- Wool, Dorset
Infobox UK place
official_name= Wool
local_name=
shire_district=Purbeck
shire_county=Dorset
country= England
region= South West England
static_
static_image_caption=
population= 4,118 (2001)
os_grid_reference= SY839865
map_type= Dorset
latitude= 50.6787
longitude= -2.2288
london_distance=
post_town= Wareham
postcode_area= BH
postcode_district= BH20
dial_code= 01929
constituency_westminster= South Dorset
website=Wool is a village in the Purbeck district of
Dorset ,England . The village has a population of 4,118 (2001), though the population has fluctuated over the past 15 years, due to the proximity of military institutions, reaching a high of 4,300 in 1992. The village lies at a historic bridging point on the River Frome, half way between Dorchester and Wareham. A 17th centurymanor house , Woolbridge Manor, is a prominent feature in the village and the location of Tess' honeymoon inThomas Hardy 's "Tess of the D'Urbervilles ". Other prominent features of the village include themedieval church of Holy Rood, theSouth Western Main Line from London Waterloo toWeymouth , and thethatch ed cottages along Spring Street.Nearby, to the east of the village, are the ruins of Bindon Abbey, which was demolished in the
Dissolution of the Monasteries of 1539, the stone being used to build castles in Portland, Lulworth and Sandsfoot.According to local knowledge, only one building was destroyed during the war on
3 May 1941 . The building was a small bungalow by the name of "Two Birches", located on Bailey's Drove. The house was later rebuilt.A small single lane hump backed stone bridge about 500m north from the railway station is no longer used for vehicular traffic. It has a stone halfway along it stating that those who deface or damage the bridge will be transported (sent to Australia or another
penal colony ) for the rest of their lives. Of local interest are apair of old Somerset & Dorset railway carriages made into a house on Dorchester Rd.Local places of interest include the
Bovington Tank Museum andMonkey World .It also boasts surrounding hamlets, including East Burton andGiddy Green Wool Carnival
Wool carnival is the newly renamed annual event at the local green behind the D'Urberville Hall. It provides entertainment for the village and surrounding areas. It began in the 1950's when it was known as Wool Awake. It ceased operation for a number of years but restarted in the 21st century as Wake Up Wool. In 2007, Wake Up Wool became Wool Carnival.
External links
* [http://www1.dorsetcc.gov.uk/LIVING/FACTS/Census2001.nsf/6cadf4da179fc19500256663004afece/c26f6473fcae844380256ec5004fa4f8?OpenDocument Census data]
* [http://www.imagesofdorset.org.uk/Dorset/085/intro.htm Images of Dorset]
* [http://www.holyroodwool.org Holy Rood Church Website]
* [http://gallery.beautifulengland.net/main.php?g2_itemId=9134 Information and photographs of Wool, Dorset]References
* Pitt-Rivers, Michael, 1968. "Dorset". London: Faber & Faber ISBN 0-571-06714-X
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