Wimborne

Wimborne Minster (often referred to locally as Wimborne) is a market town in the East Dorset district of Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England Church in that town. The central town has a population of 6,418 (according to the2001 Census) and is situated at the confluence of the River Stour and River Allen, five miles north of Poole.

The architecture of Wimborne is regarded as one of the foremost collections of 15th, 16th and 17th century buildings in Dorset. Local planning has restricted the construction of new buildings in areas such as the Corn Market and the High Street, which has preserved almost all of the original buildings. The most interesting examples of English architecture include the centuries-old Wimborne Minster, the Town Hall, the Priest’s House Museum and dozens of original 16th, 17th and 18th century fronted shops and pubs. The town is also home to the Tivoli theatre, a 1930's art deco cinema and theatre.

The model town is one of the largest and most established model towns in England. It depicts Wimborne at the time it was made, in the 1950s. It is at 1/10 scale, so the model of the Minster is several feet high. The shop windows accurately show the goods the shops were selling at the time.

In the Centre of Wimborne Minster is a Saxon Church, with Norman and Gothic architecture. It is famed for its unique chained library and the tombs of King Ethlered the brother of Alfred the Great, as well as the tombstone of John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, and his duchess, the maternal grandparents of King Henry VII of England.

Wimborne Minster was winner of the regional Britain in Bloom Awards and Silver Gilt medallist in the national competition. The town welcomes visitors each summer with a display of flowers in six large gardened areas of the town.

On weekends and national holidays, the town crier can be seen in the main square and around the Minster. The legacy and position of the town crier date back to the Cival War. The town has a large civil war re-enactment society, which performs every year.

The town has a well-established and large market. The market is held on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It was previously located in the Town Centre but moved out several years ago to a site on the edge of town to accommodate its size.