicto theEoceneepochs can be found in the county.[73][74]

Geological map of Dorset

Dorset has a number of limestone ridges which are mostly covered in either arable fields orcalcareous grasslandsupporting sheep.[75]These limestone areas include a wide band ofCretaceouschalk which crosses the county as a range of hills from north-east to south-west, incorporatingCranborne Chaseand theDorset Downs,and a narrow band running from south-west to south-east, incorporating thePurbeck Hills.[76][77]Between the chalk hills are large, widevalesand wideflood plains.[74]These vales are dotted with small villages, farms andcoppices,and include the Blackmore Vale (Stour valley) and theFrome valley.[77][78]The Blackmore Vale is composed of older Jurassic deposits, largely clays interspersed with limestones,[74]and has traditionally been a centre for dairy agriculture.[79]South-east Dorset, including the lower Frome valley and around Poole and Bournemouth, comprises younger Eocene deposits,[74]mainly sands and clays of poor agricultural quality.[80]The soils created from these deposits support aheathlandhabitat which sustains all six nativeBritish reptilespecies.[81]Most of the Dorset heathland hasSite of Special Scientific Intereststatus, with three areas designated as internationally importantRamsar sites.[82]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.[83]In the west this results in a hilly landscape of diverse character that resembles that of neighbouring countyDevon.[84]Marshwood Vale,a valley ofLower Liasclay at the western tip of the county,[85]lies to the south of the two highest points in Dorset:Lewesdon Hillat 279 metres (915 ft)[86]andPilsdon Penat 277 metres (909 ft).[87]

A former river valley flooded by rising sea levels 6,000 years ago,Poole Harbouris one of the largest natural harbours in the world.[88][89] The harbour is very shallow in places and contains a number of islands, notablyBrownsea Island,the birthplace of theScoutingmovement and one of the few remaining sanctuaries for indigenousred squirrelsin England.[90]The harbour, and the chalk and limestone hills of theIsle of Purbeckto the south, lie atop Western Europe's largest onshoreoil field.[91]The field, operated byPerencofromWytch Farm,has the world's oldest continuously pumping well atKimmeridgewhich has been producing oil since the early 1960s.[91][92]

Lulworth CovefromHambury Tout,on theJurassic Coast

Dorset's diverse geography ensures it has an assortment of rivers, although a moderate annual rainfall coupled with rolling hills, means most are typicallylowlandin nature.[93]Much of the county drains into three rivers, the Frome,Piddleand Stour which all flow to the sea in a south-easterly direction.[94]The Frome and Piddle arechalk streamsbut the Stour, which rises in Wiltshire to the north, has its origins in clay soil.[95]TheRiver Avon,which flows mainly through Wiltshire and Hampshire, enters Dorset towards the end of its journey atChristchurch Harbour.[96]The riversAxeandYeo,which principally drain the counties of Devon andSomersetrespectively, 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 theChar,Brit,BrideandWey.[97]

Most of Dorset's coastline is part of theJurassic Coast,aWorld Heritage Site,which stretches for 155 kilometres (96 mi)[98]between Studland andExmouthin Devon. This coast documents the entireMesozoicera, fromTriassicto Cretaceous, and is noted for its geologicallandforms.[99]The Dorset section has yielded important fossils, includingJurassic treesand the first completeIchthyosaur,discovered near Lyme Regis in 1811 byMary Anning.[99]The county features some notable coastal landforms, including examples of acove(Lulworth Cove), anatural arch(Durdle Door) and chalkstacks(Old Harry Rocks).[100][101]Jutting out into theEnglish Channelat roughly the midpoint of the Dorset coastline is theIsle of Portland,a limestone island that is connected to the mainland byChesil Beach,a 27-kilometre (17 mi) longshinglebarrier beachprotectingBritain's largest tidal lagoon.[102][103]

The county has one of the highest proportions ofconservation areasin England, and twoAreas of Outstanding Natural Beauty(AONBs) cover 53% of the administrative county.[104][105]It has twoheritage coaststotalling 92 kilometres (57 mi), and Sites of Special Scientific Interest covering 199 km2(77 sq mi).[106][107]TheSouth West Coast Path,aNational Trail,begins at South Haven Point at the entrance to Poole Harbour.[108]There are also substantial areas ofgreen beltsurrounding theSouth East Dorset conurbation,filling in the area between this and theCranborne Chase and West Wiltshire DownsAONB.

