Dorset

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One of England's most beautiful counties, Dorset is located in South West England. It has a population of around 700,000 and covers 1,025 square miles (2,655 sq km). The county town is Dorchester.

Geography

Bordered on south by the English Channel, on the North by Devon. It is a county of rolling hills and lovely valleys with villages nestling I the landscape. The major hills are North Dorset and South Dorset downs. These chalk hills run east and west across the county. The principal harbour is located at Poole on the south coast. Some popular tons include Abbptsbury, Blandford Forum, Bournemouth, Bridport, Cerne Abbas, Christchurch, Colehill, Corfe Castle, Dorchester, Ferndown, Gillingham, Lyme Regis, Lytchett Matravers, Lytchett Minster, Poole, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Swanage, Tolpuddle, Wareham, Weymouth, Wimborne Minster, Wool, Wyke Regis

Industry

The fertile valleys are mainly devoted to both arable and pastoral agriculture as well as dairy farming. Portland stone for fine buildings and Purbeck marble are quarried. Tourism is an important part of the local economy; Bournemouth has been a popular seaside resort since the late 19th century when it was fashionable to take the sea air.

History

Signs of Prehistoric man can be seen on many hilltops in the form of burial mounds and there are numerous Iron Age hill forts, including the spectacular Maiden Castle near Dorchester. The Romans reached the county and have left many remains of their houses and temples including many mosaics. The county was part of the Kingdom of Wessex. Wareham was built by King Alfred in the 9th century, possibly to help in his fight against the Danes. Medieval monasteries can be seen at Abbotsbury, Cerne Abbas, Forde Abbey and Milton Abbey. Tudor and Stuart manor houses are found throughout the county. The Black Death, which killed a third of the population of England, is believed to have originated at Melcombe Regis in 1385 when rats carrying the disease arrived on a boat. Lyme Regis was the landing place for the Duke of Monmouth in 1685. Tolpuddle was the scene where the famous Martyrs sought to 'assemble' to protect their rights. Dorset is especially well known for its literary sons and daughters including Thomas Hardy, who used the Dorset countryside as a basis in many of his novels.

Places of Interest

Abbotsbury Abbey, Abbotsbury Castle, Abbotsbury Sub-tropical Gardens, Abbotsbury Swannery, Badbury Rings, Bat's Head, Blue Pool, Bokerley Dyke, Bovington Tank Museum, Bran Point, Brownsea Island, Bulbarrow Hill, Canford Heath, Cerne Abbas giant, Chapman's Pool, Chesil Beach and The Fleet, Chettle House, Church Ope Cove, Clouds Hill, Corfe Castle, Cranborne Manor, Crichel House, Dancing Ledge, Dorchester Castle, Durdle Door, Durlston Country Park, Edmondsham House, Eggardon, Fiddleford Mill, Flagstones, Forde Abbey, Golden Cap, Hambledon Hill, Hambury Tout, Hammoon Manor, Hardy Monument, Hardy's Cottage, Hengistbury Head, Hod Hill, Holt Heath, Horton Tower, Isle of Portland and Portland Bill, Jordan Hill Roman Temple, Kimmeridge, Kingston Lacy, Kingston Maurward, Kingston Russell, Lewesdon Hill, Limekiln Hill, Lulworth Castle, Lulworth Cove, Maiden Castle, Maumbury Rings, Melbury Down, Milton Abbey, Monkey World, Moors Valley Country Park, Mount Pleasant Henge, Nine Barrow Down, Nothe Fort, Old Harry Rocks, Osmington Mills, Osmington White Horse, Pilsdon Pen, Portland Castle, Portland Sculpture Park, Poundbury Hill, Purse Caundle Manor, Ringstead Bay, Rufus Castle, Sandsfoot Castle, Sherborne Abbey, Sherborne Castle, Sherborne House, Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, South West Coast Path, St Aldhelm's Head, St Catherine's Chapel, Stonebarrow Hill, Studland Bay, Swanage Railway, Thorncombe Beacon, Tyneham (MOD ghost village), Wareham Forest, Weymouth Beach, White Nothe, Wimborne Minster, Winspit, Winterborne Came House, Worbarrow Bay.

Dorset Flag