| Dorchester | |
| |
Dorchester shown within Dorset | |
| Population | 16,171 (2001 Census) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | West Dorset |
| Shire county | Dorset |
| Region | South West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DORCHESTER |
| Postcode district | DT1 |
| Dialling code | 01305 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| European Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | West Dorset |
| List of places: UK • England • Dorset | |
Dorchester is a market town in southern central Dorset, England, on the River Frome at the junction of the A35 and A37 roads, 20 miles (32 km) west of Poole and 8 miles (13 km) north of Weymouth. Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government Demographics In the Census 2001 West Dorset registered a Population of 92350 estimated to be 94000 As of 2004. Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The DT postcode area, also known as the Dorchester postcode area, is a group of postal districts around Beaminster, Blandford Forum, Bridport The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Dorset Police is the Home Office Police force with the responsibility of policing the English County of Dorset. The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Dorset Fire and Rescue Service is the Statutory Fire and Rescue Service for the area of Dorset, South West England. Divisions & Stations The trust is split into 2 divisions West - Devon and Cornwall including West Divisional HQ 999 and PTS Control at South West England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election West Dorset is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which covers almost the same geographical A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of settlements and other places in Dorset, England. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Market town or market right is a legal term originating in the Medieval period for a European settlement that has the right to hold Markets Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The River Frome (fruːm is a River in Dorset in the south of England. The A35 is a Trunk road in southern England, running from Honiton in Devon, that then passes through Dorset and terminates in Southampton The A37 is a major Road in southern England. It runs north from the A35 at Dorchester in Dorset into Somerset through Poole ( is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset on the south coast of England Weymouth (ˈweɪməθ is a town in Dorset, England situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast In 2001 the town had a population of 16,171 and a catchment population of approximately 40,000. A catchment is any device or structure that captures Water. There were 7,386 dwellings in 2001 and 205 shops in 1991. Dorchester has been the county town of Dorset since 1305. A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland.
A market is held on Wednesdays. Major employers include Dorset County Council, West Dorset District Council and Dorset County Hospital. A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a County. Demographics In the Census 2001 West Dorset registered a Population of 92350 estimated to be 94000 As of 2004. Dorset County Hospital is an NHS district general hospital in the town of Dorchester Dorset, England and is operated by West Dorset General Hospitals
The town has two private schools, three first schools, two middle schools and one upper school. The upper school, The Thomas Hardye School, can trace its origins back to 1569, when it was founded by a Dorchester merchant of that name. The Thomas Hardye School is a Secondary school in Dorchester Dorset. The Dorset County Museum is centrally located in a Gothic-style building. The Dorset County Museum is located in Dorchester Dorset, England. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period.
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Dorchester's roots stem back to prehistoric times. Durnovaria is the Latin form of the Brythonic name for the Roman town of Dorchester in the modern English county of Dorset Settlements were first based around Maiden Castle, a large Iron Age hill fort that was one of the most powerful settlements in pre-Roman Britain, with varying tribes having existed there since 4000BC. Maiden Castle is a Hill fort, mostly dating from the Iron Age, in the Civil parish of Winterborne Monkton, situated 2 Miles south This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. A hill fort is a fortified refuge or defended settlement Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 The Durotriges were likely to have been there at the arrival of the Romans in AD43. The Durotriges were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands prior to the Roman invasion of Britain. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC
The Romans finally defeated the local tribes by AD70. After possibly being converted from a garrison to a town, the Romans named the settlement Durnovaria. This was a Brythonic name meaning 'place with fist-sized pebbles' and almost certainly took part of its name from the local Durotriges tribe who inhabited the area. The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages or British languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family the other being [1] Durnovaria was first recorded in the 4th century Antonine Itinerary and became a market centre for the surrounding countryside, and an important road junction and staging post,[2] and eventually one of the twin capitals of the Celtic Durotriges tribe[3]. The Antonine Itinerary (in Latin: Antonini Itinerarium) is a register of the stations and distances along the various roads of the Roman empire, containing Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts The Durotriges were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands prior to the Roman invasion of Britain.
The Romans walled the town and the remains can still be seen today. The walls were largely replaced with walks that form a square inside modern Dorchester. Known as 'The Walks' a small segment of the original Roman wall still exists today near the Top 'o Town roundabout.
