DORSETSHIRE is a maritime county, of about 160 miles in circumference; in length, from east to west, about 55; and in breath, from north to south, about 35; containing about 775,000 acres of land. It has four considerable ports, viz. Poole, Weymouth, Bridport, and Lyme Regis, besides Sandwich, called Swannage, and Portland; from whence stone, to a great value, is shipped. It has also 24 market towns, and 243 parishes. The population of the county, in 1811, amounted to 124,693 persons.

It is situated in the S. W. of England, bounded on the N. by Wiltshire and Somersetshire, on the E. by Hampshire, on the W. by Devonshire, and part of Somersetshire: on the S. (which way it extends farthest) by the British Channel, stretched out from E. to W. with a very oblique shore, full of turnings and windings, to the Island of Portland, and thence westward, bounded by the banks of pebbles for more than 16 miles.

The county of Dorset was anciently inhabited, according to Ptolemy, by the Durotriges. The Britons, according to Asser Menevensis, who was himself a Briton by birth, and flourished about the year of Christ 890, termed them Dwr-Gwyr; and the Saxons called them Dorsettan.

The name of Durotriges is ancient, and though in sound it bears great affinity to the Greek language, it is entirely of British origin, derived probably from Dour, or Dwr, in British, water, and Trig, an inhabitant; q.d. dwellers by the water or seaside. The same etymology must be assigned to those places in ancient Gaul (where formerly the same language was spoken), that begin or end with Dur, or Dour, of which we have many instances, as well as in our own country. But the Saxon Dorsettan is partly British and partly Saxon, in which the same signification is preserved : for settan, among our ancestors, as well as other Germans, signifies to dwell upon, to inhabit, to be seated, or settled. Thus they call mountaineers Dunsettan; those who dwell upon the Chiltern Hills, Chilternsettan; those who bordered upon the river Arrow, Arowsettan; as the Germans called those who dwelt among the woods, Holtsettan. And in this sense the Britons called the Durotriges, Dwr-Gwyr, dwellers on the seacoast, as Mr. Camden justly observes: and perhaps this etymology, expressive of the natural situation of a place, may vie with most others both in propriety and antiquity, and carry with it a degree of evidence, at which a mere fabulous notation can never arrive. There are not wanting instances of whole countries, cities, and seas, of the greatest note, which owe their names to such originals: as Mesosopotamia, Halicarnassus, Mediterranean; names which never can be mistaken or forgotten.

Some are of opinion that the county took its name from Dorchester, as that did from King Dorn, or Dor, whom they imagine to have been its founder; but this is supported by no historian of credit, and may be allowed to pass for fabulous, nothing being more easy than to have recourse to feigned names, when real names are wanting.

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DORSETSHIRE takes its name from the shire town, or from the tribe of the Dorsaettas, and lies on the south coast of England, being in the west, between Hampshire and Devonshire. On the north-east it is bounded by Wiltshire, on the east by Hampshire, on the south by the English. Channel, on the west by Devonshire, and on the north-west by Somersetshire. The shore line is the only natural boundary; its shape is something like a pyramid, with the head to the west, but having a spur on the south side, which forms the Isle of Portland. The breadth, from east to west, is 54 miles; and the length, from north to south, varies from 5 to 40 miles; its area is 632,272 acres. In 1700 the population was 90,000; in 1801, 114,452; in 1851, 184,207; in 1861, 188,789; in 11871, 195,537; in 1881, 191,028; and in 1891, 194,517, viz. males, 94,735; females, 99,782. The number of houses were, inhabited, 40,904; uninhabited, 3,081 ; and building, 221. Dorset lies between 50° 30' and 51° 5' north latitude, and between 1 48' and 3° 7' west longitude.

The south shore is in two lines, a wide sweep trending south-easterly from Lyme Regis to the Bill or Beel of Portland, and the western part, which forms a deep bay within the Isle of Portland, called Weymouth Bay, and then runs easterly to St. Alban’s Head and Durleston Head, having in it Lulworth Cove and Kimmeridge Bay. From Durleston Head the shore runs northward along the east of the Isle of Purbeck, and forms Swanage Bay and Studland Bay, and then the mouth of Poole Harbour.

