Welcome to West Stafford
CLICK FOR 2021 CENSUS DATAIntroduction
West Stafford is a village and civil parish in southwest Dorset, England, situated in the Frome valley 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 291. The village contains the public house 'The Wise Man Inn', and St Andrew's Church. The river Winterbourne runs beside the village and 2 miles south lies the village of West Knighton. Thomas Hardy, when training as an architect, assisted in the design of Talbothays Lodge and the cottages opposite. The village is also accepted as the setting for part of Hardy's novel Tess or the D'Urbevilles, during the period when Tess works at the Talbothays Dairy. Reginald Bosworth Smith, schoolmaster, author and President of the Oxford Union, was born in West Stafford on 28 June 1839. His father, Reginald Southwell Smith, was the fourth son of Sir John Wyldbore Smith, Baronet, of Sydling St Nicholas, Dorset.
Parish Information
Parish statistics
Area |
400 hectares |
|---|---|
Population |
283 (2021) |
Density |
71 people/km2 |
Mean age |
49.5 |
Ward |
Winterborne & Broadmayne |
District |
West Dorset |
Postcodes |
DT2 |
ONS ID |
E04003616 |
Council
Contact details for West Stafford Parish Council, including current councillors, precept data and election results.
Education
View educational establishments in West Stafford Parish. Data includes OFSTED rating and current appointed governors.
Business
Business directory listing local businesses operating within West Stafford Parish.
Planning
View recent planning applications submitted for West Stafford Parish.
Property
Price paid data for all property sold in West Stafford Parish since 2018. Includes average prices for each property type.
Heritage
Local heritage sites, historic churches, heritage pubs plus local heritage initiatives for West Stafford Parish.