The town still has some Roman features, including part of the town walls and the foundations of a Roman town house, which are freely accessible near County Hall. Historically in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in many other countries a townhouse (or a "house in town" was a residence of a peer or member of the There are many Roman finds in the County Museum. The Romans built an 8-mile (13 km) aqueduct to supply the town with water, lengths of the terrace on which it was constructed still remain in parts. An aqueduct is an artificial channel that is constructed to convey water from one location to another Near the town centre is Maumbury Rings, an ancient British earthwork converted by the Romans for use as an amphitheatre, and to the north west is Poundbury Hill, another pre-Roman fortification. Maumbury Rings is a Neolithic Henge in the south of Dorchester town in Dorset, England. An amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is an open-air venue for spectator sports concerts rallies or theatrical performances Poundbury Hill Hill fort ( is the site of a Middle Bronze Age enclosure
There is little evidence for continued occupation after the withdrawal of the Roman administration from Britain. However, in 1996, David Nash Ford suggested that the town became known as Caer Durnac, mistakenly recorded by Nennius as Caer Urnac. Nennius, or Nemnivus, is either of two shadowy personages traditionally associated with the history of Wales. [4]. The area remained in British hands until the mid 7th century and there was certainly continuity of use of the Roman cemetery at nearby Poundbury where a settlement later grew up. A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. Poundbury is an experimental New town — or more correctly a new Village — on the outskirts of Dorchester in the County of Dorset [4] Dorchester has therefore been suggested as the centre of a sub-kingdom of Dumnonia or other regional power base. For the Brythonic colony of the same name in Brittany see Domnonée Dumnonia, sometimes referred to as Damnolia, was a Brythonic [4] [5]
By 864, the area around Durnovaria/Caer Durnac was dominated by the newly established Saxons, who came to refer to themselves as Dorsaetas. The Saxons or Saxon people were a Confederation of Old Germanic tribes. In their own language, they referred to the town as Dornwaraceaster/Dornwaracester, combining the original name 'Dor/Dorn' from the Latin/Celtic languages with the word 'cester', which was an Anglo-Saxon word used for 'Roman Fort'. The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic" a branch of the greater Indo-European Language family. [6]
The name would further change to Dorncester/Dornceaster until modern Dorchester emerged some time later. It continued as a thriving commercial and political centre for south Dorset with a textile trading and manufacturing industry continuing until the 17th century. [7]
In 1613 and 1725 great fires destroyed large parts of the town, but some of the mediaeval buildings, including Judge Jeffreys' lodgings, and the Tudor almshouse survive in the town centre, amongst the replacement Georgian buildings, many of which are built in Portland limestone. The Tudor style in architecture is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period (1485&ndash1603 and even beyond for conservative college Almshouses are charitable Housing provided to enable people (typically elderly people who can no longer work to earn enough to pay Georgian architecture is the name given in most English -speaking countries to the set of Architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840 Portland stone is a Limestone from the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset.
In 1642, just prior to the English Civil War, Hugh Green, a Catholic chaplain was executed here. The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. Hugh Green was an English Catholic Martyr, born about 1584 and executed 19 August 1642. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". After his execution, Puritans then played football with his head.
In the 17th century the town was at the centre of the Puritan emigration to America, and the local Rector, John White, organised the settlement of Dorchester, Massachusetts. A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating for more "purity" of Worship and Doctrine, "Emigrant" redirects here For the Butterflies, see Catopsilia. The word rector ("ruler" from the Latin regere and Rector meaning "Teacher" In Latin has a number of different meanings but all of them indicate an academic John White may refer to Sportsmen Jock White, Scottish footballer (1897-1986 born John White John White (footballer, Dorchester is a neighborhood of Boston Massachusetts. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which
The town was heavily defended against the Royalists in the English Civil War. Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I during the English Civil War ( 1642 &ndash 1651 The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists.
In 1685 the Duke of Monmouth failed in his invasion attempt, the Monmouth Rebellion, and almost 300 of his men were condemned to death or transportation in the "Bloody Assizes", held in the Oak Room of the Antelope Hotel, Dorchester and presided over by Judge Jeffreys. James Crofts, later James Scott 1st Duke of Monmouth and 1st Duke of Buccleuch ( April 9 1649 &ndash July 15 1685) was an English The Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, also known as the Pitchfork Rebellion, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England at The Bloody Assizes were a series of trials started at Winchester on 25th August 1685 in the aftermath of the Battle of Sedgemoor, which ended the Monmouth Rebellion George Jeffreys 1st Baron Jeffreys of Wem, PC ( May 15 1645 &ndash April 18 1689) also known as " The Hanging Judge
In 1833, The Tolpuddle Martyrs formed the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of 19th century British labourers who were arrested for and convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society Trade unions were now legal, but due to them actually swearing an oath of allegiance, they were arrested and tried in the Shire Hall in Dorchester. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming An oath of allegiance is an Oath whereby a subject or Citizen acknowledges his/her duty of Allegiance and swears loyalty to his Monarch This building still remains and is preserved as it was at the time. Under the court are the cells in which prisoners were kept while waiting for their appearance in court.
