North Dorset

For the constituency, see North Dorset (UK Parliament constituency).

North Dorset District
—  Non-metropolitan district  —
North Dorset shown within Dorset
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	South West England
Non-metropolitan county	Dorset
Status	Non-metropolitan district
Admin HQ	Blandford Forum
Incorporated	1 April 1974
Government
– Type	Non-metropolitan district council
– Body	North Dorset District Council
– Leadership	Leader and Cabinet (Conservative)
– MPs	Robert Walter
Area
– Total	235.2 sq mi (609.2 km2)
Area rank	69th (of 326)
Population (2010 est.)
– Total	64,200
– Rank	306th (of 326)
– Density	272.9/sq mi (105.4/km2)
– Ethnicity	98.6% White
Time zone	GMT (UTC0)
– Summer (DST)	BST (UTC+1)
ONS code	19UE
OS grid reference	ST8862706885
Website	www.dorsetforyou.com/northdorset

North Dorset is a local government district in Dorset, England. It is largely rural, but includes the towns of Blandford Forum, Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Stalbridge and Sturminster Newton. Much of North Dorset is in the River Stour valley and is called the Blackmore Vale. The economy of North Dorset is largely dairy agriculture based.

The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, from the municipal boroughs of Blandford Forum, Shaftesbury, Blandford Rural District, Shaftesbury Rural District and Sturminster Rural District.

At the 2001 UK census North Dorset had a population of 61,905, a rise of 8,300 from 1991, with 25,248 households.

North Dorset is home to North Dorset Rugby Football Club

Settlements

Towns with a population over 2,500 are in bold.

• Anderson, Ashmore
• Belchalwell, Blandford Forum, Bourton, Bryanston, Buckhorn Weston
• Cann, Charlton Marshall, Chettle, Child Okeford, Compton Abbas
• Durweston
• East Orchard, East Stour
• Farnham, Fifehead Magdalen, Fifehead Neville, Fontmell Magna
• Gillingham, Glanvilles Wootton
• Hammoon, Hazelbury Bryan, Hilton, Hinton St Mary
• Ibberton, Iwerne Courtney, Iwerne Minster
• Kington Magna
• Langton Long Blandford, Lydlinch
• Manston, Mappowder, Margaret Marsh, Marnhull, Melbury Abbas, Milborne St Andrew, Milton Abbas, Motcombe
• Okeford Fitzpaine
• Pimperne, Pulham
• Shaftesbury, Shillingstone, Silton, Spetisbury, Stalbridge, Stoke Wake, Stourpaine, Stour Provost, Stourton Caundle, Stour Row, Sturminster Newton, Sutton Waldron
• Tarrant Crawford, Tarrant Gunville, Tarrant Hinton, Tarrant Keyneston, Tarrant Launceston, Tarrant Monkton, Tarrant Rawston, Tarrant Rushton, Todber, Turnworth
• West Orchard, West Stour, Winterborne Clenston, Winterborne Houghton, Winterborne Kingston, Winterborne Stickland, Winterborne Whitechurch, Winterborne Zelston, Woolland

External links

• 2001 Census data for North Dorset
• Official website

Coordinates: 50°51′38.92″N 2°9′41.77″W / 50.8608111°N 2.1616028°W / 50.8608111; -2.1616028