Climate[edit]

Weymouth, Dorset
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
84
9
5
61
9
4
58
11
5
52
13
7
45
16
9
46
18
12
41
20
14
55
20
14
55
19
13
83
16
10
99
12
7
92
10
5
█Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█Precipitation totals in mm
Source:Met Office,1991–2020[109]
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
3.3
48
40
2.4
48
39
2.3
51
41
2.1
55
44
1.8
60
49
1.8
65
54
1.6
68
57
2.2
69
58
2.2
66
55
3.3
60
51
3.9
54
45
3.6
49
41
█Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█Precipitation totals in inches

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 thanCornwalland Devon. Dorset, along with the entiresouth-west,has higher winter temperatures, average 4.5 to 8.7 °C (40.1 to 47.7 °F), than the rest of the United Kingdom.[110]However, Dorset maintains higher summer temperatures than Devon and Cornwall, with average highs of 19.1 to 22.2 °C (66.4 to 72.0 °F).[111]Excluding hills such as the Dorset Downs, the average annual temperature of the county is 9.8 to 12 °C (49.6 to 53.6 °F).[112]

The south coast counties of Dorset, Hampshire,West Sussex,East SussexandKentenjoy more sunshine than anywhere else in the United Kingdom, receiving 1,541–1,885 hours a year.[113]Average annual rainfall varies across the county—southern and eastern coastal areas receive 700–800 mm (28–31 in) per year; the Dorset Downs receive between 1,000 and 1,250 mm (39–49 in) per year; less than much of Devon and Cornwall to the west but more than counties to the east.[114]

These templates are an excerpt fromWeymouth, Dorset § Climate.[edit]
Climate data for Weymouth
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 9.0
(48.2) 		8.9
(48.0) 		10.6
(51.1) 		12.9
(55.2) 		15.7
(60.3) 		18.1
(64.6) 		20.0
(68.0) 		20.3
(68.5) 		18.7
(65.7) 		15.5
(59.9) 		12.2
(54.0) 		9.7
(49.5) 		14.3
(57.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 6.7
(44.1) 		6.5
(43.7) 		7.9
(46.2) 		9.8
(49.6) 		12.5
(54.5) 		15.1
(59.2) 		17.0
(62.6) 		17.4
(63.3) 		15.7
(60.3) 		13.0
(55.4) 		9.9
(49.8) 		7.4
(45.3) 		11.6
(52.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 4.5
(40.1) 		4.1
(39.4) 		5.2
(41.4) 		6.6
(43.9) 		9.3
(48.7) 		12.0
(53.6) 		14.0
(57.2) 		14.4
(57.9) 		12.7
(54.9) 		10.4
(50.7) 		7.4
(45.3) 		5.1
(41.2) 		8.5
(47.3)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 84.3
(3.32) 		60.5
(2.38) 		58.1
(2.29) 		52.4
(2.06) 		44.6
(1.76) 		45.9
(1.81) 		40.7
(1.60) 		55.4
(2.18) 		54.9
(2.16) 		82.7
(3.26) 		98.7
(3.89) 		92.2
(3.63) 		770.4
(30.33)
Average rainy days(≥ 1 mm) 12.9 10.8 9.0 8.5 8.2 7.2 6.7 8.3 8.0 11.9 13.2 13.1 117.5
Mean monthlysunshine hours 69.1 95.5 141.5 202.1 235.4 234.8 245.6 225.7 178.1 127.5 84.6 64.5 1,904.4
Source: 1991–2020 averages forWyke Regisclimate station. Sources:Met Office[115]andCefas[116]

Demography[edit]

See also:List of settlements in Dorset by population
Dorset ethnicity and religion
UK Census 2011 Dorsetnote
[117][118] 		Bournemouth
[119][120] 		Poole
[121][122] 		South West
[117][118] 		England
[117][118]
Population 412,905 183,491 147,645 5,288,935 53,012,456
White 97.9% 91.9% 95.8% 95.4% 85.5%
Mixed 0.8% 2.3% 1.3% 1.4% 2.2%
Asian 0.7% 2.9% 1.8% 1.5% 7.0%
Black 0.2% 1.0% 0.3% 1.0% 3.4%
Chinese or other 0.3% 1.9% 0.8% 0.7% 1.7%
Christian 65.3% 57.1% 60.4% 60.4% 59.4%
Non-Christian 1.3% 4.6% 2.3% 2.5% 8.7%
No religion 25.2% 30.5% 29.7% 29.3% 24.7%
Not stated 8.0% 7.8% 7.6% 7.9% 7.2%
^Excluding Bournemouth and Poole

