152-652: The River Bride is a river in Dorset , England , situated between the towns of Dorchester and Bridport . It runs through the Bride Valley , a distinct landscape area in the Dorset National Landscape . The River Bride is approximately 6.5 miles (10.5 km) long and has a catchment area of 15 square miles (39 km). It rises on the eastern side of Black Down at an altitude of 90 metres (300 ft) beneath an artificial lake at Bridehead House, Littlebredy on
304-529: A National Trail , begins at South Haven Point at the entrance to Poole Harbour. There are also substantial areas of green belt surrounding the South East Dorset conurbation , filling in the area between this and the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB. 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
456-597: A Roman ruin described by Historic England as the "only Roman town house visible in Britain"; Athelhampton , a Tudor manor house; Forde Abbey , a stately home and former Cistercian monastery; Christchurch Priory , the longest church in England; and St Edwold's church , one of the smallest. Dorset hosts a number of annual festivals, fairs and events including the Great Dorset Steam Fair near Blandford, one of
608-504: A county corporate or "county of itself". For most practical purposes this separate status was replaced in the late 19th century when county boroughs were introduced. Bristol developed as a major port in the medieval period, straddling both sides of the River Avon which formed the ancient boundary between Gloucestershire and Somerset . In 1373 Edward III decreed …that the said town of Bristol with its suburbs and their precinct, as
760-411: A county day in which the culture and history of the historic county is celebrated; many of these county days were created in the 21st century. A direct action group, CountyWatch , was formed in 2004 to remove what its members consider to be wrongly placed county boundary signs that do not mark the historic or traditional county boundaries of England and Wales . They have removed, resorted or erected
912-406: A culvert tunnel, dividing the hall down the middle between the two counties – a division reflected in its architecture. The 1888 Act ensured that every urban sanitary district would be considered to be part of a single county. This principle was maintained in the 20th century: when county boroughs such as Birmingham , Manchester , Reading and Sheffield expanded into neighbouring counties,
1064-452: A heathland habitat which sustains all six native British reptile species. Most of the Dorset heathland has Site of Special Scientific Interest status, with three areas designated as internationally important Ramsar sites . 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
1216-464: A stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Dorset Dorset ( / ˈ d ɔːr s ɪ t / DOR -sit ; archaically : Dorsetshire / ˈ d ɔːr s ɪ t . ʃ ɪər , - ʃ ər / DOR -sit-sheer , -shər ) is a ceremonial county in South West England . It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to
1368-439: A basis for social, sporting and cultural activities. The Campaign for Historic Counties is dedicated to campaigning, both in the public arena and among parliamentarians, for the restoration of historic counties. Their objectives are: In 2013, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles formally recognised and acknowledged the continued existence of England's 39 historic counties. On 23 April 2014
1520-575: A chalk downland. The highest point in Dorset is Lewesdon Hill (279 m (915 ft)), in the southwest. There is evidence of Neolithic , Celtic , and Roman settlement in Dorset, and during the Early Middle Ages the region was settled by the Saxons ; the county developed in the 7th century. The first recorded Viking raid on the British Isles occurred in Dorset during the eighth century, and
1672-692: A major local government reform took place under the Local Government Act 1972 . The Act abolished administrative counties and county boroughs, and divided England (except Greater London and the Isles of Scilly) into counties. These were of two types: "metropolitan" and "non-metropolitan" counties. Apart from local government, the new counties were "substituted for counties of any other description" for judicial, shrievalty, lieutenancy and other purposes. Several counties, such as Cumberland , Herefordshire , Rutland , Westmorland and Worcestershire , vanished from
SECTION 10
#17328511397641824-406: A negative impact on the tourist trade, particularly when popular areas are closed for military manoeuvres. Other major employers in the county include: BAE Systems , Sunseeker International , J.P. Morgan , Cobham plc and Bournemouth University . Dorset's three ports, Poole, Weymouth and Portland , and the smaller harbours of Christchurch, Swanage, Lyme Regis, Wareham and West Bay generate
1976-550: A new initiative was announced to support the 'tapestry' of traditional English counties, including the removal of a restriction preventing the names of traditional counties being displayed on street and road signs. In August 2014, the first road sign was erected to mark the boundary of the historic county of Yorkshire. The Government is also publishing a new online interactive map of England's county boundaries. The Government has previously changed rules to allow local and county flags to be flown without planning permission, and supported
2128-568: A new office of High Sheriff of Middlesex appointed in the same manner as other English and Welsh counties, created the County of London with its own high sheriff, and restricted the jurisdiction of the sheriffs of London to the City. During the Middle Ages a number of other large cities and towns were granted the status of self-governing counties separate from adjacent counties. Such a county became known as
2280-496: A number of changes came into effect. The new administrative area of Greater London was created, resulting in the abolition of the administrative counties of London and Middlesex, at the same time taking in areas from surrounding counties. On the same date the new counties of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely and of Huntingdon and Peterborough were formed by the merger of pairs of administrative counties. The new areas were also adopted for lieutenancy and shrievalty purposes. In 1974
2432-566: A number of his works in Dorset, such as the novels Maiden Castle and Weymouth Sands . Children's author Enid Blyton drew inspiration for many of her works from Dorset. The 19th-century poet William Barnes was born in Bagber and wrote many poems in his native Dorset dialect . Originating from the ancient Norse and Saxon languages, the dialect was prevalent across the Blackmore Vale but has fallen into disuse. Dorset's flag , which
2584-471: A number of what they claim to be "wrongly sited" county boundary signs in various parts of England. For instance, in Lancashire 30 signs were removed. CountyWatch has been criticised for such actions by the councils that erected the signs: Lancashire County Council pointed out that the taxpayers would have to pay for the signs to be re-erected. The only political party with a manifesto commitment to restore
