Wimborne Minster
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the town Wimborne Minster. For the church of Wimborne Minster, see Wimborne Minster.
| Wimborne Minster | |
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| Population | 14,884 (2001 census) |
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| OS grid reference | |
| District | East Dorset |
| Shire county | Dorset |
| Region | South West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WIMBORNE |
| Postcode district | BH21 |
| Dial code | 01202 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| UK Parliament | Mid Dorset & North Poole |
| European Parliament | South West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Dorset | |
Wimborne Minster (often referred to locally as Wimborne) is a market town in the East Dorset district of Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town. The central town has a population of 6,418 (according to the 2001 Census) and is situated at the confluence of the River Stour and River Allen, five miles north of Poole.
The Mayor of Wimborne is currently Town Councillor Robin D. Cook.
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[edit] Buildings and architecture
The architecture of Wimborne is regarded as one of the foremost collections of 15th, 16th and 17th century buildings in Dorset. Local planning has restricted the construction of new buildings in areas such as the Corn Market and the High Street, which has preserved almost all of the original buildings. The most interesting examples of English architecture include the centuries-old Wimborne Minster, the Town Hall, the Priest's House Museum and dozens of original fronted shops and pubs.
- Further information: Priest's House Museum
The model town is one of the largest and most established model towns in England. It depicts Wimborne at the time it was made, in the 1950s. It is at 1/10 scale, so the model of the Minster is several feet high. The shop windows accurately show the goods the shops were selling at the time. The exhibition also includes a model railway based on Thomas the Tank Engine, which was opened by Christopher Awdry. Children are invited to complete a quiz sheet (there are several, graded by age).
- Further information: Wimborne Model Town
[edit] Wimborne Minster
This is a Saxon Church, with Norman and Gothic architecture. It is famed for its unique chained library and the tombs of King Ethelred, the brother of Alfred the Great, as well as the tombs of John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, and his duchess, the maternal grandparents of King Henry VII of England.
- Further information: Wimborne Minster (church)
[edit] Events
Wimborne Minster was winner of the regional 'In Bloom Awards' and Silver Gilt medallist in the national competition. The town welcomes visitors each summer with a display of flowers in six large gardened areas of the town.
On weekends and national holidays, the town crier can be seen in the main square and around the Minster. The legacy and position of the town crier date back to the Civil War. The town has a large civil war re-enactment society, which performs every year.
The town has a well-established, large and long-standing market. The market is held on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It was previously located in the Town Centre but moved out several years ago to a site on the edge of town to accommodate its size.
Every summer in June the town holds the Wimborne Folk Festival, which involves lots of Morris Dancing and drinking in the pubs. The regional festival is attended by over 15,000 people across its weekend with parts of the town being closed to traffic. It is one of the largest events of its kind in England.
[edit] Famous ex-residents
- Saint Lioba
- Pope Joan
- Thomas Hardy
- Tim Berners-Lee
- Robert Fripp of King Crimson
- Montague John Druitt, one of the people on the list of proposed Jack the Ripper suspects, was born in Wimborne and is buried in Wimborne Minster.
- Alistair Tutton, Photographer and envoy to sister city Kansas City in the United States of America.
[edit] Pubs
Wimborne has one of the largest pubs to residents ratios in Dorset. Many of these pubs are centuries old, with some dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Below is a list of pubs in central Wimborne.
- The Coach and Horses
- The Cricketers Arms
- The Rising Sun
- The Bell
- The Albion
- The Kings Head
- The Oddfellows Arms
- The White Hart
- The Pudding and Pye
- The Green Man
- The Crown and Anchor
- The Olive Branch
- TJs
[edit] Education and schools
The Town has three First Schools and two Middle Schools.
Wimborne and the area of Merley are served by two Upper Schools in the local region: Corfe Hills School and Queen Elizabeth's School.
Queen Elizabeth's School, has very close links with the Minster and was founded by Lady Margaret Beaufort in 1497. After her death the school became Wimborne Grammar School. Although the Grammar School buildings still remain they have now been converted to flats. The school was established on its current site in 1972 after the merging of Wimborne Grammar School and the County Modern School.
Wimborne First School, formally Wimborne Primary School, has been educating the children of Wimborne Minster since 1911.
Perhaps the most famous of educational institutions in Wimborne include the private Canford School on the edge of Wimborne, Merley and Canford. There is also a local Roman Catholic primary school, St Catherine's in Colehill. This draws from a wide area. There is also the nearby schools of Hayeswood and Colehill first schools.
[edit] Economy
The historically important aerospace company Cobham plc has headquarters in Wimborne and employs a large proportion of its residents. The economy of the main town is dedicated towards Leisure and has many shops, restaurants and pubs. Tourism is an important aspect in the town's economy.
