Dorset >> Towns >> Towns and Villages

Abbotsbury
A perfect village of honey-coloured cottages, and home to the Swannery, where swans have lived for over 600 years.

Beaminster
Beaminster sits at the head of the Britt Valley, through which flows the river of the same name. The countryside here is glorious and a stay in Beaminster would be incomplete without a stroll through the rolling hills that surround the town. For the history buff, playing ‘spot the listed building’ is great fun – even though Beaminster has been devastated by fire no less than three times, the town still lays claim to some 200 listed buildings. The highlight of Beaminster’s calendar is the Festival of Music and Visual Arts, a jamboree of musical, literary and artistic talent including many big names.

Bere Regis
If peace and tranquility are on the agenda, head for Bere Regis. Tucked away amidst woodland, ancient heaths and traditional watercress beds, Bere Regis was made famous by Thomas Hardy in his classic story ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’ (he called it Kingsbere in the novel). Wander through the grounds of the imposing 15th century church and you might be tempted to say that little has changed since Hardy wrote about the village – the noise and rush of the 21st century seems conspicuous in its absence in Bere Regis.

Blandford Forum
One of Dorset’s larger market towns, Blandford Forum beautifully demonstrates the Georgian approach to architecture with wide, elegant streets and a large, square market place. Four museums, all kinds of shops and plenty of cafes and restaurants – you could happily lose days mooching about the town. There are some great opportunities for days out, too; the Dorset coast is a short drive away, enabling easy exploration of local gems like Durdle Door, Studland Bay and Chesil Beach.

Bridport
A busy and thriving market town, Bridport is one of the most popular gateways to the Jurassic Coast. The town still has three weekly markets, including a farmer’s market. Shopping in Bridport reveals its strong arts and crafts heritage. Bridport lies just inland from West Bay, with a gorgeous sweep of sandy beach and a pretty harbour that perfectly complement Bridport’s charms.

Cerne Abbas
Home to the famous Cerne Giant, a huge chalk man carved into the hillside whose function is (clearly) as a fertility symbol. Expect much sniggering from younger members of the family.

Corfe Castle
Home to some of the country’s most significant ruins, the village of Corfe Castle is surrounded by the beautiful countryside of the Isle of Purbeck, a peninsula that stretches across a large part of Dorset. History lovers will find the castle itself fascinating – a dramatic hilltop ruin over 1,000 years old. Corfe Castle has a lot more to offer, though; good shopping, some great places to eat, fantastic walking in every direction and even a model village complete with a reconstruction of the castle as it would have looked before it was destroyed.

Dorchester
Dorset’s county town has more than its fair share of heritage. A stroll through the centre reveals Roman, medieval, Tudor and Georgian buildings jostling for space; Dorchester has numerous museums to help you make sense of all this history. The town’s most famous former inhabitant is novelist Thomas Hardy, who set his famous story ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’ in Dorchester. His home, a gorgeous thatched cottage with lovely gardens, now belongs to the National Trust and is open to the public.

Lyme Regis
Awash with history, Lyme Regis is an integral part of Dorset’s famous Jurassic Coast; guided fossil hunting tours are a popular way to discover the rich geological history of the area. Literary history is equally important to Lyme Regis; the unique harbour, known as ‘The Cobb’ was immortalised by John Fowles in his novel ‘The French Lieutenant’s Woman’ and Thomas Hardy set many of his novels in the area.

Shaftesbury
Another famous haunt of the novelist Thomas Hardy, Shaftesbury has some of England’s most fascinating architecture, including the famous cobbled street of Gold’s Hill and the ruins of the abbey which date back to 888AD. The town sits at the top of a hill with panoramic views in every direction over Dorset and Wiltshire. Despite its glorious position and the beauty of its buildings and streets, Shaftesbury remains unspoilt by tourism.

Sherborne
A fabulous castle built by Sir Walter Raleigh, so well preserved it remains a family home to this day, an impressive abbey and any number of medieval buildings – it’s no wonder that Sherborne is a favourite among historians. Sherborne’s glory isn’t all in the past, though – this gorgeous town has some of the most diverse shopping you’ll find anywhere.

Studland
Depending on your interests, you might know Studland best for its three miles of pristine sand, its world-class bird watching opportunities, or its naked visitors. Studland has three beaches, one of which is a designated naturist area; behind the sands is a National Nature Reserve which teems with wildlife and rare birds. The village of Studland has a number of interesting features, including the Norman church and the ancient, mythical Agglestone; a 400 ton rock balancing precariously on the heathland outside the village.

Sturminster Newton
Straight out of a Thomas Hardy novel, Sturminster Newton has all the ingredients of a classic village - thatched inns, a weekly market, a mill on the river spanning which is a six-arched bridge, and the remains of an ancient castle. Pastoral bliss.

Tolpuddle
Between Dorchester and Poole, deep in Dorset’s hilly countryside, Tolpuddle is a picture postcard village of thatched cottages, leafy lanes and a pretty church. The village is famous for its Tolpuddle Martyrs, a group of agricultural workers who attempted to form the first ever trade union but whose efforts resulted in their deportation to Australia as criminals. A museum in the village now tells the tale through a series of fascinating exhibits.

Weymouth
A town of two halves - the old town forms a cluster of quirky mismatched cottages around the harbour, while the new town is an elegant parade of Georgian town houses on the seafront.

Wimborne Minster
Surrounded by rivers and set on water meadows, Wimborne Minster occupies a lovely position. The Minster itself is breathtaking; built between the 12th and 14th centuries, it has an imposing central tower that dominates the town’s skyline. You could spend a fortnight exploring the town and still not see everything of note, but don’t miss the Priest’s House Museum and Garden, the market and the Tivoli Theatre.