Beaminster

Beaminster
Beaminster town centre
Beaminster is located in Dorset
Beaminster
Beaminster
Location within Dorset
Population3,177 2021 census[1]
OS grid referenceST4701
• London145 miles (233 km)
Civil parish
  • Beaminster
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBeaminster
Postcode districtDT8
Dialling code01308
PoliceDorset
FireDorset and Wiltshire
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
WebsiteBeaminster Town Council
List of places
UK
England
Dorset
50°48′32″N 2°44′21″W / 50.809°N 2.7391°W / 50.809; -2.7391

Beaminster (/ˈbɛmɪnstər/ BEM-in-stər) is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England, approximately 15 miles (24 km) northwest of the county town Dorchester. It is sited in a bowl-shaped valley near the source of the small River Brit. The population of Beaminster parish was recorded as 3,177 in the 2021 census.[1]

Beaminster is the product of the Anglo-Saxon age, dating back to around the 7th century, when it was known as Bebingmynster, meaning the church of Bebbe[2] although the date of origin of the town is unknown. The place name and historic evidence indicates that it was probably the site of a primary Saxon minster church and was at the centre of a large episcopal estate. These are likely to have acted as a focus for a settlement, but evidence of its formation is lacking.[3]

In its history Beaminster has been a centre of manufacture of linen and woollens, the raw materials for which were produced in the surrounding countryside. The town experienced three serious fires in the 17th and 18th centuries; the first of these, during the English Civil War, almost destroyed the fabric of the town.

Beaminster's parish church – the Church of St Mary – is notable for its architecture, particularly its tower, and is grade I listed.[4]

  1. ^ a b CityPopulation.de Beaminster (Parish, United Kingdom)
  2. ^ "Beaminster | the Dorset Guide". Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  3. ^ "When Water came to Beaminster » History & Community". 25 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  4. ^ Historic England