The2011 Censusrecords Dorset's population as 744,041. This consisted of 412,905 for thenon-metropolitan county(not including Bournemouth and Poole), 183,491 for theunitary authorityof Bournemouth and 147,645 for the unitary authority of Poole.[117][119][121]In 2013 it was estimated that the population had risen by around 1.4% to 754,460: 416,720 in the non-metropolitan county and 188,730 and 149,010 in Bournemouth and Poole respectively.[123]More than half of the county's residents live in the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch conurbation.[117]

Dorset's population has a high proportion of older people and a lower than average proportion of young people: According to 2013 mid-year estimates,[Note 1]23.6% are over 65 years of age, higher than theEngland and Walesaverage of 17.4%, and 18.6% are less than 17 years old, lower than the England and Wales average of 21.3%.[61]The working age population (females and males between 16 and 64) is lower than England and Wales average, 60% compared to 64%.[124]Data collected between 2010 and 2012 shows that average life expectancy at birth in the county is 85.3 years for females and 81.2 years for males. This compares favourably with the averages for England and Wales of 82.9 and 79.1 years respectively.[125]Around 95.2% of Dorset's population are of white ethnicity, 60.9% of the population areChristianand 28.5% say they are not religious.[117][118]

More than 33% of the county's population possess a level 4 qualification or above, such as a Higher National Diploma, Degree or a Higher Degree; while nearly 6.3% have no qualifications at all.[126]Almost 43.7% are employed in a professional or technical capacity (Standard Occupational Classification 2010, groups 1–3), just over 10.3% are administrators or secretaries (group 4), around 12.8% have a skilled trade (group 5), over 18% are employed at a low-level in the care, leisure, sales or customer relations sector (groups 6 and 7) and 14.8% are operatives or in elementary occupations (groups 8 and 9).[126]

Historical population of Dorset
YearPop.±% p.a.
1801101,857—
1811112,930+1.04%
1821129,210+1.36%
1831143,443+1.05%
1841161,617+1.20%
1851169,699+0.49%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1861174,255+0.27%
1871178,813+0.26%
1881183,371+0.25%
1891188,700+0.29%
1901188,263−0.02%
1911190,940+0.14%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1921193,543+0.14%
1931198,105+0.23%
1941214,700+0.81%
1951233,206+0.83%
1961259,751+1.08%
1971292,811+1.21%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1981321,676+0.94%
1991366,681+1.32%
2001390,986+0.64%
2011412,905+0.55%
Pre-1974 statistics were gathered from local government areas that now comprise Dorset
Source:Great Britain Historical GIS.[127]

Politics[edit]

Local government[edit]

Local governmentin Dorset consists of two unitary authorities (UA);Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council,which governs the major conurbation comprising the three towns, andDorset Councilwhich serves the more rural remainder of the county.[128]For the BCP council, voters choose 76 councillors from 33 wards, with ten wards returning three candidates apiece and 23 wards, two.[129]Dorset elects 82 councillors representing six three-councillor wards, 18 two-councillor wards and 28 single-councillor wards - 52 wards in total.[130]In both authorities, elections for the entire council occur every four years.[131]

The two authorities came into existence on 1 April 2019, whenBournemouthandPoolemerged with Christchurch, one of six second-tierdistrictspreviously governed byDorset County Council,leaving the other five districts -Weymouth and Portland,West Dorset,North Dorset,PurbeckandEast Dorset- to form a second UA.[132] Dorset County Council was first formed in 1888 byan act of governmentto govern the newly createdadministrative countyof Dorset which had been based largely on the historic county borders. Dorset became a two-tier non-metropolitan county after areorganisation of local government in 1974and its border was extended eastwards to incorporate the former Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch.[Note 2][135]Following a review by theLocal Government Commission for England,Bournemouth and Poole each became administratively independent single-tier unitary authorities in 1997.[136][137]

National representation[edit]