Dorchester remained a compact town within the boundaries of the old town walls until the latter part of the 19th century, due to the ownership of all land immediately adjacent to the west, south and east by the Duchy of Cornwall. This land composed the Manor of Fordington, and a select few developments had encroached onto it:
This remaining Duchy land was farmed under the open field system until, in 1874, after repeated attempts by both landowner and some residents, the land was enclosed - or consolidated - into three large farms. The open field system was the prevalent Agricultural system in much of Europe from the Middle Ages to as recently as the 20th century in places [9] Soon afterwards followed a series of key developments for the town: the enclosing of Poundbury hillfort for public enjoyment in 1876, the 'Fair Field' (new site for the market, off Weymouth Avenue) in 1877, The Recreation Ground (also off Weymouth Avenue) opening in 1880, and the imposing Eldridge Pope brewery of 1881, adjacent to the railway line to Southampton. Eldridge Pope was a traditional Brewery situated in Dorchester, Dorset in England. Salisbury Field was retained for public use in 1892, with land being purchased in 1895 for the formal Borough Gardens, between West Walks and Cornwall Road. [9] The clock and bandstand were added in 1898. [10]
Meanwhile, land had begun to be developed for housing outside the walls. This included the Cornwall Estate, between the Borough Gardens and the Great Western Railway, from 1876 and the Prince of Wales Estate, centred on Prince of Wales Road, from 1880. Land for the Victoria Park Estate was bought in 1896 and building began in 1897, Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th Anniversary in the case of a person (e The lime trees in Queen's Avenue were planted in the February of 1897. [9]
Poundbury is the well-known western extension of the town, constructed on Duchy of Cornwall land (owned by Charles, Prince of Wales) according to urban village principles since 1993. Poundbury is an experimental New town — or more correctly a new Village — on the outskirts of Dorchester in the County of Dorset The Duchy of Cornwall is with the Duchy of Lancaster, one of the two Royal duchies in England. An urban village is an Urban planning and Urban design concept Being developed over 25 years, it will eventually be composed of four phases with a total of 2,500 dwellings and a population of about 6,000. Poundbury will also now house a new headquarters for the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service as well as a new fire station to be completed by September 2008[11]. Dorset Fire and Rescue Service is the Statutory Fire and Rescue Service for the area of Dorset, South West England. A fire station (also called stationhouse) is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus (i Prince charles designed the estate (as well as the local tesco supermarket) and makes several visits throughout the year.
The Eldridge Pope brewery ceased production in July 2003. Eldridge Pope was a traditional Brewery situated in Dorchester, Dorset in England. A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of Beer, though beer can be made in the home and has been for much of beer's history West Dorset District Council granted detailed planning permission for the redevelopment of the brewery in November 2007. Demographics In the Census 2001 West Dorset registered a Population of 92350 estimated to be 94000 As of 2004. The new town quarter, to be known as Brewery Square, includes 30 buildings; new restaurants, bars, 40 shops, a three screen cinema and a replacement solar-powered railway station (the first in the country) at Dorchester South. A new four star, 48 bed, Conran designed hotel, will be created from the conversion of the listed Brewhouse, originally designed by Crickmay & Sons. Crickmay was the architect who employed Thomas Hardy until 1872, when he became a full time writer. The scheme also includes c. 650 new apartments and 22 houses. The architects are CZWG for most of the new buildings and Conran & Partners for all the conversion buildings and two new buildings. It is one of the largest regeneration projects in the South West, with over 72,000 sq. m. (770,000 sq ft. ) of development on the 11. 5 acre site situated between the main shopping area on South Street, the market and the Dorchester South Station.
The Maltings, one of the original 1880s listed buildings, is, subject to funding, to become a new arts centre for Dorchester. It would replace the existing and cramped premises on School Lane. Oliver Letwin MP, initiated the demolition of the 20th century industrial buildings in early 2006. Construction work on Phase 1, the conversion of the Italianate 1880's Eldridge Pope Offices, started on site in August 2007 and is due for completion in August 2008. The Sales & Marketing Suite for the development is due to open in April 2008. In June 2007 the Environment Agency granted a license to enable enough water for the scheme to be abstracted so that all the buildings will self sufficient in water from its own well; the same one used by the Brewery since 1880.
