Beaminster
Human settlement in England / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Beaminster (/ˈbɛmɪnstər/ BEM-in-stər) is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England, situated in the Dorset Council administrative area approximately 15 miles (24 km) northwest of the county town Dorchester. It is sited in a bowl-shaped valley near the source of the small River Brit. The 2013 mid-year estimate of the population of Beaminster parish is 3,100.
Beaminster | |
---|---|
Beaminster town centre | |
Location within Dorset | |
Population | 3,100 (2013 estimate) |
OS grid reference | ST4701 |
• London | 145 miles (233 km) |
Civil parish |
|
Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | Beaminster |
Postcode district | DT8 |
Dialling code | 01308 |
Police | Dorset |
Fire | Dorset and Wiltshire |
Ambulance | South Western |
UK Parliament | |
Website | Beaminster Town Council |
50.809°N 2.7391°W / 50.809; -2.7391 |
Beaminster is the product of the Anglo-Saxon age, dating back to around the 7th century, when it was known as Bebingmynster, meaning the church of Bebbe [1] although the date of origin of the town is unknown. The place name and historic evidence indicates that it was probably the site of a primary Saxon minster church and was at the centre of a large episcopal estate. These are likely to have acted as a focus for a settlement, but evidence of its formation is lacking.[2]
In its history Beaminster has been a centre of manufacture of linen and woollens, the raw materials for which were produced in the surrounding countryside. The town experienced three serious fires in the 17th and 18th centuries; the first of these, during the English Civil War, almost destroyed the fabric of the town.
Beaminster parish church is notable for its architecture, particularly its tower.