See also:List of parliamentary constituencies in Dorset

For representation inParliamentDorset is divided into eight Parliamentary constituencies—fivecounty constituenciesand threeborough constituencies.At the2017 general election,the Conservative Party was dominant, taking all eight seats.[138]The borough constituencies ofBournemouth East,Bournemouth WestandPoolewere traditionally Conservativesafe seatsand were all represented by Conservative members of parliament until the 2024 United Kingdom general election when they were all gained by Labour.[139][140][141]The county constituencies ofNorth DorsetandChristchurchare also represented by Conservative MPs. Between 1997 and 2019,West Dorsetwas represented by Conservative MPOliver Letwinwho was theMinister of State at the Cabinet OfficeinDavid Cameron's government.[142][143]The seat was won byEdward Morelloin the2024.[144]

The marginal seat ofSouth Dorsetis represented byLloyd Hatton,who gained the seat fromConservativerepresentative,Richard Drax,in 2024.[145]TheMid Dorset and North Pooleconstituency has been represented by the Liberal Democrat MP,Vikki Sladesince 2024.[146]

In the 2024 general election, theConservativesheld 2 constituencies in Dorset, while theLiberal Democratsgained 2 andLabourgained 4.[145]

Economy and industry[edit]

Main article:Economy of Dorset
Dorset's employment structure (2008)[A]
Industry Dorset[C]
[147] 		Poole
[148] 		Bournemouth
[149] 		Great Britain
[147]
Manufacturing 11.9% 15.8% 3.2% 10.2%
Construction 5.3% 4.6% 3.2% 4.8%
Services 81.5% 79% 93.1% 83.5%
Tourism-related[B] 10.2% 7.7% 12% 8.2%

A.^Excludesself-employed,government-supported trainees andarmed forces
B.^Includes industries that are also part of the services industry
C.^Excluding Poole and Bournemouth

In 2003 thegross value added(GVA) for the non-metropolitan county was £4,673 million, with an additional £4,705 million for Poole and Bournemouth.[150]Theprimary sectorproduced 2.03% of GVA, thesecondary sectorproduced 22.44% and 75.53% came from thetertiary sector.[150]The average GVA for the 16 regions of South West England was £4,693 million.[150]

The principalindustryin Dorset was once agriculture. It has not, however, been the largest employer since the mid 19th century asmechanisationsubstantially reduced the number of workers required.[151][152]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%.[150]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 landset aside.[153]By contrast, in the same period,arable landdecreased from 993 to 916 km2(383 to 354 sq mi).[153]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.[154]

In 2009 there were 2,340 armed forces personnel stationed in Dorset including theRoyal Armoured CorpsatBovington,Royal SignalsatBlandfordand theRoyal MarinesatPoole.[155]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.[156][157]

Other major employers in the county include:BAE Systems,Sunseeker International,J.P. Morgan,Cobham plcandBournemouth University.[158]Dorset's three ports, Poole,WeymouthandPortland,and the smaller harbours of Christchurch, Swanage, Lyme Regis, Wareham and West Bay generate a substantial amount of international trade and tourism.[159]Around 230 fishing vessels that predominantly catch crab and lobster are based in Dorset's ports.[160]When the waters around Weymouth and Portland were chosen for the sailing events in the2012 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.[161]

photograph of a crowded Bournemouth beach, near Bournemouth pier, on a hot summer's day
The beach nearBournemouth 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.[162]It is estimated that 37,500 people work in Dorset's tourism sector.[163]Some 3.2 million British and 326,000 foreign tourists visited the county in 2008, staying a total of 15.1 million nights.[164]In addition there were 14.6 million day visitors.[164]The combined spending of both groups was £1,458 million.[164]Towns received 56% of Dorset's day trippers, 27% went to the coast and 17% to the countryside.[165]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.[166]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.[167]

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.[147][148][149]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.[168]

Culture[edit]

Main article:Culture of Dorset
photograph of The Keep Military Museum in Dorchester
The Keep Military Museumin Dorchester

As a largely rural county, Dorset has fewer major cultural institutions than larger or more densely populated areas. Major venues for concerts and theatre include theLighthousearts centre in Poole; theBournemouth International Centre,Pavilion TheatreandO2 Academyin Bournemouth; and thePaviliontheatre in Weymouth.[169]TheBournemouth Symphony Orchestra,founded in 1893,[170][171]is based in Poole.[171]

