Welcome to Shaftesbury
CLICK FOR 2021 CENSUS DATAIntroduction
Shaftesbury () is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England. It is situated on the A30 road, 20 miles (32 kilometres) west of Salisbury, near the border with Wiltshire. It is the only significant hilltop settlement in Dorset, being built about 215 metres (705 feet) above sea level on a greensand hill on the edge of Cranborne Chase. The town looks over the Blackmore Vale, part of the River Stour basin. Shaftesbury is the site of the former Shaftesbury Abbey, which was founded in 888 by King Alfred and became one of the richest religious establishments in the country, before being destroyed in the dissolution in 1539. Adjacent to the abbey site is Gold Hill, a steep cobbled street used in the 1970s as the setting for Ridley Scott's television advertisement for Hovis bread. In the 2011 Census the town's civil parish had a population of 7,314.
Parish Information
Parish statistics
Area |
450 hectares |
---|---|
Population |
7,874 (2021) |
Density |
1,750 people/km2 |
Mean age |
43.0 |
Ward |
Shaftesbury Town |
District |
North Dorset |
Postcodes |
SP7 |
ONS ID |
E04003434 |
Council
Contact details for Shaftesbury Parish Council, including current councillors, precept data and election results.
Education
View educational establishments in Shaftesbury Parish. Data includes OFSTED rating and current appointed governors.
Business
Business directory listing local businesses operating within Shaftesbury Parish.
Planning
View recent planning applications submitted for Shaftesbury Parish.
Property
Price paid data for all property sold in Shaftesbury Parish since 2018. Includes average prices for each property type.
Heritage
Local heritage sites, historic churches, heritage pubs plus local heritage initiatives for Shaftesbury Parish.
Local News
Hosted and licensed by Dorset Echo
The Gillingham and Shaftesbury Spring Countryside Show
Published: 21st Jan 2024
Hosted and licensed by Bournemouth Echo
Snow falls in Dorset but dry weather expected for weekend
Published: 2nd Mar 2024
Hosted and licensed by Gillingham News
Multi-million pound boost to protect waterways near Mere and Shaftesbury
Published: 19th Jan 2024