"Channel. It stretches from Lyme Regis in the west to Highcliffe in the east. The main settlements on the coastline are, from west to east, Lyme Regis, Weymouth, Swanage, Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch, although the majority of the coastline is not covered by urban development. The Dorset coastline contains a great variety of coastal landforms, including cliffs, bays, headlands, a large natural harbour and a barrier beach. Almost the entire length of the Dorset coast forms the major part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, designated in 2001. This coast is notable for the variety in its geological structure"
"West Ham, Everton and England striker) was made club patron. In birth order: Lyme Regis Lyme Regis is a town in West Dorset, England, west of Dorchester and east of Exeter. Styled ""The Pearl of Dorset"", it lies at Lyme Bay on the English Channel coast at the Dorset–Devon border. It is noted for fossils found in cliffs and beaches on the Heritage Coast or Jurassic Coast – a World Heritage Site. The harbour wall known as ""The Cobb"" appears in Jane Austen's novel ""Persuasion"", in the John Fowles novel ""The French Lieutenant's Woman"", and in the 1981 film of"
"Poole Poole () is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and adjoins Bournemouth to the east. The local council is the Borough of Poole and was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council. The borough had an estimated population of 151,500 (mid 2016 census estimates) making it the second largest in Dorset. Together with Bournemouth and Christchurch, the town forms the South East Dorset conurbation with a total population of over 465,000. Human settlement in the area"
"Bournemouth Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town on the south coast of England, east of the long Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the largest in Dorset. With Poole to the west and Christchurch in the east, Bournemouth forms the South East Dorset conurbation, which has a population of 465,000. Before it was founded in 1810 by Lewis Tregonwell, the area was a deserted heathland occasionally visited by fishermen and smugglers. Initially marketed as a health resort, the town received a boost when it appeared in"
"Isle of Portland The Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, long by wide, in the English Channel. Portland is south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A barrier beach called Chesil Beach joins it to the mainland. The A354 road passes down the Portland end of the beach and then over the Fleet Lagoon by bridge to the mainland. Portland and Weymouth together form the borough of Weymouth and Portland. The population of Portland is 12,400. Portland is a central part of the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site"
"Weymouth, Dorset Weymouth is a seaside town in Dorset, England, situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast. The town is south of Dorchester and north of the Isle of Portland. The town's population is 52,323 (2011). Weymouth has a metropolitan population of 71,083 (2016). The town is the third largest settlement in Dorset after the unitary authorities of Bournemouth and Poole. Weymouth is a tourist resort, and its economy depends on its harbour and visitor attractions; the town is a gateway situated halfway along the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage"
"Seatown Seatown is a coastal hamlet in Dorset, England, sited on the English Channel approximately west-southwest of Bridport. It lies within the civil parish of Chideock in the West Dorset administrative district. The coast at Seatown is part of the Jurassic Coast, a world heritage site stretching for . The surrounding area is also designated part of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast of England, lies to the west. Seatown comprises a small number of houses, a holiday park, some holiday cottages and ""The Anchor"" pub. The small River Winniford"
"Lake and Palmer, grew up in Poole. P.J. Harvey grew up near Bridport at Corscombe and still lives in West Bay. The region has also produced musicians in a style often described as ""urban"", with the grime artist Isaiah Dreads having grown up in Dorchester. Culture of Dorset Dorset (or archaically, Dorsetshire), is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the area covered by the non-metropolitan county, which is governed by Dorset County Council, together with the unitary authorities of Poole and Bournemouth. Dorset is an average sized county with an area"
"Dorset Dorset (; archaically: Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the non-metropolitan county, which is governed by Dorset County Council, and the unitary authority areas of Poole and Bournemouth. Covering an area of , Dorset borders Devon to the west, Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north-east, and Hampshire to the east. The county town is Dorchester which is in the south. After the reorganisation of local government in 1974 the county's border was extended eastward to incorporate the Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch. Around half of"