Dorset has more than 30 general and specialist museums.[172][173]The Dorset County Museum (now theDorset Museum) in Dorchester was founded in 1846 and contains an extensive collection of exhibits covering the county's history and environment.[174]The Tank MuseumatBovingtoncontains more than 300 tanks and armoured vehicles from 30 nations.[175]The museum is the largest in Dorset and its collection has beendesignated of national importance.[175][176]Other museums which reflect the cultural heritage of the county includeThe Keep Military Museumin Dorchester, theRussell-Cotes Museumin Bournemouth, theCharmouth Heritage Coast Centre,Poole Museum,Portland MuseumandWareham Town Museum.[173][177]

Dorset contains 190conservation areas,more than 1,500scheduled monuments,over 30 registered parks and gardens and 12,850listed buildings.[178][179]Grade I listed buildings include:Portland Castle,a coastal fort commissioned byHenry VIII;[180]a castle with more than a 1,000 years of history atCorfe;[181]aRoman ruindescribed byHistoric Englandas the "only Roman town house visible in Britain";[182]Athelhampton,aTudormanor house;[183]Forde Abbey,a stately home and formerCistercianmonastery;[184]Christchurch Priory,the longest church in England;[185]andSt Edwold's church,one of the smallest.[186]

photograph of a row of traction engines at the Great Dorset Steam Fair
Traction engineson display at theGreat Dorset Steam Fair

Dorset hosts a number of annual festivals, fairs and events including theGreat Dorset Steam Fairnear Blandford, one of the largest events of its kind in Europe,[187]and theBournemouth Air Festival,a freeair showthat attracted 1.3 million visitors in 2009.[188]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.[189]The Dorset County Show, which was first held in 1841, is a celebration of Dorset's agriculture.[190]The two-day event exhibits local produce and livestock and attracts some 55,000 people.[190]Inside Out Dorset is an outdoor arts festival that takes place every two years in rural and urban locations across Dorset.[191][192]In addition to the smaller folk festivals held in towns such as Christchurch andWimborne,[193][194]Dorset holds several larger musical events such asCamp Bestival,End of the Roadand theLarmer Tree Festival.[195][196][197]

Dorset's only professional football club isAFC Bournemouth,which plays in thePremier League—the highest division in theEnglish football league system.Non-Leaguesemi-professional teams in the county includeSouthern Premier DivisionteamsDorchester Town F.C.,Poole Town F.C.andWeymouth F.C.Dorset County Cricket Clubcompetes in theMinor Counties Cricket Championshipand is based atDean Park Cricket Groundin Bournemouth.Poole Stadiumhosts regular greyhound racing and is the home to top-flight speedway teamPoole Pirates.The county's coastline, on the English Channel, is noted for its watersports (particularly sailing,gig racing,windsurfing, power boating and kayaking) which take advantage of the sheltered waters in the bays ofWeymouthandPoole,and the harbours of Poole and Portland.[198][199][200]Dorset hosted the sailing events at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics at theWeymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.The venue was completed in May 2009 and was used by international sailing teams in preparation for the Games.[201][202][203]In motorsport, Dorset hosts theExtreme EJurassic X Prix at Bovington Camp.[204]

photograph of the author, Thomas Hardy, taken circa 1910
Thomas Hardy

Dorset is famed in literature for being the native county of author and poetThomas Hardy,and many of the places he describes in his novels in the fictionalWessexare in Dorset, which he renamedSouth Wessex.[205][206]TheNational TrustownsThomas Hardy's Cottage,in Higher Bockhampton, east of Dorchester; andMax Gate,his former house in Dorchester.[207]Several other writers have called Dorset home, includingDouglas Adams,who wrote much ofThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxywhile he lived inStalbridge;[208]John le Carré,author of espionage novels, was born in Poole;[209]Tom SharpeofWiltfame lived in Bridport;[210]John Fowles(The French Lieutenant's Woman) lived in Lyme Regis before he died in late 2005;[211]T.F. Powyslived inChaldon Herringfor over 20 years and used it as inspiration for the fictitious village of Folly Down in his novelMr. Weston's Good Wine;[212]John Cowper Powys,his elder brother, also set a number of his works in Dorset, such as the novelsMaiden CastleandWeymouth Sands.[213][206]Children's authorEnid Blytondrew inspiration for many of her works from Dorset.[214]The 19th-century poetWilliam Barneswas born inBagberand wrote many poems in his nativeDorset dialect.[206]Originating from the ancientNorseandSaxonlanguages, the dialect was prevalent across the Blackmore Vale but has fallen into disuse.[215][216]

