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 miles
- Poole 21.8 miles
- Yeovil 20.2 miles
- Salisbury 17.5 miles
- Trowbridge 21.7 miles
- Frome 15.1 miles
- Ferndown 19 miles
- Ferndown Town 19.3 miles
- Warminster 13.5 miles
- Westbury 17.5 miles
- Dorchester 23.3 miles
- Ringwood 21.2 miles
Neighbouring places
- Shaftesbury Town Ward 0.1 miles
- Cann Parish 1.1 miles
- Higher Coombe Built-up area 1.4 miles
- Motcombe Built-up area 1.8 miles
- Melbury Abbas Parish 2 miles
- Donhead St. Mary Parish 2.1 miles
- Sedgehill and Semley Parish 2.6 miles
- Compton Abbas Parish 2.8 miles
- Stour Row Built-up area 3 miles
- Donhead St. Andrew Parish 3.5 miles
- Margaret Marsh Parish 3.6 miles
- Stour Provost Parish 3.7 miles
Example postcodes in Shaftesbury
SP7 8NS, SP7 8RL, SP7 8UG, SP7 7BJ, SP7 9LB, SP7 8LR, SP7 8GD, SP7 8RU, SP7 8JT … See all
Transport links
- Bournemouth Airport 21.9 miles
- Bristol Airport 34.5 miles
- Gillingham 3.9 miles
- Tisbury Railway Station 6.1 miles
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 miles
- Fonthill Abbey Estate 5.6 miles
- Cranborne Chase Forest 6.8 miles
- Western Downs Hill 8.4 miles
- Stourhead Estate 8.7 miles
- Wincanton Racecourse Recreation 10.4 miles
- King Alfred's Tower Historic site 10.5 miles
- Crichel House Estate 12.4 miles
- Tarrant Abbey Historic site 12.8 miles
- Longleat Country house 12.8 miles
- Salisbury Racecourse Recreation 14.9 miles
- Orchardleigh Estate Historic site 18.3 miles