Coordinates: 50°48′35″N 2°44′27″W / 50.8096°N 2.7407°W
| Beaminster | |
| Beaminster | |
 Beaminster Parish church |
|
  Beaminster
 Beaminster shown within Dorset |
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| Population | 2,936 [1] |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| - London | 145 miles (233 km) |
| Parish | Beaminster |
| District | West Dorset |
| Shire county | Dorset |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BEAMINSTER |
| Postcode district | DT8 |
| Dialling code | 01308 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | West Dorset |
| Website | http://www.beaminster.co.uk/ |
| List of places: UK • England • Dorset | |
Beaminster (Bem-in-stur) is a small town and civil parish in the West Dorset district of Dorset in South West England, standing at the head of the valley of the River Brit.[2] It lies 45 miles (72 km) south of Bristol, 38 miles (61 km) west of Bournemouth, 35 miles (56 km) east of Exeter and 15 miles (24 km) northwest of the county town of Dorchester. The town has a population of 2,936 according to the 2001 Census. It hosts the Beaminster Festival, an annual nine-day music and art festival.
History
During the civil war the town declared for Parliament, and was sacked by Royalist forces in 1644 and suffered a fire started accidentally in 1684. The town did not get a railway and thus remained at a relatively small size. Beaminster is the home of Clipper Teas Ltd. Beaminster is also home to the Whitcombe Disc Golf Course which has hosted the British Open Disc Golf Championship on a number of occasions and the European Disc Golf Championship in 2005.
Transport
The nearest railway station is located five miles north of the town at Crewkerne, whilst Exeter International Airport lies 30 miles (48 km) to the west. The main road running through the town is the A3066, which leads to Bridport to the south and Mosterton and Crewkerne to the north.
Education
St Mary's Church of England Primary School
Beaminster secondary school is a small school with approximately 700 students, from year 7 up to year 11. It has a combined sixth form with the Sir John Colfox secondary school, in the nearby town of Bridport.
Now Beaminster Technology College, it "is a good school that is well-led and managed", (Ofsted report 2008) and is set to receive Bridport's "Mountjoy Special School" into its curtilage when the latter moves in the near future. More future plans include a new emphasis on training for facets of sustainable agriculture.
Notable people
Beaminster is the hometown of actor Martin Clunes, and was where singer PJ Harvey went to school. It is also home of Lynne Reid Banks, the author of The L-Shaped Room and The Indian in the Cupboard.
See also
References
- ^ Census, 2001
- ^ Beaminster, Dorset Home Page
External links
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