The Isle of Portland is a long narrow headland, extending south-easterly into the sea, and joined to the mainland by a spit 10 miles long, called the Chesil—that is to say, the Shingle-Bank. The Isle of Purbeck is a large tract joined to the mainland on the west, but on the other side bounded by the river Frome, Wareham and Poole Havens, and the sea. Poole Haven is a large inlet in the south-east of Dorsetshire, having many arms running up into the land; on one is Wareham, at the mouth of the Frome and Piddle, and on another, Poole.

The rainfall of Dorset is about 30 inches in the year, but rather less in the northern part. Daily measurements are taken by means of rain-gauges at 13 places. The climate is mild, especially along the coast.

The great rivers run across from north-west to southeast ; they are the Stour, Piddle and Frome. The Stour comes in at the north, passes Gillingham, takes the Shreen water, then the Cale from Wincanton, and the Lyd, or Lyddon, from the south, winds through Sturminster Newton (taking the Ewern), to Blandford Forum, below which fall in the Tarrant Bourne from the north, and the North Winter Bourne from the west; the course is then to Wimbourne, where the Wim, or Allen, joins, and the river then runs south-easterly to Christchurch, in Hampshire; it is more likely that the Wim, or Allen, was the Alauna of the Romans, than that the Stour was.

The Wim is the only considerable stream; it works a paper mill. The Piddle, Puddle, or Trent, lies between the Stour and the Frome, and is a small stream running in a parallel direction with the Frome, about 4 miles off, and falling into Poole Harbour; it gives its name as an affix to many villages. The Frome, anciently named the Varia, rises in the north-west, and flows to Dorchester, where the Churn Bourne comes in from Cerne or Churn Abbas; the South Winterbourne is another feeder; from Dorchester the Frome runs easterly to Wareham; it is in these western shires we meet with the class of streams called “winterbournes,” because they flow chiefly in the winter. Other streams are-the Wey, 5 miles long, falling into the sea at Weymouth; the Purbeck, 7 miles long, running from Corfe Castle to Swanage; the Fleet, flowing between the Chesil Bank and the main land; the Breedy, or Bride, 7 miles long, falling into the sea near Bridport Harbour; the Brit, or Bride, rising at Beaminster, flowing through Bridport into the sea, and having the Asker and other small streams as affluents; the Char, falling in at Charmouth; and the Lyme at Lyme Regis. In the north-west parts the Parret, Ivel and their headsprings rise, but their course in Dorsetshire is short. Near Broadway is a sulphureous spring named Nottington Spa.

The land is hilly, but well watered. The vale of Blackmore, or that of the Frome and Piddle, is a fruitful grazing ground, nearly 20 miles long and 14 broad; on the Downs sheep are fed. The soils are of many kinds, from rich loam to hard stone. The chalk formation covers the greater part of the shire, the north downs beginning at Cranbourne and running to Beaminster, and the south downs running from Beaminster to Meleombe and Swanage. Between these are the upper formation of plastic, potters' and pipe clay, and sand, called the “Poole Trough.” Here a light earthy coal is found, like Bovey coal; in the south, chalk, marl, green-sand, weald clay and iron-sand are found, and in Purbeck and Portland the oolite formations; westward of Weymouth Bay are the oolites, which form a “saddle,” and are repeated; in the north the green-sand is found. Dorsetshire yields Portland stone, Purbeck marble, lime, founders’ sand, iron-sand, copperas, alum, pottery clay, pipeclay, firebricks, bituminous shales, salt, sheep and cattle, wool, corn, hay, potatoes and cider. It is best known for its Dorset, Portland and South Down sheep; it has also a small breed of ponies. The dairy is much looked to, a large proportion of the land being in pasture, and the butter and cheese of Dorsetshire are much esteemed. In Cranborne Chase and in Sellwood, to the north of Shaftesbury, some timber is grown; but most of the woods have been cleared.

Lime, sea-weed, and fish are to be had in most parts for manures, and for meadows the catch water plan is used. Barley is more grown than wheat; hemp and flax are likewise grown.