Flag of Dorset

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.[217][218]The winning design, which features a white cross with a red border on a golden background, attracted 54% of the vote.[219]All three colours are used in Dorset County Council's coat of arms and the red and white was used in recognition of theEnglish flag.[220]The golden colour represents Dorset's sandy beaches and the Dorset landmarks ofGolden CapandGold Hill.It is also a reference to theWessex Dragon,a symbol of theSaxon Kingdomwhich Dorset once belonged to, and the gold wreath featured on the badge of theDorset Regiment.[220]

Transport[edit]

Main article:Transport in Dorset

Dorset is connected to London by two main line railways. TheWest of England Main Lineruns through the north of the county at Gillingham and Sherborne.[221]Running west fromLondon WaterlootoExeter St Davidsin Devon, it provides a service for those who live in the western districts of Dorset.[221]TheSouth West Main Lineruns through the south at Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester and the terminus at Weymouth.[222]Additionally, theHeart of Wessex Lineruns north from Weymouth toBristoland theSwanage Railway,aheritage steam and diesel railway,runs the 10 kilometres (6 mi) betweenNordenand Swanage.[223]

Dorset is one of few English counties not well served by canals and has no motorways.[224]TheA303,A35andA31trunk roadsrun through the county.[225]The A303, which connects theWest Countryto London via theM3,clips the north-west of the county.[226]The A35 crosses the county in a west–east direction fromHonitonin Devon, via Bridport, Dorchester, Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch, toSouthamptonin Hampshire. The A31 connects to the A35 atBere Regis,and passes east through Wimborne and Ferndown to Hampshire, where it later becomes theM27.Other main roads in the county include theA338,A354,A37andA350.The A338 heads north from Bournemouth toRingwood(Hampshire) and on toSalisbury(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 toYeovilin Somerset. The A350 also leads north, from Poole throughBlandfordand Shaftesbury, toWarminsterin Wiltshire.[226]

A passenger seaport and an international airport are situated in the county.Brittany FerriesandCondor Ferriesoperate out of Poole Harbour; Brittany Ferries provide access toCherbourgin France and Condor Ferries sail a seasonal service to theChannel IslandsandSt Malo,France.[227]Poole and Portland harbours are capable of taking cruise liners.[228]Bournemouth Airport,on the edge ofHurnvillage 6 kilometres (4 mi) north of Bournemouth, has scheduled and charter flights.

Morebus and Damoryprovide a county wide bus network with frequent services linking major towns, including Bournemouth, Poole and Wimborne, and a varied service in further rural locations.[229]TheFirst Groupoperate 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 theJurassic Coasterservice, which runs along the county's coastline.[230][231]Yellow Busesprovided bus services within Bournemouth and outlying areas until they ceased operating in 2022.[232][233]

Religious sites[edit]

See also:List of monastic houses in DorsetandList of churches in Dorset
Wimborne Minster

Unlike all of its neighbouring counties, Dorset does not have a cathedral.[234]Over 95% of the county falls within theChurch of EnglandDiocese of Salisbury.[235]A small section to the west comes under theDiocese of Bath and Wellsand to the east Christchurch and much of Bournemouth—both historically part of Hampshire—belong to theDiocese of Winchester.[236][237]TheRoman Catholic Diocese of Plymouthincorporates most of Dorset with the exception of Christchurch and a portion of Bournemouth which belongs to theDiocese of Portsmouth.[238][239]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 theGurkhasbased at the town's military camp.[240]Bournemouth, which contains a higher proportion of Jewish residents than the national average, has three synagogues and an Islamic Centre and a mosque for Muslims.[241][242]

Christianity was introduced to Dorset by the Romans.[243]A 4th centuryRoman mosaicdiscovered nearHinton St Marycontains what is generally accepted to be an image of Christ.[244][245]Christianity became firmly established in the county during the Saxon period although there are few surviving Saxon churches; the most complete isSt. Martin'sin Wareham which has features from the early 11th century.[246][247]Mediaeval churches are more prevalent in Dorset; most are 15th century and are of aPerpendicularstyle.[248]Sherborne Abbey,one of the county's largest, is noted for its broadfan vaultingadded during an extensive 15th century rebuild.[249]Founded in AD 705 byAldhelm,the Abbey contained thechairof theBishop of Sherborneand was granted cathedral status until 1075 when the diocese was transferred toOld Sarum.[250]Wimborne Minsterfeatures achained libraryand a 14th-centuryastronomical clock;[251]Christchurch Priory is renowned for itsmiraculous beamwhich, according to legend, was installed by Christ;[252]and the 15th century roof spanning thenaveat St John the Baptist Church in Bere Regis is described by architectural historianNikolaus Pevsneras the "finest timber roof of Dorset".[253]St Candida and Holy CrossatWhitchurch Canonicorumis the only church in the country, besidesWestminster Abbey,to have a shrine that contains therelicsof a saint.[254]

