Welcome to Dorchester
CLICK FOR 2021 CENSUS DATAIntroduction
Dorchester ( DOR-ches-tər) is the county town of Dorset, England. It is situated between Poole and Bridport on the A35 trunk route. An historic market town, Dorchester is on the banks of the River Frome to the south of the Dorset Downs and north of the South Dorset Ridgeway that separates the area from Weymouth, 7 miles (11 km) to the south. The civil parish includes the experimental community of Poundbury and the suburb of Fordington. The area around the town was first settled in prehistoric times. The Romans established a garrison there after defeating the Durotriges tribe, calling the settlement that grew up nearby Durnovaria; they built an aqueduct to supply water and an amphitheatre on an ancient British earthwork. After the departure of the Romans, the town diminished in significance, but during the medieval period became an important commercial and political centre. It was the site of the "Bloody Assizes" presided over by Judge Jeffreys after the Monmouth Rebellion, and later the trial of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. In the 2011 census, the population of Dorchester was 19,060, with further people coming from surrounding areas to work in the town which has six industrial estates. The Brewery Square redevelopment project is taking place in phases, with other development projects planned. The town has a land-based college, Kingston Maurward College, The Thomas Hardye School, three middle schools and thirteen first schools. The Dorset County Hospital offers an accident and emergency service, and the town is served by two railway stations. Through vehicular traffic is routed round the town by means of a bypass. The town has a football club and a rugby union club, several museums and the biannual Dorchester Festival. It is twinned with three towns in Europe. As well as having many listed buildings, a number of notable people have been associated with the town. It was for many years the home and inspiration of the author Thomas Hardy, whose novel The Mayor of Casterbridge uses a fictionalised version of Dorchester as its setting.
Parish Information
Parish statistics
Area |
712 hectares |
---|---|
Population |
20,117 (2021) |
Density |
2,827 people/km2 |
Mean age |
43.4 |
Ward |
Dorchester East |
District |
West Dorset |
Postcodes |
DT1 |
ONS ID |
E04003533 |
Council
Contact details for Dorchester Parish Council, including current councillors, precept data and election results.
Education
View educational establishments in Dorchester Parish. Data includes OFSTED rating and current appointed governors.
Business
Business directory listing local businesses operating within Dorchester Parish.
Planning
View recent planning applications submitted for Dorchester Parish.
Property
Price paid data for all property sold in Dorchester Parish since 2018. Includes average prices for each property type.
Heritage
Local heritage sites, historic churches, heritage pubs plus local heritage initiatives for Dorchester Parish.
Local News
Hosted and licensed by Dorset Echo
No trains between Weymouth and Dorchester in mid-March due to engineering works
Published: 6th Mar 2024
Hosted and licensed by RailAdvent - Railway News
Services on Heart of Wessex Line to be disrupted by track renewal work - RailAdvent
Published: 5th Mar 2024
Hosted and licensed by BBC.com
Dorchester South station access improvements trialled
Published: 27th Jun 2023