The railways are the Southampton and Dorchester, belonging to the London and South Western Company; the Somerset and Dorset line from Burnham, Somerset, to Wimborne and Poole, passing through Stalbridge, Sturminster Newton and Blandford. The London and South Western Extension to Exeter and North Devon, has stations at Gillingham and Sherborne, and skirts the north of the county. The Dorsetshire line enters from Ringwood, in Hampshire, and passes Wimborne (with a branch to Poole and West Bournemouth), Wareham (with a branch to Swanage), Wool and Moreton to Dorchester, thence to Weymouth and Portland. The Great Western Company have a branch to Dorchester and Weymouth, connected with their line at Yeovil, and from thence to Bristol; another branch from Maiden Newton to Bridport; and a short line from Upway, on the Weymouth branch of the South Western line to Abbotsbury.

The manufactures are sail-cloth, sacking, nets, shoemakers’ thread, paper, silk and agricultural implements, carried on at Bridport, Beaminster, Blandford, Bourton, Gillingham, Sherborne, Wimborne and Dorchester; with malting and brewing. The potteries are of some importance. In some of the large towns are iron foundries. Ships and yachts are built at Poole. The chief fisheries are those of mackerel; oyster beds are likewise kept up. In the rivers, salmon, trout, jack and; cels are caught. The fishing towns are Poole, Swanage, Lulworth, Weymouth, Bridport and Lyme.

The import trade is in the supply of coals, timber and wine, with some Newfoundland trade. The exports are Purbeck and Portland stone, clay, many thousand tons of which are annually sent to the potteries, Portland cement, bricks, sheep, wool, butter, poultry, cheese, ale, cider and mackerel.

The inhabitants on the coast depend on the fisheries, quarries and visitors to the watering places. These last are Weymouth, Swanage, Lyme Regis and Parkstone. The havens are Poole, Wareham, Swanage, Weymouth, Bridport, Lyme and Studland Bay; but Lyme has much fallen off. A breakwater has been made in Portland Bay, so as to form a great harbour of refuge over against Cherbourg, capable of sheltering 200 vessels in safety; it extends 2 ¼ miles out to sea, and forms a roadstead 4 miles long.

The county contains 292 civil parishes.

Dorsetshire is in the Western Circuit, province of Canterbury, Salisbury diocese, and forms an archdeaconry, subdivided into the rural deaneries of Bridport, comprised in the Abbotsbury, Bridport, Lyme and Beaminster portions; Dorchester, in the Dorchester, Weymouth and Purbeck portions; Pimperne, in the Blandford and Wimborne portions; Shaftesbury, arranged in Shaftesbury, Stalbridge, Sherborne and Sturminster Newton portions; and Whitchurch (Bere Regis, Poole, Cerne and Milton) portions.

The town of Poole is a county of itself. Dorsetshire has one Court of Quarter Sessions, held at Dorchester and Poole, and forms nine petty sessional divisions-Blandford (North and South), Bridport, Cerne, Dorchester, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Sturminster, Wareham and Wimborne. The Poor-law Unions are twelve-Beaminster, Blandford, Bridport, Cerne, Dorchester, Poole, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Sturminster, Wareham and Purbeck, Weymouth and Wimborne.

The municipal boroughs are, Blandford, population in 1891, 3,974; Bridport, 6,611; Dorchester, 7,946; Lyme Regis, 2,365; Poole, 15,438; Shaftesbury, 2,122; Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, 13,866; and Wareham, 2,141. Other towns are, Beaminster, population in 1891, 1,915; Bere Regis, 1,144; Cerne Abbas, 834; Corfe Castle, 1,708; Cranbome, 2,395 ; Gillingham, 3,303; Sherborne, 5,690; Stalbridge, 1,705; Sturmingter Newton, 1,863; and Swanage, 2,674.

Dorsetshire seems to have been taken from the Britons by the Belgian Durotriges, likewise called Morini, which words are said to mean “dwellers by the sea.” Of the Briton's and Belgians there seem to be many remains-as Agglestone and Puckstone, near Studland, in the Isle of Purbeck; Portisham Cromlech, called Hellstone, a circle of stones near Winterbome St. Martin; another near Pokeswell, and another at Little Breedy; perhaps Bradbury Rings and Maumbury belong to this period.

