Welcome to Shaftesbury

CLICK FOR 2021 CENSUS DATA

Introduction

Shaftesbury () is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England. It is situated on the A30 road, 20 miles (32 kilometres) west of Salisbury, near the border with Wiltshire. It is the only significant hilltop settlement in Dorset, being built about 215 metres (705 feet) above sea level on a greensand hill on the edge of Cranborne Chase. The town looks over the Blackmore Vale, part of the River Stour basin. Shaftesbury is the site of the former Shaftesbury Abbey, which was founded in 888 by King Alfred and became one of the richest religious establishments in the country, before being destroyed in the dissolution in 1539. Adjacent to the abbey site is Gold Hill, a steep cobbled street used in the 1970s as the setting for Ridley Scott's television advertisement for Hovis bread. In the 2011 Census the town's civil parish had a population of 7,314.

Wikipedia page

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Parish Information

Parish statistics

Area

177 hectares

Population

5,243 (2021)

Density

2,969 people/km2

Mean age

38.9

Ward

Shaftesbury

District

Newport

Postcodes

NP20

ONS ID

W04000832


Council

Contact details for Shaftesbury Parish Council, including current councillors, precept data and election results.

View Parish Council

Education

View educational establishments in Shaftesbury Parish. Data includes OFSTED rating and current appointed governors.

View Education

Business

Business directory listing local businesses operating within Shaftesbury Parish.

View Business Directory

Planning

View recent planning applications submitted for Shaftesbury Parish.

View Planning Applications

Property

Price paid data for all property sold in Shaftesbury Parish since 2018. Includes average prices for each property type.

View Property

Heritage

Local heritage sites, historic churches, heritage pubs plus local heritage initiatives for Shaftesbury Parish.

View Heritage


Local News

Newport homes shuttered in police crackdown on crime

Hosted and licensed by South Wales Argus

Newport homes shuttered in police crackdown on crime

Published: 5th Sep 2023

The amazing murals that have brightened up a Newport flyover

Hosted and licensed by Wales Online

The amazing murals that have brightened up a Newport flyover

Published: 19th Jul 2023

Albany Street Aldi in Newport opened its doors on Thursday

Hosted and licensed by South Wales Argus

Albany Street Aldi in Newport opened its doors on Thursday

Published: 7th Mar 2024