Dorset Gazetteer of Historic Towns and Villages

Abbotsbury packs a lot to see in a small space. This quiet village on the Dorset coast boasts a world-famous Swannery, an award-winning sub-tropical garden, a remarkable medieval tithe barn, an Iron Age hill fort, and a striking medieval chapel on the hill above the village.
Abbotsbury, Jurrasic Coast, Dorset, England

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Affpuddle is a small village in rural Dorset, set in the valley of the Piddle, about 11 miles north of Dorchester. There are several thatched cottages in the village, as well as a lovely 12th-century parish church dedicated to St Lawrence.
Affpuddle, Dorset, England

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Batcombe is a small village on the slopes of the Dorset Downs. Above the village rises Batcombe Down, at the top of which is a stone pillar known as The Cross-in-Hand. The pillar was used to dramatic effect in Thomas Hardy's novel, 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles'. It is said that some who see the Cross can view a ghostly hand grasping the bowl at the top of the pillar.
Batcombe, Dorset, England

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This attractive village is set between Poole and Dorset and is surrounded by picturesque villages like Affpuddle and Briantspuddle. As its name suggests, Bere Regis was connected with the crown as early as AD 978, when there was a royal manor here, and the royal connection was strengthened in the early 13th century when King John visited the manor frequently for extended stays.
Bere Regis, Dorset, England

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Heritage Highlight: St John the Baptist church with its medieval painted roof

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Blandford Forum is a historic market town on the River Stour. A devastating fire in 1731 means that few buildings earlier than the 18th century survive in the town, beyond a row of 17th-century almshouses on Salisbury Street, and The Old House, built circa 1660.
Blandford Forum, Dorset, England

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One of the most popular seaside resort towns in England during the Victorian period, Bournemouth stretches along seven miles of sandy beaches in a sheltered bay and offers modern visitors an active arts and nightlife destination.
Bournemouth, Dorset, England

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Bradford Abbas is a small village on the River Yeo, four miles from Sherborne. The name comes from a combination of words for the 'Abbot's broad ford'. The abbot concerned was the abbot of nearby Sherborne Abbey, and the ford crossed the Yeo just south-east of modern Yeovil.
Bradford Abbas, Dorset, England

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Bridport is a market town near Dorset's Jurassic Coast, with a history as a centre for rope making. Bridport was established as a 'burh' or fortified town, by Alfred the Great, and throughout the Saxon period it was one of the most important towns in Dorset.
Bridport, Dorset, England

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Heritage Highlight: The 13th-century Chantry on South Street

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A lovely rural village near Beaminster, Broadwindsor was mentioned in the Domesday Book, though the area was undoubtedly settled during the Roman period when the first wave of Roman troops set up a camp on nearby Waddon Hill in AD 43.
Broadwindsor, Dorset, England

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Heritage Highlight: King Charles Cottage - a narrow escape for a future king!

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