Under the Romans it was a part of Britannia Prima, and they has many settlements, as Durnovaria (Dorchester), Morinio (Wareham), Vindio Gladia (Wimborne), Canca Arista (Charmouth), Londinis (Lyme Regis), Bolclanio (Poole), and Clavinio (Weymouth). Other settlements were-Alcester, Stoborough, Charborough, Chelborough, Gainsborough, Bedcister, Horchester, Hogchester. A great road, named by the English the Ikening, or Ikenield way (Via Iceniana), comes in by Woodyates, passes through Durnovaria, and goes to the west. At Durnovaria, the most famous remain is the amphitheatre. The part of Ikening way, near Dorchester, called Ackling Dike, is in fair preservation.

On the downs and cliffs are many camps and barrows, British, Belgian, Roman or English; among these are Badbury and Maumbury, those on the Stour between Sturminster and Bradford, Weatherbury, Eggardon, Loosebarrow, Rowbarrow, Shaftesbury, Melbury, Hazelbury, Spettisbury, Chalbury, Abbotsbury, Netherbury, Symondsbury, Hamilton Hill, Worbarrow, Woolbarrow, Churchbarrow, Flowersbarrow, Wardstonebarrow, Blackbarrow, Woodbury, Boltonbarrow, Banbury, Westlbury, Figbury, Lushbarrow, Conquerbarrow, Laurencebarrow, Churchbarrows, Seabarrow, Poundbury, Knapbarrow, Bullbarrow, Dodsbury, Broadfordbarrow, Barrow Hill, Henbury, Strawbarrow, Kingbarrow, Ballbarrow, Greatbarrow, Egertonbarrow, Boorsbarrow, Longbarrow, Stablebarrow, Powbarrow, Bridwellbarrow, Mawerbury, Buzbury, Eastbury and Westbury, near Tarrant Gunville, Thorncombe, Bealon, Mowlamsbarrow, Tadnollbarrow, Lordsbarrow, Endbarrow, Youbarrow, Cernebarrow, Stonebarrow, Swyrsebarrow, Cholbury, Hakebury, Swan Knoll, Bound Pound, Five Meersbarrow, and Mawerbury. Many tesselated pavements, also pottery and Roman coins, have been found. The whole number of Roman camps has been reckoned at 25.

After the fall of the Romans and Britons this shire became part of the kingdom of the West Saxons, and the see of a bishop; the kings dwelt here at Corfe Castle and Kingston, and in the minsters many of them are buried. On the shore near Wareham, Portland and Charmouth, many fights took place with the Danish rovers. In the Parliamentary War the gentry took part with the King, and held out in many sieges and fights, in which their castles were ruined; the townsmen sided with the Parliament; but the country people held aloof from both King and Parliament, and formed companies of “clubmen” to keep them off.

Dorsetshire had formerly many rich and old abbeys of Benedictines and Cistercians; among those were Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Cerne, Abbotsbury, Bindon, Cranborne, Horton and Mitton; likewise priories at Dorchester, Bridport, Wareham, Loders, Frampton and Spettisbury. Sherborne was the see of a bishop from 705 to 1075. There are still some Catholic nunneries and chapels well endowed by the wealthy members of that communion.

The objects of interest are many; the fossils of the Isles of Purbeck and Portland and of Lyme Regis; the shore scenery, Lulworth Cove, and Chesil Bank (the curious spit which joins the Isle of Portland to the main); the amphitheatre at Dorchester; Agglestone, Puckstone, Hellstone, Badbury Rings, Maumbury; the pits on Bladen Heath; the earthworks surrounding Wareham; the figure on the Giant’s Hill, near Cerne, which is an ancient figure cut in outline on the chalk, 180 feet long; at Osmingtton is a similar figure of a horse and rider covering an acre of ground, representing George III. on horseback; the churches at Shaftesbury, Sherborne and Wimborne; and the remains of the abbeys and priories.

