Shaftesbury Rural District (RD)

Created: 1894   Abolished: 1974

Statistics

Population

Population

Densities and rates of growth. Age structure: concentrations of young people, and of the old.
Industry

Industry

How people made their living: identifying farming communities, pit villages, mill towns and so on.
Social Structure

Social Structure

Social class and socio-economic groups. Concentrations of professionals, and of unskilled labourers.
Learning & Language

Learning & Language

How many people were at school. The distribution of graduates, and of the unqualified.
Life & Death

Life & Death

Numbers of babies born. Deaths, especially infant deaths. Causes of death by age and gender.
Work & Poverty

Work & Poverty

Unemployment rates and poor relief. What proportions of men and of women did paid work?
Housing

Housing

Numbers of houses. Overcrowding: persons per room. Amenities: central heating, baths and WCs.
Place marker map of Great Britain and Ireland

The following alternate names exist for this unit:

Name Status Language Start End Authority
SHAFTESBURY Preferred English     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 596.
E100255 CASWEB identifiers for 1971 Local Govt Districts English    

This unit contained the following units:

Name Type Start End Authority
ALCESTER CP Parish-level Unit   1921 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 105.
ASHMORE AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 106.
BOURTON Ch/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 107.
BUCKHORN WESTON AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 107.
CANN CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 108.
COMPTON ABBAS AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 109.
EAST ORCHARD Ch/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 115.
EAST STOUR Ch/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 119.
FONTMELL MAGNA AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 111.
GILLINGHAM CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 111.
IWERNE MINSTER AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 112.
KINGTON MAGNA AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 113.
MARGARET MARSH Ch/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 114.
MELBURY ABBAS CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 114.
MOTCOMBE Ch/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 115.
SILTON AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 118.
STOUR PROVOST AP/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 119.
SUTTON WALDRON CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 119.
TODBER CP/AP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 120.
WEST ORCHARD Ch/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 115.
WEST STOUR Ch/CP Parish-level Unit     F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 119.

This unit was part of the following units:

Name Type Start End Authority
DORSET Administrative County 1894 1974 F. Youngs, Local Administrative Units: Southern England (London: Royal Historical Society, 1979), p. 596.

This unit was affected by the following changes:

Date Type of change Other unit involved Area transferred Authority
01 Apr 1933 was reduced to enlarge SHAFTESBURY MB parts of the CPs of Cann and Motcombe Area: 569 acres. Population in 1931: 452.   1931 Census of England and Wales, Table B, 'Areas altered between 26th April, 1931 and 30th June, 1934, showing constitution as at the latter date, in terms of constitution as at the former date, together with particulars of acreage and population'.; M. of H. Order No. 77049. The Dorsetshire Review Order, 1933
01 Apr 1966 was enlarged by gaining part of WINCANTON RD parts of Henstridge, Wincanton CPs Area: 3 acres.   1971 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Intercensal changes of Boundary (between 23rd April, 1961, and 25th April, 1971)', for 'AC, LAA, CP, NT'.; The South Western Counties Order, 1965
01 Apr 1966 was reduced to enlarge WINCANTON RD parts of Buckhorn Weston, Kington Magna CPs Area: 7 acres.   1971 Census of England and Wales, Table 4, 'Intercensal changes of Boundary (between 23rd April, 1961, and 25th April, 1971)', for 'AC, LAA, CP, NT'.; The South Western Counties Order, 1965

Boundary Map of Shaftesbury Rural District (RD)

If the boundaries of the Local Government District changed over time, this map will show all the different boundaries.

Maps Census reports

How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Shaftesbury Rural District (RD) through time, A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10108111

Date accessed: 08th April 2026