"Hill was also born in Poole. Molly Kingsbury who competed in the 2018 Commonwealth Games was born in Poole. Poole is twinned with: Poole Poole () is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and adjoins Bournemouth to the east. The local council is the Borough of Poole and was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council. The borough had an estimated population of 151,500 (mid 2016 census estimates) making it the second largest in Dorset. Together with"
"consecutive year, in recognition of the quality of its amenities for visitors. Durlston Country Park Durlston Country Park is a 320-acre country park and nature reserve stretching along the coast of the Isle of Purbeck at Durlston near Swanage in Dorset, England. The Park, which is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, has been owned by Dorset County Council since the early 1970s and is mostly open access (the Anvil Point Lighthouse and Tilly Whim Caves are not accessible to the public.) The Lighthouse at Anvil Point is built of local stone and was completed in 1881. The"
"Golden Cap Golden Cap is a hill and cliff situated on the English Channel coast between Bridport and Charmouth in Dorset, England. At , it is the highest point on the south coast of Great Britain and is visible for tens of miles along the coastline. It is accessible via a coastal footpath from Seatown, and takes around 40 minutes to reach the summit. The hill is owned by the National Trust and forms part of the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site. The base of the cliff is covered with large boulders, and is popular with fossil collectors. Storms"
"Swanage Swanage () is a coastal town and civil parish in the south east of Dorset, England. It is situated at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck, approximately south of Poole and east of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the civil parish had a population of 9,601. Nearby are Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks, with Studland Bay and Poole Harbour to the north. Within the parish are Durlston Bay and Durlston Country Park to the south of the town. The parish also includes the areas of Herston, just to the west of the town, and Durlston, just"
"West Bay, Dorset West Bay, also known as Bridport Harbour, is a small harbour settlement and resort on the English Channel coast in Dorset, England, sited at the mouth of the River Brit approximately south of Bridport. The area is part of the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site. The harbour at West Bay is not a natural landscape feature and it has a long history of having been silted up, blocked by shingle and damaged by storms, and each time repairs, improvements and enlargements have subsequently been made. The harbour has been moved twice: it was originally inland, then"
"Eype Eype () is a small village in southwest Dorset, England, situated in the West Dorset district about southwest of Bridport. It lies on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site on the English Channel and is within the civil parish of Symondsbury. Eype means ""steep place"". Many of the village buildings can be traced back to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth centuries, but little is known in detail until the Victorian era. To the west of Eype Beach is Golden Cap, the highest cliff on the south coast of England at 191 m above sea level. In 2011 a"
"and kite-surfing. The sheltered waters in Portland Harbour and near Weymouth are used for angling, diving to shipwrecks, snorkelling, canoeing, jet skiing, water skiing, and swimming. Weymouth, Dorset Weymouth is a seaside town in Dorset, England, situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast. The town is south of Dorchester and north of the Isle of Portland. The town's population is 52,323 (2011). Weymouth has a metropolitan population of 71,083 (2016). The town is the third largest settlement in Dorset after the unitary authorities of Bournemouth and Poole. Weymouth is a"
"Poole Museum, Portland Museum and Wareham Town Museum. Dorset contains 190 conservation areas, more than 1,500 scheduled monuments, over 30 registered parks and gardens and 12,850 listed buildings. Grade I listed buildings include: Portland Castle, a coastal fort commissioned by Henry VIII; a castle with more than a 1,000 years of history at Corfe; a Roman ruin described by English Heritage as the ""only Roman town house visible in Britain""; Athelhampton, a Tudor manor house; Forde Abbey, a stately home and former Cistercian monastery; Christchurch Priory, the longest church in England; and St Edwold's church, one of the smallest. Dorset"