The County Asylum is an extensive range of buildings, one mile from Charminster, it was opened in 1864 for 320 patients; the cost, including 56 acres of land, was about £44,000; in 1894 an additional block of buildings was added at a cost, including 94 extra acres of land, of nearly £70,000; it will now hold 750 patients; private patients are received at a charge of 14s. and upwards weekly. Peter William Macdonald M.D. medical superintendent; John Alfred Ewan M.A, M.D., C. M. George Burton Robinson M. B. assistant medical officers; Rev. J. C. Prior, chaplain; Thomas Coombs, clerk to the asylum and the committee of visitors.

The Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, was built in 1841, in the Tudor style, and a wing added in 1866: at present it has beds for 50 patients, but possesses ample room for a larger number. Robert Williams, treasurer; William George Vawdrey Lush M. D. physician; John Tudor, consulting surgeon; George Aldridge George L. R. C. P. Lond. Frederick Bazley Fisher L. R. C. P. Lond. and William Ernest Good L. R. C. P. Edin. surgeons; Samuel Wesley Wilson L. R. C. P. & S. Irel. house surgeon; Rev. Randolph Charles Marriott M. A. . chaplain; George M. Archdale, auditor; C. Hansford and G. J. G. Gregory, financial secretaries; Miss Frances Ward, matron; Walter E. Groves, clerk; C. T. Carter, dispenser.

The Weymouth and Dorset County Royal Eye Infirmary, Weymouth, was established in 1836, the present building was erected in 1872, and contains 20 beds; the yearly average number of in-patients is about 180, and the out-patients about 970; Christopher Childs M.A. , M. D. and Rowland Wimburn Carter M. D. and Hubert Houssemayne Du Boulay M. R. C. S. surgeons; John Laws L. D. S. Irel. dental surgeon; Edward Fooks, secretary.

Dorset County School, Charminster, near Dorchester, is a large brick building with stone dressings, on the brow of a hill, for 80 boarders, with chapel; Rev. William S. Watson M.A. headmaster.

Her Majesty’s Prison, Dorchester, is situate on the site of the ancient castle, and was originally erected in 1793, on the plan of Mr. Howard, at an expense of £16,179; since the transfer from the County Authorities it has been entirely rebuilt, now containing 161 cells. Edwin Witheford, chief warder in charge; Rev. Thomas Kingdom Allen M.A. chaplain; William Ernest Good L. R. O. P. Edin. medical officer; Miss Bazell, matron.

Parliamentary Representation of Dorsetshire

The County of Dorset formerly returned three members to Parliament, but under the provisions of the “Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885” it now returns four members, in four divisions.

(1) The Northern division comprises the petty sessional divisions of Blandford, Shaftesbury, Sherborne (except so much as comprised in division No. 3) and Sturminster.

(2) The Eastern division comprises the sessional divisions of Wareham (except so much as is comprised in division No. 3), Wimborne and the municipal borough of Poole.

(3) The Southern division comprises the sessional division of Dorchester (except so much as is comprised in division No. 4), and the municipal boroughs of Dorchester, Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, and the parishes of AS-Puddle, Chaldon-Herrdng, Coombe Keynes, East Lulworth, Moreton, Turner’s Puddle, West Lulworth, Winfrith and Wool, in the sessional division of Wareham.

(4) The Western division comprises the sessional divisions of Bridport and Cerne,and the municipal boroughs of Bridport and Lyme Regis and the parishes of Abbotsbury, Chilfrome, Compton Abbas, Compton Vallence, Evershot, Frampton, Frome Vauchurch, Kingston Russell, Langtom Herring, Littlebredy, Litton Cheney, Longbredy, Maiden Newton, Melbury, Sampford, Portisham, Puncknowle, Rampisham, Swyre, Toller Fratrum, Toller Porcorum, Winterborne Abbas, Winterborne Steepleton and Wynford Eagle, in the sessional division of Dorchester, and the parishes of Chetnole, Leigh, Melbury Osmond, Ryme Intrinsica, Stockwood and Yetminster, in the sessional division of Sherborne.

Under the provisions of the above-mentioned Act, the Boroughs of Weymouth, Bridport, Dorchester, Poole, Shaftesbury and Wareham were disfranchised. MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE COUNTY. Eastern Division, Hon, Humphrey Napier Sturt D.L., J.P. Crichel, Wimborne; & 38 Portman square W. & Carlton club, London S. W.

