Welcome to Winterborne Houghton
CLICK FOR 2021 CENSUS DATAIntroduction
Winterborne Houghton is a village and civil parish in north Dorset, England. It is situated in a winterbourne valley on the Dorset Downs, five miles (eight kilometres) southwest of Blandford Forum. In the 2011 census the parish had 82 households and a population of 183. In 2001 the population was 195.The name "Winterborne" derives from the River Winterborne, which has its source here. The river only flows overground during the winter, hence the name. To the east is Winterborne Stickland and the river flows on to this village, eventually joining the River Stour. To the southwest is Milton Abbas.Residents of Winterborne Houghton used to be known as "Houghton Owls", in reference to the story of a villager who, when calling for help having got lost in the woods, mistook the calls of owls for answering human voices. In his book Dorset Villages Roland Gant posits the theory that Thomas Hardy used this tale as inspiration for the scene where Joseph Poorgrass gets lost in Yalbury Wood in Far from the Madding Crowd.
Parish Information
Parish statistics
Area |
798 hectares |
---|---|
Population |
169 (2021) |
Density |
21 people/km2 |
Mean age |
50.0 |
Ward |
Winterborne North |
District |
North Dorset |
Postcodes |
DT11 |
ONS ID |
E04003458 |
Council
Contact details for Winterborne Houghton Parish Council, including current councillors, precept data and election results.
Education
View educational establishments in Winterborne Houghton Parish. Data includes OFSTED rating and current appointed governors.
Business
Business directory listing local businesses operating within Winterborne Houghton Parish.
Planning
View recent planning applications submitted for Winterborne Houghton Parish.
Property
Price paid data for all property sold in Winterborne Houghton Parish since 2018. Includes average prices for each property type.
Heritage
Local heritage sites, historic churches, heritage pubs plus local heritage initiatives for Winterborne Houghton Parish.
Local News
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Flood warnings across Dorset with unpredictable weather forecast
Published: 25th Jan 2023
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Full list of flood warnings and alerts in Somerset
Published: 25th Feb 2024