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Afternoon Tea

Afternoon Tea

Wimborne Minster

Market Towns

All over Dorset, you’ll uncover charming market towns tucked away amongst tranquil areas of outstanding natural beauty. Follow the town trails and discover their colourful histories and beautiful buildings, spend time browsing the local shops for unique gifts and indulge in some excellent local food.

Visit a market somewhere in the county almost every day; pick up the occasional antique, hand crafted jewellery or a plant for your garden. Try the farmers’ markets across Dorset too; it’s a great chance to meet the producers and sample some delicious goods direct from the heart of Dorset.

Discover our market towns below… 

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Number of items: 10

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  1. Sherborne Abbey

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    Sherborne

    Sherborne

    Located to the north of West Dorset, this historic Ham Stone town nestles in green valleys and wooded hills and is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful towns in England. With its abundance of ancient and beautiful buildings, superb Abbey, world famous Schools, picturesque Almshouse and two...

  2. Sturminster Newton Mill

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    Sturminster Newton

    West Street, Blandford Forum

    The de facto 'capital' of the surrounding Blackmore Vale, Sturminster Newton lies on the River Stour, surrounded by picturesque countryside.

    Historically the town lay in the heart of dairying and cheese-making country and this heritage is celebrated with the wonderful Sturminster Newton Cheese...

  3. Wareham Quay on River Frome

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    Wareham

    Wareham

    Wareham is a curious and fascinating town. It has a history that goes back nearly 2000 years; flourishing in Saxon times and was a strategic stronghold for King Alfred the Great. After seeing action in both Civil Wars, Wareham’s importance slowly diminished as the nearby town of Poole grew in...

  4. credit Mark Simons

    Add Beaminster to your Itinerary

    Beaminster

    Bridport

    Beaminster is a prosperous market town with over 200 listed buildings and is a designated important conservation area. The town is a charming place to shop, browse and sample local fare and even embark on some beautiful walks for Beaminster stands at the head of the River Brit’s ‘Hidden Valley’,...

  5. Shaftesbury, Gold Hill

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    Shaftesbury

    Shaftesbury

    The picturesque hilltop town of Shaftesbury lies nestled around its Saxon Benedictine Abbey, at its peak the largest women's religious community in England.

    An indespensible Medieval trading post for the farmers of the arable Cranborne Chase and dairying Blackmore Vale, today Shaftesbury offers...

  6. Market Place, Rachael Piper Harding©

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    Blandford Forum

    West Street, Blandford Forum

    Located on the banks of the River Stour, Blandford Forum is the most complete, small Georgian town in England. Following an extensive fire in 1731 Blandford Forum "rose like the phoenix from its ashes, to its present beautiful and flourishing state" as the Fire Monument in the Market place states...

  7. East Street, Wimborne Minster

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    Wimborne Minster

    Wimborne Minster

    The historic market town of Wimborne Minster is an enticing blend of old and new; a ‘Fairtrade’ town where high quality modern stores and charming independent boutiques sit side by side in hidden courtyards and pedestrianised squares. The colourful Town Square and attractive High Street offer a...

  8. None

    Add Bridport & West Bay to your Itinerary

    Bridport & West Bay

    Bridport

    Set amongst the spectacular rolling Dorset hills, Bridport is a lively town with a friendly and vibrant character. As well as being a Gateway Town to the Jurassic Coast, Bridport has also been named a Beacon Town for the quality and variety of its locally produced food. Bridport’s culinary delights...

  9. Aerial view of Christchurch Priory

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    Christchurch

    Christchurch, CHRISTCHURCH

    Few places in the country can boast two rivers, two castles, an 11th century Priory Church, a mill of Saxon origin, a medieval bridge and the site of a civil war siege in 1645, so it's no wonder that people have been visiting Christchurch for hundreds of years.

    The historic Priory Quarter is...

  10. credit Mark Simons

    Add Dorchester to your Itinerary

    Dorchester

    Dorchester

    Historic Dorchester is the county town of Dorset. Originally sited on the spectacular hill fort of Maiden Castle, , the largest and most complex Iron Age hill fort to be visited in Britain, the town was developed in its current location by the Romans in AD43. The town rapidly grew to be Durnovaria,...