Northern Division, John Kenelm Digby Wingfield-Digby J.P. Sherborne castle, Sherborne, Dorset; & Arthur’s, White’s & Carlton clubs, London S W Southern Division, William Ernest Brymer M.A., J.P., IIsington house, Putldletown, Dorchester, 8 St. James’s st. & Carlton club, London S W Western Division, Col. Robert Williams D.L., J.P. Bridgehead, Dorchester ; 1 Hyde Park street W. & National Liberal club, London S W.

Military

Dorchester is the depot of Regimental District No. 39, the Dorsetshire Regiment, which is comprised of the 1st Battalion (39th Foot) ; 2nd Battalion (54th Foot) ; the Dorset Militia being its 3rd Battalion ; the head quarters of the latter are at Dorchester. Full particulars will be found at p. 71.

Fairs & Markets

Beaminster, Sept. 19, for cattle; market day, Thur. for butchers’ meat & provisions.

Bere Regis, September 21 & 22, on Woodbury hill.

Blandford, March 7, principally for sheep, horses & horned cattle; September 9, November 8 & the Sat. next before July 10 for wool: market day, sat.

Bridport, April 6, for cattle & cheese; & October 11; market days, Wed. & sat.

Corfe Castle, May 12 & October 29.

Cranborne, December 6, for pleasure.

Dorchester, February 14, July 6, August 6 & October 25, for horses, sheep & cattle ; & one at Poundbury the last Thur. in September, principally for horn ewes, market days, Wed. & sat.

Gillingham, Trinity Mon. for cattle ; & September 12, for pleasure; market day, every alternate Mon.

Iwerne Courtnay, Sept. 25 & 26, for horses, cattle & cheese.

Lyme Regis, first Tues. after Candlemas & Michaelmas; market days. & Fri., Tu for butchers’ meat, poultry & vegetables.

Maiden Newton, March 9 & May 4.

Milborne St. Andrew, November 30, for cattle, sheep, corn & cheese.

Poole, St. Philip & St. James’ fair, May 1st; & All Saints, November 2, each for 8 days; market day, Thur.

Portland, November 5, for pleasure.

Puddleton, October 29.

Shaftesbury, sat. before Palm Sun. last sat. in August & November 23, for sheep, cattle, cheese & agricultural produce & pleasure; market day, sat.

Sherborne, May 8, July 18 & 26, for cattle & sheep; & a large fair, well known as Pack Monday fair, on the first Mon. after October 10; market days, Thur. & sat.

Stalbridge, May 6 & September 4, for cattle; market day, every alternate Thur.

Sturminster Newton, May 12 & October 24; market day, alternate Mon. chiefly for cattle.

Toller Down, May 18 & September 7.

Wareham, Tues. nearest April 17 & September 11, for cattle: market day, Tues.

Weymouth, market held daily.

Wimborne, market day, Fri.

Wool, May 14, for cattle.

Yetminster, April 27 & October 5.

Dorset County Council

Local Government Act, 1888, 51 & 52 Vic. c. 41.

Under the above Act the county of Dorset after the 18th April, 1889, became for the purposes of this Act an administrative county (sec. 46), governed by a County Council, consisting of chairman, alderman & councillors (the number of councillors being determined by the Local Government Board) and elected in manner prescribed by the Act (sec. 2).

The chairman is, by virtue of his office, a justice of the peace for the county without qualification (sec. 46).

The police for the county is under the control of a standing joint committee of the Quarter Sessions and the County Council appointed as therein mentioned (sec. 9).

The Coroners for the county are elected by the County Council and the clerk of the peace appointed by such joint committee and may be removed by them (sec. 83-2).

The clerk of the peace for the county is also the clerk of the County Council (sec. 83-1).

The administrative business of the county (which would, if this Act had not been passed, have been transacted by the justices) is transacted by the County Council.

Meet at Dorchester.

The following Table shows the acreage under each kind of crop, and the number of horses, cattle, sheep and pigs in the County of Dorset, as taken from the Agricultural returns, 1894:—