"Preston, Dorset Preston is a coastal village and suburb of Weymouth in south Dorset, England. It is approximately north-east of Weymouth town centre and west of the village of Osmington. Preston contains two Haven campsites, Seaview and Weymouth Bay. It is home to a 14th-century church, St Andrew's, which was built on the site of a much earlier Norman church. It has three public houses: The Bridge Inn (formerly called The Swan), The Spice Ship and The Springhead. On the coast is the beach resort of Bowleaze Cove. Preston has a village hall, used for many local groups including the"
"Abbotsbury Abbotsbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. It is in the West Dorset district and is situated about inland from the English Channel coast. In the 2011 census the civil parish had a population of 481. The coastline within Abbotsbury parish includes a section of Chesil Beach, an barrier beach which is part of the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site. Abbotsbury is known for its swannery, subtropical gardens and surviving abbey buildings, including St Catherine's Chapel, a 14th-century pilgrimage chapel that stands on a hill between the village and the coast. Much"
"are twinned with schools in Europe, Africa and Asia. The Thomas Hardye School has partnerships with schools in Barcelona, Tanzania, Dehradun, Bayeux and many more. Dorchester, Dorset Dorchester ( ) is the county town of Dorset, England. It is situated between Poole and Bridport on the A35 trunk route. A historic market town, Dorchester is on the banks of the River Frome to the south of the Dorset Downs and north of the South Dorset Ridgeway that separates the area from Weymouth, to the south. The area around the town was first settled in prehistoric times. The Romans established a"
"three nationally important archaeological sites, 12 conservation areas and four sites of special scientific interest (SSSI). For more information on these, see the main articles Christchurch, Dorset, Stanpit Marsh and Christchurch Harbour. Listed buildings in Christchurch, Dorset Christchurch is a borough and town in the county of Dorset on the English Channel coast, adjoining Bournemouth in the west, with the New Forest to the east. Historically in Hampshire, it joined Dorset with the reorganisation of local government in 1974 and is the most easterly borough in the county. Its close proximity to the Cotentin Peninsula made it an important trading"
"Poole Bay Poole Bay is a bay in the English Channel, on the coast of Dorset in southern England, which stretches 16km from Sandbanks at the mouth of Poole Harbour in the west, to Hengistbury Head in the east. Poole Bay is a relatively shallow embayment and consists of steep sandstone cliffs and several 'chines' that allow easy access to the sandy beaches below. The coast along the bay is continuously built up, and is part of the South East Dorset conurbation, including parts of the towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch. The bay is often erroneously referred to as"
"linked short stories in Keith Roberts', ""Pavane"" has Swanage as the place where Jesse Strange meets an old school friend and fails to establish a relationship with his childhood sweetheart Margaret. Local villages: Swanage Swanage () is a coastal town and civil parish in the south east of Dorset, England. It is situated at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck, approximately south of Poole and east of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the civil parish had a population of 9,601. Nearby are Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks, with Studland Bay and Poole Harbour to the north. Within"
"Furzebrook, Dorset Furzebrook is a small village on the Isle of Purbeck, in the county of Dorset in the south of England. It is about south of Wareham and northwest of Corfe Castle, and is in the civil parish of Church Knowle. The name Furzebrook derives from the furze/gorse and a brook. The first use of the name was probably by Furzebrook Farm. Furzebrook became the centre of the clay industry as all the local Purbeck Ball Clay was taken there to ripen by exposing. The clay was repeatedly turned for six months. As the ball clay ripened it acquired"
"Weymouth and Portland Weymouth and Portland is a local government district and borough in Dorset, England. It consists of the resort of Weymouth and the Isle of Portland, and includes the areas of Wyke Regis, Preston, Melcombe Regis, Upwey, Broadwey, Southill, Nottington, Westham, Radipole, Chiswell, Castletown, Fortuneswell, Weston, Southwell and Easton; the latter six being on the Isle of Portland. In Portland Harbour is the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, where the sailing events at the 2012 Olympics took place. The main reason that the resort was chosen to be an Olympic venue was that the Sailing Academy had"
