Gillingham sits in north Dorset on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, straddling the gentle valley of the River Stour and close to the county border with Wiltshire. The town has a recognisably historic centre with a medieval parish church and a market‑town heritage that was reinforced by Victorian expansion, so the streets mix older stone buildings with later civic and commercial development.
Locally the economy leans on agriculture, small manufacturing and town centre services, while many residents commute to larger towns nearby. There’s a lively community feel with independent shops, local clubs and annual events, and the surrounding rolling countryside - including easy access to parts of the Cranborne Chase - makes it popular with walkers and those seeking a rural lifestyle within reach of regional centres.
Postcode districts covering Gillingham
Most populated places nearby
- Bath 24 miles38.5 km
- Yeovil 17.1 miles27.5 km
- Salisbury 20.9 miles33.7 km
- Trowbridge 20.1 miles32.3 km
- Frome 11.7 miles18.9 km
- Melksham 24.2 miles39 km
- Melksham Without 24.3 miles39.2 km
- Ferndown 23.1 miles37.2 km
- Ferndown Town 23.3 miles37.6 km
- Warminster 12.3 miles19.9 km
- Westbury 16.1 miles25.9 km
- Dorchester 23.6 miles38 km
Neighbouring places
- Gillingham Built-up area 0.3 miles0.5 km
- Milton on Stour Built-up area 1.3 miles2.1 km
- East Stour Built-up area 1.9 miles3 km
- West Stour Built-up area 2.4 miles3.9 km
- Silton Parish 2.7 miles4.4 km
- Motcombe Built-up area 2.8 miles4.5 km
- Cucklington Parish 3.1 miles5 km
- Buckhorn Weston Built-up area 3.2 miles5.1 km
- Stour Provost Parish 3.2 miles5.2 km
- Kington Magna Built-up area 3.2 miles5.2 km
- Bourton Built-up area 3.3 miles5.3 km
- Stour Row Built-up area 3.4 miles5.5 km
Example postcodes in Gillingham
SP8 4JZ, SP8 4LB, SP8 4DL, SP8 5RB, SP8 4SP, SP7 9HR, SP8 5JG, SP8 5NG, SP8 4DN … See all
Transport links
- Bournemouth Airport 26.1 miles41.9 km
- Bristol Airport 30.5 miles49.1 km
- Gillingham 0.4 miles0.6 km
- Templecombe Railway Station 6.3 miles10.2 km
Hotels near Gillingham Ad
- The Grosvenor Arms 4 4.2 miles6.7 km
- The Old Red Lion 8.3 miles13.4 km
- Plumber Manor 4 9.3 miles14.9 km
- The Talbot 2 8.4 miles13.5 km
- Dolphin Hotel 5.7 miles9.1 km
- Best Western Shaftesbury the Royal Chase Hotel 3 4.8 miles7.7 km
- Holbrook Manor & Spa - Oceana Collection 7.1 miles11.5 km
Schools in Gillingham
- Gillingham Primary School Primary
- Gillingham School Secondary
- Milton-on-Stour C of E Primary School Primary
- Motcombe C of E Primary School Primary
- Port Regis Preparatory School Independent - all ages
- St George's C of E School, Bourton Primary
Local points of interest
- Stourhead Estate 5.1 miles8.2 km
- Wincanton Racecourse Recreation 6.1 miles9.9 km
- King Alfred's Tower Historic site 6.5 miles10.5 km
- Fonthill Abbey Estate 7.9 miles12.6 km
- Wardour Castle Estate 7.9 miles12.7 km
- Longleat Country house 10.4 miles16.7 km
- Cranborne Chase Forest 11.1 miles17.9 km
- Western Downs Hill 12.5 miles20.1 km
- Orchardleigh Estate Historic site 15.6 miles25.2 km
- Tarrant Abbey Historic site 16 miles25.8 km
- Crichel House Estate 16.4 miles26.4 km
- Huish Park Stadium 18.1 miles29.1 km