2736-437: A positive effect on local businesses and tourism. Tourism has grown in Dorset since the late 18th century and is now the predominant industry. It is estimated that 37,500 people work in Dorset's tourism sector. Some 3.2 million British and 326,000 foreign tourists visited the county in 2008, staying a total of 15.1 million nights. In addition there were 14.6 million day visitors. The combined spending of both groups
2888-523: 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). Local government in Dorset consists of two unitary authorities (UA): Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council , which governs
3040-460: A public consultation in 2009 Postcomm found that many respondents objected to the use of counties in the alias file. In May 2010 Postcomm announced that it was encouraging Royal Mail to discontinue the use of counties in its alias file at the earliest opportunity. However, because some existing software included the use of counties, Royal Mail was advised not to implement the change before 2013. The historic counties of England continue to be used as
3192-802: A review by the Local Government Commission for England , Bournemouth and Poole each became administratively independent single-tier unitary authorities in 1997. For representation in Parliament Dorset is divided into eight Parliamentary constituencies—five county constituencies and three borough constituencies . At the 2017 general election , the Conservative Party was dominant, taking all eight seats. The borough constituencies of Bournemouth East , Bournemouth West and Poole were traditionally Conservative safe seats and were all represented by Conservative members of parliament until
SECTION 20
#17328511397643344-622: A salaried county surveyor was to be appointed. By the 1880s it was being suggested that it would be more efficient if a wider variety of functions were provided on a county-wide basis. Some of the counties had major subdivisions. Of these, the most significant were the divisions of Yorkshire: the East Riding , West Riding , North Riding and the ainsty of York. Since Yorkshire was so large, its ridings became established as geographical terms quite apart from their original role as administrative divisions. The second largest county, Lincolnshire ,
3496-473: A seasonal service to the Channel Islands and St Malo , France. Poole and Portland harbours are capable of taking cruise liners. Bournemouth Airport , on the edge of Hurn village 6 kilometres (4 mi) north of Bournemouth, has scheduled and charter flights. Morebus and Damory provide a county wide bus network with frequent services linking major towns, including Bournemouth, Poole and Wimborne, and
3648-551: A service for those who live in the western districts of Dorset. The South West Main Line runs through the south at Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester and the terminus at Weymouth. 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. Dorset
3800-652: A ship from Gascony . 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. 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 by Humphrey Stafford, earl of Devon (originally of Hooke , Dorset) whose wider influence stretched from Cornwall to Wiltshire. After 1485, one of
3952-423: A substantial amount of international trade and tourism. Around 230 fishing vessels that predominantly catch crab and lobster are based in Dorset's ports. 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
4104-650: A trend reflected throughout the UK. 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. 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. 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
4256-525: A varied landscape of chalk downs , steep limestone ridges, and low-lying clay valleys. The majority of its coastline is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site due to its geological and palaeontologic significance, and features notable landforms such as Lulworth Cove , the Isle of Portland , Chesil Beach and Durdle Door . The north of the county contains part of Cranborne Chase ,
4408-783: A varied service in further rural locations. 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 Coaster service, which runs along the county's coastline. Yellow Buses provided bus services within Bournemouth and outlying areas until they ceased operating in 2022. Historic counties of England The historic counties of England are areas that were established for administration by
4560-520: 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 . Between the chalk hills are large, wide vales and wide flood plains . These vales are dotted with small villages, farms and coppices , and include
4712-422: Is a protected area as part of the Dorset National Landscape (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty ). The National Landscape Partnership describe it as a broad clay valley having a sweeping profile enclosed by the chalk escarpment to the north and east, and smaller limestone escarpment to the south, with a "strong undeveloped rural character". Land use is primarily a patchwork of dairy pasture and wet woodland in
River Bride, Dorset - Misplaced Pages Continue
4864-511: Is an outdoor arts festival that takes place every two years in rural and urban locations across Dorset. In addition to the smaller folk festivals held in towns such as Christchurch and Wimborne , Dorset holds several larger musical events such as Camp Bestival , End of the Road and the Larmer Tree Festival . Dorset's only professional football club is AFC Bournemouth , which plays in
5016-527: Is connected to the mainland by Chesil Beach , a 27-kilometre (17 mi) long shingle barrier beach protecting The Fleet , Britain's largest tidal lagoon. The county has one of the highest proportions of conservation areas in England, and two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) cover 53% of the administrative county. It has two heritage coasts totalling 92 kilometres (57 mi), and Sites of Special Scientific Interest covering 199 km (77 sq mi). The South West Coast Path ,
5168-617: Is known as the Dorset Cross or St Wite's Cross, was adopted in 2008 following a public competition organised by Dorset County Council. The winning design, which features a white cross with a red border on a golden background, attracted 54% of the vote. 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 . The golden colour represents Dorset's sandy beaches and
5320-641: Is less straightforward and includes Portland and Purbeck stone , other limestones , calcareous clays and shales . Portland and Purbeck stone are of national importance as a building material and for restoring some of Britain's most famous landmarks. Almost every type of rock known from the Early Jurassic to the Eocene epochs can be found in the county. Dorset has a number of limestone ridges which are mostly covered in either arable fields or calcareous grassland supporting sheep. These limestone areas include
5472-640: Is one of few English counties not well served by canals and has no motorways. The A303 , A35 and A31 trunk roads run through the county. The A303, which connects the West Country to London via the M3 , clips the north-west of the county. 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
5624-528: Is one of the largest natural harbours in the world. 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. 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 . The field, operated by Perenco from Wytch Farm , has
