Shaftesbury is a compact hilltop town in north Dorset, England, perched on a greensand ridge with sweeping views down into the low-lying Blackmore Vale and towards the chalk hills of Cranborne Chase, a setting that gives the town its distinctive skyline and long-distance vistas.
With medieval origins and the remnants of Shaftesbury Abbey, the town mixes historic streets and independent shops with an economy focused on tourism and surrounding agriculture; its steep, cobbled Gold Hill is particularly famous and draws many visitors for its photogenic character and links to a well-known advertising film.
Postcode districts covering Shaftesbury
Most populated places nearby
- Bournemouth 23.5 miles37.9 km
- Poole 21.8 miles35.1 km
- Yeovil 20.2 miles32.6 km
- Salisbury 17.5 miles28.2 km
- Trowbridge 21.7 miles35 km
- Frome 15.1 miles24.2 km
- Ferndown 19 miles30.6 km
- Ferndown Town 19.3 miles31.1 km
- Warminster 13.5 miles21.8 km
- Westbury 17.5 miles28.2 km
- Dorchester 23.3 miles37.6 km
- Ringwood 21.2 miles34.1 km
Neighbouring places
- Shaftesbury Town Ward 0.1 miles0.1 km
- Cann Parish 1.1 miles1.8 km
- Higher Coombe Built-up area 1.4 miles2.2 km
- Motcombe Built-up area 1.8 miles2.9 km
- Melbury Abbas Parish 2 miles3.2 km
- Donhead St. Mary Parish 2.1 miles3.3 km
- Sedgehill and Semley Parish 2.6 miles4.2 km
- Compton Abbas Parish 2.8 miles4.5 km
- Stour Row Built-up area 3 miles4.8 km
- Donhead St. Andrew Parish 3.5 miles5.6 km
- Margaret Marsh Parish 3.6 miles5.8 km
- Stour Provost Parish 3.7 miles6 km
Example postcodes in Shaftesbury
SP7 8LH, SP7 8HN, SP7 8DZ, SP7 9HB, SP7 8FP, SP7 7BA, SP7 8EJ, SP7 8NB, SP7 8EG … See all
Transport links
- Bournemouth Airport 21.9 miles35.3 km
- Bristol Airport 34.5 miles55.5 km
- Gillingham 3.9 miles6.3 km
- Tisbury Railway Station 6.1 miles9.8 km
Hotels in Shaftesbury Ad
Schools in Shaftesbury
- Shaftesbury C of E Primary School Primary
- Shaftesbury School Secondary
- The Abbey C of E VA Primary School, Shaftesbury Primary
Local points of interest
- Wardour Castle Estate 4.3 miles7 km
- Fonthill Abbey Estate 5.6 miles9.1 km
- Cranborne Chase Forest 6.8 miles11 km
- Western Downs Hill 8.4 miles13.5 km
- Stourhead Estate 8.7 miles14 km
- Wincanton Racecourse Recreation 10.4 miles16.8 km
- King Alfred's Tower Historic site 10.5 miles16.9 km
- Crichel House Estate 12.4 miles20 km
- Tarrant Abbey Historic site 12.8 miles20.6 km
- Longleat Country house 12.8 miles20.6 km
- Salisbury Racecourse Recreation 14.9 miles24.1 km
- Orchardleigh Estate Historic site 18.3 miles29.5 km