Charminster

For the suburb of Bournemouth, see Charminster, Bournemouth.

Charminster is a village and civil parish in west Dorset, England, situated on the River Cerne and A352 road 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the county town Dorchester. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 2,940 ^[1] and also contains the hamlet of Charlton Down.

Charminster
Parish church of St Mary's
Charminster Location within Dorset
Population	2,940 ^[1]
OS grid reference	SY680927
Unitary authority	Dorset
Shire county	Dorset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Dorchester
Postcode district	DT2
Police	Dorset
Fire	Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	West Dorset
List of places UK England Dorset 50°43′58″N 2°27′17″W / 50.7327°N 2.4546°W / 50.7327; -2.4546Coordinates: 50°43′58″N 2°27′17″W / 50.7327°N 2.4546°W / 50.7327; -2.4546

The village name derives from the River Cerne and the small 'minster' church of St Mary, resulting in "Cerneminster" (recorded in 1223), which eventually evolved into Charminster.^[2] The village, which includes Wolfeton House, was the place of origin of Richard Norman and family, one of the Planters of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in America, who arrived there in ca. 1626.^[3] Scientist Margaret Bastock died in the village in 1982, aged 62.

Charminster is in the Charminster and Cerne Valley electoral ward, which stretches from the northern outskirts of Dorchester through Cerne Abbas to Minterne Magna. The total population of this ward at the 2011 census was 4,768.^[4]

Facilities

As a relatively large village Charminster has an abundance of amenities, with three pubs,^[5][6][7] a village hall^[8] and a community center with the former having seating capacity in the main hall of 100 seated 120 standing and a further 10 or so in other rooms,^[9] as well as a village green at Charminster house^[8] used for fetes and community celebrations,^[10] beyond this the village has a park and a numerous variety of shops and business with a previously mentioned church and a First school^[11]

References

1. "Area: Charminster (Parish). Key Figures for 2011 Census: Key Statistics". Neighbourhood Statistic. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
2. Mills, A.D., 1986. Dorset Place Names. Ensign, Southampton. ISBN 1-85455-065-9.
3. Leslie Mahler, "The English Origin of Richard Norman of Salem, Massachusetts." The American Genealogist, Vol. 77, No. 2 (April 2002).
4. "Charminster & Cerne Valley ward 2011". Retrieved 26 February 2015.
5. www.sun-inn-dorchester.co.uk https://www.sun-inn-dorchester.co.uk/. Retrieved 29 July 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
6. thethreecompassescharminster.co.uk https://thethreecompassescharminster.co.uk/. Retrieved 29 July 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
7. www.tripadvisor.co.uk https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g1076945-d6114897-Reviews-The_Gamekeeper_Pub_and_B_B-Charminster_Dorset_England.html. Retrieved 16 August 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
8. "Charminster Village Hall". Retrieved 29 July 2022
9. "Charminster Village Hall". Retrieved 29 July 2022
10. westdorsetmag.co.uk https://westdorsetmag.co.uk/venue/charminster/?eventDisplay=past#:~:text=June%202022%20Sat%204%20June%204%20%40%202%3A00,listed%20on%20the%20national%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20events%20programme. Retrieved 16 August 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
11. www.charminster.dorset.sch.uk http://www.charminster.dorset.sch.uk/. Retrieved 16 August 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

  Media related to Charminster at Wikimedia Commons