5776-419: Is similar usage in the single case of Berkshire, a county with a "-shire" suffix which is not named after a town and whose correct formation is "County of Berks". The "-shire" suffix was also appended for some counties, such as "Devonshire", "Dorsetshire" and "Somersetshire", despite their origin. For instance, there has been an Earl of Devonshire since 1603, and Duke of Devonshire since 1694. Great Britain
5928-488: Is the home to top-flight speedway team Poole 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 of Weymouth and Poole , and the harbours of Poole and Portland. Dorset hosted the sailing events at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics at
6080-757: The 2024 . The marginal seat of South Dorset is represented by Lloyd Hatton , who gained the seat from Conservative representative, Richard Drax , in 2024. The Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency has been represented by the Liberal Democrat MP, Vikki Slade since 2024. In the 2024 general election, the Conservatives held 2 constituencies in Dorset, while the Liberal Democrats gained 2 and Labour gained 4. A. Excludes self-employed , government-supported trainees and armed forces B. Includes industries that are also part of
6232-520: The Black Death entered England at Melcombe Regis in 1348. The county has seen much civil unrest: in the English Civil War an uprising of Clubmen vigilantes was crushed by Oliver Cromwell 's forces in a pitched battle near Shaftesbury ; the doomed Monmouth Rebellion began at Lyme Regis ; and the Tolpuddle Martyrs , a group of Dorset farm labourers, were instrumental in the formation of
River Bride, Dorset - Misplaced Pages Continue
6384-594: 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 sentenced to penal transportation , and nine were publicly whipped. 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 . During
6536-600: The British Army linked the recruiting areas of infantry regiments to the counties. Each English county sent two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons (in addition to the burgesses sent by boroughs). Yorkshire gained two members in 1821 when Grampound was disenfranchised. The Great Reform Act of 1832 reapportioned members throughout the counties, many of which were also split into parliamentary divisions. Constituencies based on
6688-487: The Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre , Poole Museum , Portland Museum and Wareham Town Museum . Dorset contains 190 conservation areas , more than 1,500 scheduled monuments , over 30 registered parks and gardens and 12,850 listed buildings . Grade I listed buildings include: Portland Castle , a coastal fort commissioned by Henry VIII ; a castle with more than a 1,000 years of history at Corfe ;
6840-485: The England and Wales average of 17.4%, and 18.6% are less than 17 years old, lower than the England and Wales average of 21.3%. The working age population (females and males between 16 and 64) is lower than England and Wales average, 60% compared to 64%. 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
6992-517: The Flag Institute in encouraging a new wave of county and community flags to be designed and flown by local communities. The flags of England's historic counties have been flown from Government offices in support of these identities. All 39 counties have registered flags, with the flag of Leicestershire the last to be adopted. In July 2019 the UK Government published official guidance on Celebrating
7144-559: The Friends of Real Lancashire and the Yorkshire Ridings Society , promotes the historic counties. It states that the "...ABC contends that Britain needs a fixed popular geography, one divorced from the ever changing names and areas of local government...The ABC, therefore, seeks to fully re-establish the use of the historic counties as the standard popular geographical reference frame of Britain and to further encourage their use as
7296-542: The Furness portion of Lancashire remained separated from the rest of Lancashire by a narrow strip of Westmorland — though it was accessible by way of the Morecambe Bay tidal flats . When the first county councils were set up in 1889, they covered newly created entities known as administrative counties . Several historic subdivisions with separate county administrations were also created administrative counties, particularly
7448-464: The Industrial Revolution largely bypassed Dorset which lacked coal resources and as a consequence the county remained predominantly agricultural. 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
7600-565: The Kingdom of England was united as a whole in 927 it became necessary to subdivide it for administrative convenience and to this end, earldoms were created out of the earlier kingdoms, which were in turn subdivided into shires. The whole kingdom was divided into shires by the time of the Norman conquest . Robert of Gloucester accounts for thirty-five shires and William of Malmesbury thirty-two, Henry of Huntingdon, thirty-seven. In Anglo-Saxon times
7752-509: The Kingdom of Kent , Surrey from the Anglian word for 'southern region', and Essex , Sussex and Middlesex come from the East Saxons , South Saxons and Middle Saxons . Norfolk and Suffolk were subdivisions representing the "North Folk" and "South Folk" of the Kingdom of East Anglia . Only one county on the south coast of England now usually takes the suffix "-shire": Hampshire , named after
SECTION 50
#17328511397647904-524: The Kingdom of Wessex . 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 of Caedwalla in 685. The Saxons established a diocese at Sherborne (later to develop into the Diocese of Salisbury ) 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. In 789
8056-668: The Laws in Wales Act 1535 . It was then added to the Oxford circuit of the English Assizes. For legal purposes it was regarded as part of England, but Laws since the late 19th century were often applied to " Wales and Monmouthshire ". It was listed among the English counties for parliamentary purposes until 1950 and for local government until 1974, but the Local Government Act 1972 unambiguously included
8208-730: The Lighthouse arts centre in Poole; the Bournemouth International Centre , Pavilion Theatre and O2 Academy in Bournemouth; and the Pavilion theatre in Weymouth. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra , founded in 1893, is based in Poole. Dorset has more than 30 general and specialist museums. The Dorset County Museum (now the Dorset Museum ) in Dorchester was founded in 1846 and contains an extensive collection of exhibits covering
8360-589: The London post town. It is common for people to speak of " Uxbridge , Middlesex", " Dagenham , Essex" or " Bromley , Kent" (which are outside the London postal district), but much less so to speak of " Brixton , Surrey", " Greenwich , Kent", or " West Ham , Essex" (which are inside it). In 1996, following further local government reform and the modernisation of its sorting equipment, the Royal Mail ceased to use counties at all in
8512-494: The March of Wales , which after the Norman conquest had been administered by Marcher Lords largely independently of the English monarch, were incorporated into the English counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire in 1535. There was historic ambiguity as to the status of the county of Monmouthshire . As with other Marcher areas added to existing counties, it was created out of "the said Country or Dominion of Wales" by
