| Gillingham | |
|---|---|
 High Street, Gillingham | |
  Gillingham Location within Dorset | |
| Population | 11,756 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | ST805265 |
| • London | 98.4 mi (158.4 km) ENE |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GILLINGHAM |
| Postcode district | SP8 |
| Dialling code | 01747 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | |
Gillingham (/ˈɡɪlɪŋəm/ GHIL-ing-əm) is a town and civil parish in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England. It lies on the B3095 and B3081 roads, approximately four miles (six kilometres) south of the A303 trunk road and five miles (eight kilometres) northwest of Shaftesbury. It is the most northerly town in the county. In the 2011 census the civil parish had a population of 11,756. The neighbouring hamlets of Peacemarsh, Bay and Wyke have become part of Gillingham as it has expanded.
Gillingham is pronounced with a hard initial "g" (/ɡ/), unlike Gillingham, Kent, which is pronounced with a soft "g" (/dʒ/).
- ^ "Area: Gillingham (Parish), Key Figures for 2011 Census: Key Statistics". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2014.