"Weymouth Bay Weymouth Bay is a sheltered bay on the south coast of England, in Dorset. It is protected from erosion by Chesil Beach and the Isle of Portland, and includes several beaches, notably Weymouth Beach, a gently curving arc of golden sand which stretches from the resort of Weymouth. Weymouth Bay is situated approximately halfway along the UNESCO Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. When Natural England looked at access to Weymouth Bay prior to the 2012 Olympic Games, they defined it as the stretch between Rufus Castle on the Isle of Portland and Lulworth Cove, an area which covers"
"part of the Jurassic Coast and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The beach curves sharply at the eastern end, near the village of Chiswell, and forms Chesil Cove against the cliffs of the Isle of Portland, and this protects the low-lying village from flooding. It has been the scene of many shipwrecks and was named ""Dead Man's Bay"" by Thomas Hardy. Westwards the shingle forms a straight line along the coast, enclosing The Fleet. The beach provides shelter from the prevailing winds and waves for the town of Weymouth, Dorset and the village of Chiswell on Portland. Simon Jenkins rates"
"and Worbarrow Tout are the 150-million-year-old Portland Limestones and the 147-million-year-old Purbeck Beds. Cow Corner Cow Corner is the north-western end of Worbarrow Bay, a small secluded bay on the south coast of the Isle of Purbeck, in Dorset England. Worbarrow Bay and Cow Corner are located about six kilometres south of Wareham und about 16 kilometres west of Swanage. The bay lies directly south of the ghost village of Tyneham. Access to Cow Corner is only possible on foot when the Lulworth army firing ranges are open to the public, either from Tyneham, or alternatively via the South West"
"county's coastline, seaside resorts and its sparsely populated rural areas attract millions of visitors each year. With farming declining across the country, tourism has edged ahead as the primary revenue-earning sector. Dorset is largely rural with many small villages, few large towns and no cities. The only major urban area is the South East Dorset conurbation, which is situated at the south-eastern end of the county and is atypical of the county as a whole. It consists of the seaside resort of Bournemouth, the historic port and borough of Poole, the towns of Christchurch and Ferndown plus many surrounding villages."
"in recognition of the English flag. The golden colour represents Dorset's sandy beaches and the Dorset landmarks of Golden Cap and Gold Hill. It is also a reference to the Wessex Dragon, a symbol of the Saxon Kingdom which Dorset once belonged to, and the gold wreath featured on the badge of the Dorset Regiment. Dorset is connected to London by two main line railways. The West of England Main Line runs through the north of the county at Gillingham and Sherborne. Running west from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids in Devon, it provides a service for those who"
"Kimmeridge Kimmeridge () is a small village and civil parish on the Isle of Purbeck, a peninsula on the English Channel coast in Dorset, England. It is situated about south of Wareham and west of Swanage, in the Purbeck administrative district. In 2013 the estimated population of the civil parish was 90. Kimmeridge is a coastal parish and its coastline forms part of the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site. The coast is also part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and the whole parish is part of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Kimmeridge is the type"
"Listed buildings in Christchurch, Dorset Christchurch is a borough and town in the county of Dorset on the English Channel coast, adjoining Bournemouth in the west, with the New Forest to the east. Historically in Hampshire, it joined Dorset with the reorganisation of local government in 1974 and is the most easterly borough in the county. Its close proximity to the Cotentin Peninsula made it an important trading port and a potential target for invasion during the Napoleonic and Second World Wars. The borough has over 300 nationally listed buildings and structures, a sample of which are described below, and"
"coastal town of Dorset and lies within the historic county boundaries of Hampshire. The town abuts Bournemouth to the west and is approximately east of Poole, west of Southampton, south of Salisbury. The town centre lies between the rivers Avon and Stour which flow directly into Christchurch Harbour. The borough boundaries stretch to Hurn Forest in the north encompassing Bournemouth Airport and eastwards along the coast as far as Walkford. The River Stour forms a natural boundary to the west; the estuary and harbour form the southern boundary. Christchurch Harbour contains large areas of salt marsh and is protected by"