8664-542: The Normans , in many cases based on earlier kingdoms and shires created by the Angles , Saxons , Jutes , Celts and others. They are alternatively known as ancient counties , traditional counties , former counties or simply as counties . In the centuries that followed their establishment, as well as their administrative function, the counties also helped define local culture and identity. This role continued even after
8816-667: The Parliamentarians . 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. 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 . The Duke of Monmouth's unsuccessful attempt to overthrow James II began when he landed at Lyme Regis in 1685. A series of trials known as
8968-563: The Premier League —the highest division in the English football league system . Non-League semi-professional teams in the county include Southern Premier Division teams Dorchester Town F.C. , Poole Town F.C. and 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
9120-438: 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. 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 . In total some 4,500 Dorset servicemen died in
9272-732: The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy . The venue was completed in May 2009 and was used by international sailing teams in preparation for the Games. In motorsport, Dorset hosts the Extreme E Jurassic X Prix at Bovington Camp. 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 . The National Trust owns Thomas Hardy's Cottage , in Higher Bockhampton, east of Dorchester; and Max Gate , his former house in Dorchester. Several other writers have called Dorset home, including Douglas Adams , who wrote much of The Hitchhiker's Guide to
SECTION 60
#17328511397649424-445: The assizes and quarter sessions . Later earldoms were created that were not named after a shire, particularly from the 17th century onwards, but by that time the title of earl was honorary, with no effective role in local administration. Although all of England was divided into shires by the time of the Norman conquest, some counties were formed later, such as Lancashire in the 12th century. Perhaps because of their differing origins
9576-443: The earl and sheriff were jointly responsible for administering each shire through its shire court . Each earl was responsible for multiple shires, with some fluctuation in which shires belonged to which earldoms during this period. In the years following the Norman conquest of 1066 the large earldoms of the Anglo-Saxon era were gradually replaced by smaller earldoms corresponding to a single shire. The Norman French term for an earl
9728-467: The escarpment of the Dorset Downs . It flows west to its mouth west of Burton Bradstock , reaching the coast through a break in coastal cliffs at Burton Freshwater. It empties into the English Channel over the western end of Chesil Beach where it "forms itself into a pool and fights to get to the sea intact before sinking into the shingle." It has nine tributaries and descends more than 60 metres (200 ft) in its first three miles. The Bride Valley
9880-405: The lord-lieutenants – and their subordinate justices of the peace . Counties were used initially for the administration of justice , collection of taxes and organisation of the military, and later for local government and electing parliamentary representation. They continue to form the basis of modern local government areas in many parts of the country away from the main urban areas, although
10032-421: 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. Agriculture was historically the major industry of Dorset, but is now in decline in favour of tourism. Dorset derives its name from the county town of Dorchester . The Romans established
10184-455: The 1540s the office of Lord Lieutenant was instituted. The lieutenants had a military role, previously exercised by the sheriffs, and were made responsible for raising and organising the militia in each county. The lieutenancies were subsequently given responsibility for the Volunteer Force . In 1871 the lieutenants lost their positions as heads of the militia, and their office became largely ceremonial. The Cardwell and Childers Reforms of
10336-427: 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. 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. However,
10488-402: The 2024 United Kingdom general election when they were all gained by Labour. The county constituencies of North Dorset and Christchurch are also represented by Conservative MPs. Between 1997 and 2019, West Dorset was represented by Conservative MP Oliver Letwin who was the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office in David Cameron 's government. The seat was won by Edward Morello in
10640-399: 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
10792-447: The Blackmore Vale ( Stour valley ) and the Frome valley . The Blackmore Vale is composed of older Jurassic deposits, largely clays interspersed with limestones, and has traditionally been a centre for dairy agriculture. South-east Dorset, including the lower Frome valley and around Poole and Bournemouth, comprises younger Eocene deposits, mainly sands and clays of poor agricultural quality. The soils created from these deposits support
10944-545: The D-Day Normandy landings and gliders from RAF Tarrant Rushton dropped troops near Caen to begin Operation Tonga . Dorset experienced an increase in holiday-makers after the war. 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. With farming declining across
11096-495: 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. The 2011 Census records Dorset's population as 744,041. This consisted of 412,905 for the non-metropolitan county (not including Bournemouth and Poole), 183,491 for the unitary authority of Bournemouth and 147,645 for the unitary authority of Poole. In 2013 it
11248-487: The Dorset Downs, the average annual temperature of the county is 9.8 to 12 °C (49.6 to 53.6 °F). 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. Average annual rainfall varies across the county—southern and eastern coastal areas receive 700–800 mm (28–31 in) per year;
11400-637: 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 . 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. Running west from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids in Devon, it provides
11552-414: The English counties started to take shape soon afterwards, with the Kingdom of Kent founded by settlers around 445. In southern England more widely, shires emerged from earlier sub-kingdoms as part of the administrative structure of Wessex , which then imposed its system of shires, boroughs (or burhs ) and ealdormen on Mercia after it came under West Saxon control during the 10th century. Once
11704-739: The Galaxy while he lived in Stalbridge ; John le Carré , author of espionage novels, was born in Poole; Tom Sharpe of Wilt fame lived in Bridport; John Fowles ( The French Lieutenant's Woman ) lived in Lyme Regis before he died in late 2005; 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 ; John Cowper Powys , his elder brother, also set
11856-489: The Historic Counties of England, stating that "the tapestry of England's historic counties is one of the bonds which draws our nation together". Sussex and Yorkshire , both historic counties and long abandoned as units for administrative purposes, have continued to be widely recognised as cultural regions, significant in sport and used by many organisations as regional units. These counties, and several others, have