The developers are Brewery Square Ltd. , a Waterhouse company, controlled by Andrew Wadsworth and Robert Ackland.
The town has two railway stations. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. Dorchester South railway station on the South Western Main Line to London, Bournemouth & Southampton, until the 1970s an idiosyncratic structure where trains to London reversed twice, then rejoined the through line, was rebuilt in 1989, but Dorchester West railway station, serving Westbury, Bath and Bristol via the Heart of Wessex Line, is still the original Great Western Railway structure designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Dorchester South railway station is one of two Railway stations serving the town of Dorchester in Dorset. The South Western Main Line is a Railway line from London Waterloo to Weymouth on the Dorset coast in the south of England. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Bournemouth ( is a large coastal resort town in the Borough of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. Southampton ( IPA /ˌsaʊθˈhæmptən/ is the largest city in the county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England Dorchester West railway station is one of two Railway stations serving the town of Dorchester in Dorset. Westbury is a Town and Civil parish (population 11135 in the 2001 census in the west of the English county of Wiltshire, most famous for the Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London The Heart of Wessex Line, also known as the Bristol to Weymouth line, is a United Kingdom railway line that runs from Bristol to Westbury Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS (9 April 1806 &ndash 15 September 1859 (ˈɪzəmbɑrd ˈkɪŋdəm brʊˈnɛl was a British Engineer.
A bypass was completed in 1988 [12] by Mowlem to the south and west of the town, removing through traffic using the A35 and A37 from the town. Mowlem was founded in 1822 and grew to be one of the largest construction and civil engineering companies in the United Kingdom. The A35 is a Trunk road in southern England, running from Honiton in Devon, that then passes through Dorset and terminates in Southampton The A37 is a major Road in southern England. It runs north from the A35 at Dorchester in Dorset into Somerset through
Local author and poet Thomas Hardy based the fictional town of Casterbridge on Dorchester. Thomas Hardy OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928 was an English novelist Short story writer and poet of the naturalist movement though he saw The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886 is a tragic novel by English Author Thomas Hardy subtitled "The Life and Death of a Man of Character" Hardy's childhood home is to the east of the town, and his house in town, Max Gate, is owned by the National Trust and open to the public. Max Gate is the former home of Thomas Hardy and is located in Dorchester, Dorset, England. The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organization in England, Wales William Barnes, the local dialect poet, was Rector of Winterborne Came, a small hamlet near Dorchester, for 24 years until his death in 1886,[13] and ran a school in the town. William Barnes (22nd February 1801 - 7th October 1886 was an English Writer, Poet, minister and Philologist. Both men have statues in the town centre; Barnes stands outside St Peter's Church and Hardy's beside the Top o' Town crossroads. Cecil Day Lewis is buried in Stinsford, one mile (1. Cecil Day-Lewis (or Day Lewis) CBE ( 27 April 1904 &ndash 22 May 1972) was an Irish -born Poet Stinsford is a village in south west Dorset, England, one Mile east of Dorchester. 6 km) from Dorchester. Hardy is buried in London, but his heart was buried here.
On the hills to the south west stands Hardy Monument, a memorial to the other local Thomas Hardy, Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, who served with Lord Nelson, which overlooks the town with views of Weymouth, the Isle of Portland and Chesil Beach. The Hardy Monument is a high Monument erected by public subscription in 1844 in memory of Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy, a commander at the Battle of Trafalgar Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy 1st Baronet GCB ( 5 April 1769 &ndash 20 September 1839) was a British Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson 1st Viscount Nelson 1st Duke of Bronté, KB (29 September 1758– 21 October 1805 was a British Weymouth (ˈweɪməθ is a town in Dorset, England situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast The Isle of Portland ( is a limestone tied island long by wide in the English Channel. Chesil Beach, sometimes called Chesil Bank, is a Tombolo in Dorset, southern England.
On December 15, 2004, Dorchester was granted Fairtrade Town status. Events 533 - Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Fairtrade Town is a marketing tool in which this status is awarded by a recognized Fairtrade certification body (i
Dorchester Town F.C., a Conference South football (soccer) team, is based at the Avenue Stadium on Weymouth Avenue. Dorchester Town Football Club play in the Conference South. They play at the Avenue Stadium in Dorchester Dorset, England, on land owned by the Conference South (currently billed as Blue Square South for sponsorship reasons is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The Avenue Stadium is a Football (soccer stadium home of Dorchester Town.