Monastic foundations were once abundant in Dorset, but all ceased to exist at the Dissolution of the monasteries.[255]TheReformationand the political and religious turmoil that ensued largely checked the building of new churches until the turn of the 18th century.[256][257]Notable examples ofEarly Georgianchurches include theBastard brothers' Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Blandford Forum, andSt George's Churchon the Isle of Portland, which has a steeple and tower inspired by the works ofChristopher Wren.[258]From the late 18th century onwards, churches in Dorset tended towards aGothic Revivalstyle.[259]A notable exception to this trend, however, is the Church of St Mary inEast Lulworth—the first freestanding Roman Catholic church built in England after the Reformation.[260]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.[256][260]Bournemouth, founded in 1810, has a wealth of 19th-century churches includingSt Peter'sandSt Stephen's.St Dunstan's(formerly St Osmund's) in Poole is one of a small number of 20th-century churches in Dorset. The final major work ofEdward Schroeder Prior,it is one of the last examples of theNeo Byzantine style.[261]The Church of St Nicholas and St Magnus inMoretonis noted for its elaborate engraved glass windows designed byLaurence Whistler.Severely damaged by a stray German bomb in 1940, the church subsequently underwent extensive renovation and Whistler had replaced every window by 1984.[262]

Education[edit]

See also:List of schools in DorsetandList of schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Responsibility forstate schoolsin Dorset is divided between twolocal education authorities:Dorset Council, which covers the majority of the county, and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council. Most of the Dorset Council area operates a two-tiercomprehensive systemwhereby pupils attend a primary school before completing their education at secondary school but Corfe Mullen, Dorchester, Ferndown andWest Moorsmaintain athree-tier system(first,middleand high school).[263]Bournemouth operates a two-tier system; Poole operates two and three-tier systems.[264]BCP is one of the few local authorities in England to maintain selective education, containing foursingle-sexgrammar schoolswhich select pupils on the basis of aneleven-plusexamination. Some of the county's schools areacademies—self-governing state schools which have become independent of their local education authority and are maintained directly by theDepartment for Education.[265]In 2017, theProgress 8 scorefor schools in the Dorset Council area was ranked below average, and 39.6% of pupils gained at least Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGCSEsmatching the national average of 39.6%.[266]Poole recorded an above average Progress 8 score and 54% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs.[267]Bournemouth was ranked as average and 47.8% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs.[268]

Dorset contains a range of privately funded independent schools. Many areboarding schoolswhich also takeday pupils,such as the co-educationalCanford Schoolwhich is built around a 19th-century Grade I listedmanor house;andSherborne School,a boys' school founded in the 16th century.[269]

Four of the county's five largest towns contain afurther educationcollege:Weymouth College,Kingston Maurward Collegein Dorchester andBournemouth and Poole Collegewhich is one of the largest in the UK.[270]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.[271]Previously named Bournemouth Polytechnic, it was granted university status as a result of theFurther and Higher Education Act 1992.[271]The Arts University Bournemouthis situated between the border of Poole and Bournemouth. It became a higher education institute in 2001 and was given degree-awarding powers in 2008.[272]It was granted full university status in 2012.[273]

See also[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ^2013 figures are mid year estimates produced by the ONS. Taking the 2011 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.
  2. ^Alterations to Dorset's boundary prior to 1974 have been comparatively minor. In 1844Stocklandwas transferred to Devon in exchange forThorncombeandHolwellwas gained from Somerset. In 1896 the Somerset villages ofAdber,Goathill,Poyntington,Sandford Orcas,SeaboroughandTrentwere added in exchange forWambrookwhileChardstock,HawkchurchandTytherleighwere ceded to Devon.[133][134]

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References[edit]

External links[edit]

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