12008-536: The London urban area sprawls into Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. The Local Government Act 1972 sought generally to unite conurbations within a single county, while retaining the historic county boundaries as far as was practicable. In a period of financial crisis, the Post Office was able to alter many of its postal counties in accordance with the 1965 and 1974 reforms, but not all. The two major exceptions were Greater London and Greater Manchester . Greater London
12160-622: The North of England was left depopulated and was included in the returns for Cheshire and Yorkshire in the Domesday Book. However, there is some disagreement about the status of some of this land. The area in between the River Ribble and the River Mersey , referred to as "Inter Ripam et Mersam" in the Domesday Book, was included in the returns for Cheshire. Whether this meant that this land
12312-644: The Old English word sæte (meaning "people"). The same ending can also be seen in the neighbouring Somerset . 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. The first human visitors to Dorset were Mesolithic hunters, from around 8000 BC. The first permanent Neolithic settlers appeared around 3000 BC and were responsible for
12464-557: The Saxons in the 9th century. Devon and Cornwall were based on the pre-Saxon Celtic tribes known in Latin as the Dumnonii and Cornovii , in the latter case with the suffix wealas , meaning foreigners, added by the Saxons. When Wessex annexed Mercia in the 10th century, it subdivided the area into various shires of roughly equal size and tax-raising potential or hidage . These generally took
12616-531: The Stour, which rises in Wiltshire to the north, has its origins in clay soil. The River Avon , which flows mainly through Wiltshire and Hampshire, enters Dorset towards the end of its journey at Christchurch Harbour . 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
12768-436: The UK, Dorset is less affected by the more intense Atlantic winds than Cornwall and Devon. Dorset, along with the entire South West England , has higher winter temperatures, average 4.5 to 8.7 °C (40.1 to 47.7 °F), than the rest of the United Kingdom. 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). Excluding hills such as
12920-783: The administrative map, while new entities such as Avon , Cleveland , Cumbria and Humberside appeared, in addition to the six new metropolitan counties . The built-up areas of conurbations tend to cross historic county boundaries freely. Examples are Bournemouth – Poole – Christchurch ( Dorset and Hampshire ) Greater Manchester ( Cheshire , Derbyshire and Lancashire ), Merseyside (Cheshire and Lancashire), Teesside (Yorkshire and County Durham), South Yorkshire (Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire ), Tyneside (County Durham and Northumberland ) and West Midlands ( Staffordshire , Warwickshire and Worcestershire ). Greater London itself straddles five ancient counties — Essex , Hertfordshire , Kent, Middlesex , Surrey — and
13072-421: The ancient county boundaries remained in use until 1918. From the 16th century onwards the county was increasingly used as a unit of local government as the justices of the peace took on various administrative functions known as "county business". This was transacted at the quarter sessions , summoned four times a year by the lord lieutenant. By the 19th century the county magistrates were exercising powers over
13224-436: The area added became associated with the county borough's geographic county. However, this principle was not applied to Stockport or Cardiff , which remained divided, the latter even divided between Wales and England (from 1938 Cardiff included Rumney in the territory of the historic county of Monmouthshire , which was legally regarded as part of England until 1972 when it was instead assigned to Wales). On 1 April 1965,
13376-464: The area as part of Wales. A charter of Henry I in about 1130 gave the City of London its own Sheriff . The Sheriff of London also had jurisdiction over the county of Middlesex, so that "London and Middlesex were from that time regarded as one from an administrative point of view", although they retained their separate identities. This relationship continued until the Local Government Act 1888 created
13528-438: The averages for England and Wales of 82.9 and 79.1 years respectively. Around 95.2% of Dorset's population are of white ethnicity, 60.9% of the population are Christian and 28.5% say they are not religious. 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. Almost 43.7% are employed in
13680-580: The basis for county cricket teams and the governance of cricket in England through the ECB County Boards . There are exceptions in that Rutland is integrated with Leicestershire; the Isle of Wight has its own board outside the Hampshire one; there is a board for the ceremonial county of Cumbria which is representative of both Cumberland and Westmorland. In addition, the ECB County Boards include one for
13832-513: The border with modern-day Hampshire , delayed the advance of the Saxons into Dorset for almost 150 years. It appears to have been re-fortified during this period, with the former Roman Road at Ackling Dyke also being blocked by the Britons, apparently to prevent the West Saxon advance into Dorset. However, by the end of the 7th century Dorset had fallen under Saxon control and been incorporated into
13984-434: The boroughs or cities of Lincoln (1409), Nottingham (1448), Lichfield (1556) and Worcester (1622) as counties. The County of the City of Coventry was separated from Warwickshire in 1451, and included an extensive area of countryside surrounding the city. Charters granting separate county status to the cities and boroughs of Chester (1238/9), York (1396), Newcastle upon Tyne (1400) and Kingston-upon-Hull (with
14136-606: The boundaries and political functions of all ancient counties, including Middlesex and Monmouthshire , is the English Democrats Party . By the late Middle Ages the county was being used as the basis of a number of functions. The Assize Courts used counties, or their major divisions, as a basis for their organisation. Justices of the peace originating in Norman times as Knights of the Peace, were appointed in each county. At
14288-438: The boundaries now exist, henceforward shall be separated and exempt in every way from the said counties of Gloucester and Somerset, on land and by water; that it shall be a county in itself and be called the county of Bristol for ever… Similar arrangements were later applied to Norwich (1404), Southampton (1447), Canterbury (1471), Gloucester (1483), Exeter (1537), and Poole (1571). Charters were granted constituting
14440-530: The central town with the suffix "-shire", for example Yorkshire . Former kingdoms which became earldoms in the united England did not feature this formulation; so for Kent, Surrey and the Isle of Wight, the former kingdoms of the Jutes , "...shire" was not used. Counties ending in the suffix "-sex", the former Saxon kingdoms, are also in this category. Some of these names include compass directions. The third category includes counties such as Cornwall and Devon where
