North Dorset
North Dorset was a local government district in Dorset, England. It was largely rural, but included the towns of Blandford Forum, Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Stalbridge and Sturminster Newton. Much of North Dorset was in the River Stour valley and is called the Blackmore Vale. The economy of North Dorset was 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. The district and its council were abolished on 1 April 2019 and, together with the other 4 districts outside the greater Bournemouth area, incorporated into a Dorset unitary authority.
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 was home to North Dorset Rugby Football ClubSettlements
- 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
