Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury photos (31 available)
Shaftesbury maps (2 available)
Map of Dorset
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
Personalised maps
Create an historic map centred directly on any postcode!
Shaftesbury books (13 available)
- 3 photos on Shaftesbury appear in 2 Frith books - View photos of Shaftesbury
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Shaftesbury and Dorset
Shaftesbury memories
Read and share memories of Shaftesbury and Dorset inspired by Frith photos
Shaftesbury's bad reputation!
Shaftesbury's position high on a hilltop with only a meagre water supply meant that water had to be brought up to the town from wells at the bottom of the steep slopes, usually by horses and donkeys carrying barrels. Water sellers then went round the town's houses selling water by the bucketful. However, Shaftesbury's position at the crossroads of several main coaching routes meant that it was abundantly supplied with inns and beer houses. This scarcity of water and preponderance of inns, together with the fact that the churchyard for the now vanished St John’s Church (on St John’s Hill) was set on a steep slope high above the church itself, prompted Thomas Hardy's famous description of the town in his ...read more here
Contributed by Julia Skinner
Hovis Hill
This is the hill that appeared in the Hovis television adverts - supposedly in a northern town, but in reality in deepest Dorset! At the top it is about 700 feet above sea level. It is now the scene of the once a year Gold Hill Festival in July.
Contributed by John Buck
Dorset memories
Shaftesbury's bad reputation!
Shaftesbury's position high on a hilltop with only a meagre water supply meant that water had to be brought up to the town from wells at the bottom of the steep slopes, usually by horses and donkeys carrying barrels. Water sellers then went round the town's houses selling water by the bucketful. However, Shaftesbury's position at the crossroads of several main coaching routes meant that it was abundantly supplied with inns and beer houses. This scarcity of water and preponderance of inns, together with the fact that the churchyard for the now vanished St John’s Church (on St John’s Hill) was set on a steep slope high above the church itself, prompted Thomas Hardy's famous description of the town in his ...read more here
A memory of Shaftesbury contributed by Julia Skinner
Hovis Hill
This is the hill that appeared in the Hovis television adverts - supposedly in a northern town, but in reality in deepest Dorset! At the top it is about 700 feet above sea level. It is now the scene of the once a year Gold Hill Festival in July.
A memory of Shaftesbury contributed by John Buck
Extracts From Shaftesbury & Dorset books
The hill-top town of Shaftesbury, or Shaston as it is sometimes known, owes its foundation to Alfred the Great, showing much evidence of its Saxon origins. It has achieved popularity with visitors who wish to explore the far north of Dorset and the neighbouring county of Wiltshire.
An extract from from"Dorset Living Memories".
The hilltop town of Shaftesbury began its existence during the Iron Age, but it became important when King Alfred founded an abbey here and installed his daughter as abbess. Gold Hill has featured in a number of feature films and television commercials.
An extract from from"Dorset Revisited Photographic Memories".
Gold Hill has been the location for several films and television programmes, including the 1960s version of ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’, and a much-broadcast commercial for bread. Despite its fame, Gold Hill remains one of the most beautiful streets in England.
An extract from from"Dorset Living Memories".
The hilltop town of Shaftesbury has wide views over the Blackmore Vale and thousands of acres of rolling Dorset countryside. Some locals still use its old name of Shaston. Alfred the Great and Edmund Ironside endowed Shaftesbury’s abbey with buildings and land, and Alfred’s daughter was the abbess. Edward the Martyr was buried at the abbey and King Canute died whilst staying there.
An extract from from"Dorset Pocket Album".
Another view of the
school buildings, seen
from the opposite side.
At this time, this site had
only been occupied by
the school for no more
than a year.
An extract from from"Sherborne Photographic Memories".