14592-525: The chalk and the heath. In the west this results in a hilly landscape of diverse character that resembles that of neighbouring county Devon . Marshwood Vale , a valley of Lower Lias clay at the western tip of the county, 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). A former river valley flooded by rising sea levels 6,000 years ago, Poole Harbour
14744-520: The counties varied considerably in size . The county boundaries were fairly static until the Local Government Act 1888 . Each shire was responsible for gathering taxes for the central government; for local defence; and for justice, through assize courts . In southern England the counties were mostly subdivisions of the Kingdom of Wessex , and in many areas represented annexed, previously independent, kingdoms or other tribal territories. Kent derives from
14896-498: The counties ceased to be used for administration after the creation of administrative counties in 1889, which were themselves amended by further local government reforms in the years following. Unlike the partly self-governing boroughs that covered urban areas, the counties of medieval England existed primarily as a means of enforcing central government power, enabling monarchs to exercise control over local areas through their chosen representatives – originally sheriffs and later
15048-682: The counties. In most cases, these consist of simple truncation, usually with an "s" at the end signifying "shire", such as "Berks" for Berkshire or "Bucks" for Buckinghamshire . Some abbreviations are not obvious, such as "Salop" for Shropshire , from the Norman -derived word for its county town Shrewsbury ; "Oxon" for Oxfordshire , from Latin Oxonia (referring to both the county and the city of Oxford ); "Hants" for Hampshire ; and "Northants" for Northamptonshire . Counties can be prefixed with "County of" in official contexts with any "-shire" suffix dropped, such as "County of Kent" or "County of York". There
15200-500: The country of Wales. A review of the structure of local government in England by the Local Government Commission for England led to the restoration of the East Riding of Yorkshire , Herefordshire , Rutland and Worcestershire as administrative areas in the 1990s; the abolition of Avon, Cleveland and Humberside within 25 years of their creation; and the restoration of the traditional borders between Somerset and Gloucestershire (except at Bristol ), County Durham and Yorkshire (towards
15352-421: The country, tourism has edged ahead as the primary revenue-earning sector. Dorset is largely rural with many small villages, few large towns and no cities. 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,
15504-472: The county was in agricultural use, up from 1,986 km (767 sq mi) in 1989, although this was due to an increase in permanent grass, and land set aside . By contrast, in the same period, arable land decreased from 993 to 916 km (383 to 354 sq mi). 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
15656-462: The county's history and environment. The Tank Museum at Bovington contains more than 300 tanks and armoured vehicles from 30 nations. The museum is the largest in Dorset and its collection has been designated of national importance . Other museums which reflect the cultural heritage of the county include The Keep Military Museum in Dorchester, the Russell-Cotes Museum in Bournemouth,
15808-445: The county's largest settlements: Bournemouth (183,491), Poole (151,500), and Christchurch (31,372). The remainder of the county is largely rural, and its principal towns are Weymouth (53,427) and Dorchester (21,366). Dorset contains two unitary authority areas : Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) and Dorset . The county did not historically include Bournemouth and Christchurch, which were part of Hampshire. Dorset has
15960-515: 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. A passenger seaport 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
16112-559: The county—most notably Maiden Castle which is one of the largest in Europe. The Romans arrived in Dorset during their conquest of Britain in AD 43. Maiden Castle was captured by the Legio II Augusta under the command of Vespasian , and the Roman settlement of Durnovaria was established nearby. Bokerley Dyke , a large defensive ditch built by the county's post-Roman inhabitants near
16264-609: The creation of the Dorset Cursus , a 10.5-kilometre (6.5 mi) monument for ritual or ceremonial purposes. 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 . During the Iron Age , the British tribe known as the Durotriges established a series of hill forts across
16416-405: The direction of mail. Instead it now uses the outward code (first half) of the postcode. The former postal counties were removed in 2000 from its Postcode Address File database and included in an "alias file", which is used to cross-reference details that may be added by users but are no longer required, such as former street names or historic, administrative and former postal counties. During
16568-499: The early part of the 12th century. Over the next 200 years Dorset's population grew substantially and additional land was enclosed for farming to provide the extra food required. 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. However, Dorset was devastated by the bubonic plague in 1348 which arrived in Melcombe Regis on
16720-511: The east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south-east, the English Channel to the south, and Devon to the west. The largest settlement is Bournemouth , and the county town is Dorchester . The county has an area of 2,653 km (1,024 sq mi) and a population of 772,268. Around half of the population lives in the South East Dorset conurbation , which contains three of
16872-407: The entire council occur every four years. The two authorities came into existence on 1 April 2019, when Bournemouth and Poole merged with Christchurch, one of six second-tier districts previously governed by Dorset County Council , leaving the other five districts - Weymouth and Portland , West Dorset , North Dorset , Purbeck and East Dorset - to form a second UA. Dorset County Council
17024-402: The first complete Ichthyosaur , discovered near Lyme Regis in 1811 by Mary Anning . 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 ). Jutting out into the English Channel at roughly the midpoint of the Dorset coastline is the Isle of Portland , a limestone island that
17176-615: 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. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, feudal rule was established in Dorset and the bulk of the land was divided between the Crown and ecclesiastical institutions. The Normans consolidated their control over the area by constructing castles at Corfe , Wareham and Dorchester in
17328-401: The former town of "Hamwic" (sic), the site of which is now a part of the city of Southampton . A "lost" Saxon county was Winchcombeshire which lasted from 1007 to 1017 before being incorporated into Gloucestershire . Dorset and Somerset derive their names from the saete or inhabitants of the areas around the towns of Dorchester and Somerton respectively; the names were first used by
