Belchalwell
Encyclopedia
Belchalwell is a village in the civil parish
of Okeford Fitzpaine in the Blackmore Vale
, North Dorset
, and lies two and a half miles south of Sturminster Newton
and six miles north-west of Blandford.
The village lies under the north slopes of Bell Hill, part of the Dorset Downs
, and is Saxon
in origin, with a medieval church, much renovated.
The village has approximately 30 properties with less than a hundred residents, and is much reduced in size from former times, largely due to reductions in agricultural employment, which has always been the primary industry.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Okeford Fitzpaine in the Blackmore Vale
Blackmore Vale
The Blackmore Vale is a vale, or wide valley, in north Dorset, and to a lesser extent south Somerset and southwest Wiltshire in southern England. The vale is part of the Stour valley...
, North Dorset
North Dorset
North Dorset is a local government district in Dorset, England. It is largely rural, but includes the towns of Blandford Forum, Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Stalbridge and Sturminster Newton. Much of North Dorset is in the River Stour valley and is called the Blackmore Vale...
, and lies two and a half miles south of Sturminster Newton
Sturminster Newton
Sturminster Newton, known to locals as Stur, is a town in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England. It is situated on a low limestone ridge in a meander of the River Stour. The town is at the centre of a large dairy agriculture region, around which the town's economy is built...
and six miles north-west of Blandford.
The village lies under the north slopes of Bell Hill, part of the Dorset Downs
Dorset Downs
The Dorset Downs are an area of Chalk downland in the centre of the county Dorset in south west England. The downs are the most western part of a larger Chalk Formation which also includes Cranborne Chase, Salisbury Plain, Hampshire Downs, Chiltern Hills, North Downs and South Downs.The Dorset...
, and is Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
in origin, with a medieval church, much renovated.
The village has approximately 30 properties with less than a hundred residents, and is much reduced in size from former times, largely due to reductions in agricultural employment, which has always been the primary industry.