17480-583: The head of the legal hierarchy were the High Sheriff and the Custos rotulorum (keeper of the rolls) for each county. The justices had responsibility for maintaining county gaols and houses of correction . During the 19th century penal reformers campaigned against the often primitive conditions in gaols, and under the Prison Act 1877 they came under Home Office control. Until the 19th century law enforcement
17632-684: The historic county boundary runs right up the middle of the high street; in Royal Tunbridge Wells the historic county boundary had a theatre (now the Corn Exchange) built right on it, with the actors playing in Sussex to an audience in Kent; and in Todmorden, the historically fractious border between Lancashire and Yorkshire (the river known as Walsden Water) had Todmorden Town Hall built right on top of it on
17784-643: The largest events of its kind in Europe, and the Bournemouth Air Festival , a free air show that attracted 1.3 million visitors in 2009. 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. The Dorset County Show, which was first held in 1841, is a celebration of Dorset's agriculture. The two-day event exhibits local produce and livestock and attracts some 55,000 people. Inside Out Dorset
17936-430: The licensing of alehouses, the construction of bridges, prisons and asylums, the superintendence of main roads, public buildings and charitable institutions, and the regulation of weights and measures. The justices were empowered to levy local taxes to support these activities, and in 1739 these were unified as a single "county rate", under the control of a county treasurer. In order to build and maintain roads and bridges,
18088-486: The major conurbation comprising the three towns; and Dorset Council which serves the more rural remainder of the county. For the BCP council, voters choose 76 councillors from 33 wards, with ten wards returning three candidates apiece and 23 wards, two. Dorset elects 82 councillors representing six three-councillor wards, 18 two-councillor wards and 28 single-councillor wards - 52 wards in total. In both authorities, elections for
18240-599: The most influential Dorset figures was Henry VII's chamberlain Giles Daubeney . 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. 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
18392-609: The mouth of the River Tees ; not in Teesdale ), and Yorkshire and Lincolnshire for ceremonial purposes in these areas. The case of Huntingdonshire was considered twice, but the Commission found that "there was no exceptional county allegiance to Huntingdonshire, as had been perceived in Rutland and Herefordshire". The Association of British Counties (ABC), with its regional affiliates, such as
18544-510: The name corresponds to the tribes who inhabited the area. County Durham is anomalous in terms of naming and origin, not falling into any of the three categories. Instead, it was a diocese that was turned into the County Palatine of Durham , ruled by the Bishop of Durham . The expected form would otherwise be "Durhamshire", but it was rarely used. There are customary abbreviations for many of
18696-499: The name of the main town (the county town ) of the county, along with "-shire". Examples are Northamptonshire and Warwickshire . In some cases the original names have been worn down: for example, Cheshire was originally "Chestershire". In the east Midlands, it is thought that county boundaries may represent a 9th-century division of the Danelaw between units of the Danish army. Rutland
18848-417: The newly created areas sometimes have considerably altered boundaries from the historic counties on which they are based. The name of a county often gives a clue to how it was formed, either as a division that took its name from a centre of administration, an ancient kingdom, or an area occupied by an ethnic group. The majority of English counties are in the first category, with the name formed by combining
19000-544: The same period the number of cattle fell from 240,413 to 170,700, and pigs from 169,636 to 72,700. 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 . The military presence has had a mixed effect on the local economy, bringing additional employment for civilians, but on occasion having
19152-586: The sea along the Dorset coastline; most notable of these are the Char , Brit , Bride and Wey . Most of Dorset's coastline is part of the Jurassic Coast , a World Heritage Site , which stretches for 155 kilometres (96 mi) between Studland and Exmouth in Devon. This coast documents the entire Mesozoic era, from Triassic to Cretaceous, and is noted for its geological landforms . The Dorset section has yielded important fossils, including Jurassic trees and
19304-619: The separate ridings of Yorkshire , the separate parts of Lincolnshire, and the East and West divisions of Sussex. The Local Government Act 1888 also contained wording to create both a new "administrative county" and a "county" of London , and to ensure that the county boroughs which were created at the same time continued for non-administrative purposes to be part of the county which they geographically lay. These counties were to be used "for all purposes, whether sheriff, lieutenant, custos rotulorum, justices, militia, coroner, or other". The effect
19456-416: The services industry C. 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. The primary sector produced 2.03% of GVA, the secondary sector produced 22.44% and 75.53% came from the tertiary sector . The average GVA for the 16 regions of South West England
19608-503: The settlement in the 1st century and named it Durnovaria which was a Latinised version of a Common Brittonic word possibly meaning "place with fist-sized pebbles". The Saxons named the town Dornwaraceaster (the suffix -ceaster being the Old English name for a "Roman town"; cf. Exeter and Gloucester ) and Dornsæte came into use as the name for the inhabitants of the area from Dorn (a reduced form of Dornwaraceaster ) and
19760-405: The surrounding area of Hullshire ) (1440). In 1551 Berwick upon Tweed , on the border with Scotland , was created a county corporate. The ancient counties have many anomalies, and many small exclaves , where a parcel of land was politically part of one county despite not being physically connected to the rest of the county. The Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844 was passed, the effect of which
19912-623: The time of the Domesday Book , some parts of what later became Wales were included in English counties: Monmouth , for example, was included in Herefordshire . Additionally, the Domesday Book included, as part of Cheshire, areas that later became part of Wales, including the two hundreds of Atiscross and Exestan , and the southern part of Duddestan Hundred (as it was known as the time), which later became known as Maelor Saesneg (English Maelor), and (later still) " Flintshire Detached". Parts of
20064-454: The towns of Christchurch and Ferndown plus many surrounding villages. Bournemouth, the most populous town in the conurbation, was established in the Georgian era when sea bathing became popular. 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
20216-400: The valley floor, and arable, scrub and calcareous grassland on the valley sides. The river's name is of Celtic origin. It is derived from Old Welsh Brydi , related to Cornish bredion "to boil", so means "boiling or gushing" stream. The river gives its name to Long Bredy , Littlebredy, Burton Bradstock and probably Bridport. This article related to a river in England is
20368-532: The war and of the county's towns and villages, only one, Langton Herring , known as a Thankful Village , had no residents killed. 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. Tens of thousands of troops departed Weymouth, Portland and Poole harbours during
20520-440: The west of the county; Verwood and the historic Saxon market towns of Wareham and Wimborne Minster are located to the east. Lyme Regis and Swanage are small coastal towns popular with tourists. Under construction on the western edge of Dorchester is the experimental new town of Poundbury commissioned and co-designed by Charles III when he was Prince of Wales. The suburb, which is expected to be fully completed by 2025,
20672-520: The world's oldest continuously pumping well at Kimmeridge which has been producing oil since the early 1960s. 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. Much of the county drains into three rivers, the Frome, Piddle and Stour which all flow to the sea in a south-easterly direction. The Frome and Piddle are chalk streams but
20824-477: The world. The other two major settlements in the county are Dorchester, which has been the county town since at least 1305, and Weymouth, a major seaside resort since the 18th century. 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. Beaminster and Bridport are situated in
20976-495: Was subsequently treated as part of Worcestershire , as the remainder already was. Exclaves that the 1844 Act did not touch included the part of Derbyshire around Donisthorpe , locally in Leicestershire ; a part of Huntingdonshire near Woodbury Park , separated by Cambridgeshire ; and most of the larger exclaves of Worcestershire, including the town of Dudley , which remained surrounded by Staffordshire . Additionally,
21128-448: Was a comte or count ; whilst in England the title count was not used for the person, the territory they controlled nevertheless became known as a 'county'. As the shires and counties were generally the same areas from the 12th century onwards, the terms shire and county came to be used interchangeably. The earls' role in administering their counties was gradually reduced as the shire court was eclipsed in importance by other courts, notably
21280-513: Was a successor to the Viking kingdom of York and the Brittonic kingdom of Elmet ; at the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 it was considered to include what was to become northern Lancashire , as well as parts of Cumberland , and Westmorland . Most of the later Cumberland and Westmorland were under Scottish rule until 1092. After the Norman Conquest in 1066 and the harrying of the North , much of
21432-536: Was actually part of Cheshire is however not clear. The Northeast land that later became County Durham and Northumberland , was left unrecorded. Cumberland, Westmorland, Lancashire, County Durham and Northumberland were established as counties in the 12th century. Lancashire can be firmly dated to 1182. Part of the domain of the Bishops of Durham , Hexhamshire was split off and was considered an independent county until 1572, when it became part of Northumberland. At
21584-570: Was an anomalous territory or soke , associated with Nottinghamshire , but it eventually became considered the smallest county. Lincolnshire was the successor to the Kingdom of Lindsey , and took on the territories of Kesteven and Holland when Stamford became the only Danelaw borough to fail to become a county town. Much of Northumbria was also shired, the best known of these counties being Hallamshire and Cravenshire . The Normans did not use these divisions, and so they are not generally regarded as ancient counties. The huge county of Yorkshire
21736-449: Was designed to integrate residential and retail buildings and counter the growth of dormitory towns and car-oriented development. 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. A large percentage (66%) of the county comprises either chalk , clay or mixed sand and gravels . The remainder
21888-472: 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. More than half of the county's residents live in the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch conurbation. 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, 23.6% are over 65 years of age, higher than
22040-625: Was first divided into administrative areas by the Romans, most likely following major geographical features such as rivers. Before their arrival there were distinct tribal areas, but they were in a constant state of flux as territory was gained and lost. After the demise of Roman Britain around 410 these first divisions of land were generally abandoned, although traditional divisions taking the form of petty kingdoms such as Powys , Dumnonia and Elmet remained in those areas which remained British , such as south west England . The areas that would later form
22192-400: Was first formed in 1888 by an act of government to govern the newly created administrative county of Dorset which had been 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. Following
22344-538: Was mostly carried out at the parish level. With an increasingly mobile population, however, the system became outdated. Following the successful establishment of the Metropolitan Police in London, the County Police Act 1839 empowered justices of the peace to form county constabularies outside boroughs. The formation of county police forces was made compulsory by the County and Borough Police Act 1856 . In
22496-603: Was not adopted in 1965, since, according to the Post Office at the time, it would have been too expensive to do so, while it gave as its reason for not adopting Greater Manchester the ambiguity of the name with the Manchester post town . Perhaps as a result of this, the ancient counties appear not to have fallen completely out of use for locating places in Greater Manchester, along with areas of Greater London that are not part of
22648-557: Was that new county boroughs which were counties corporate retained their status as separate counties. In retrospect, these "statutory" counties can be identified as the predecessors of the ceremonial counties of England. The censuses of 1891, 1901 and 1911 provided figures for the "ancient counties". Several towns are historically divided between counties, including Banbury , Burton upon Trent , Newmarket , Peterborough , Royal Tunbridge Wells , Royston , Stamford, Tamworth , Todmorden , Warrington and Wisbech . In Newmarket and Tamworth
22800-545: Was to treat many of these exclaves as part of the county which surrounded them. This had already been done for Parliamentary purposes under the Great Reform Act 1832. Large exclaves affected by the 1844 Act included the County Durham exclaves of Islandshire , Bedlingtonshire and Norhamshire , which were subsequently treated as hundreds of Northumberland ; and those parts of Halesowen forming part of Shropshire, which
22952-415: Was £1,458 million. Towns received 56% of Dorset's day trippers, 27% went to the coast and 17% to the countryside. 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. Numbers of domestic and foreign tourists have fluctuated in recent years due to various factors including security and economic downturn,
23104-554: Was £4,693 million. 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. 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%. In 2007, 2,039 km (787 sq mi) of
#763236