Savills Portugal

Surrounded by beautiful rolling countryside and within easy reach of the Jurassic coast, Dorchester is the county town of Dorset. It’s situated between Poole and Bridport, on the edge of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The market town is well known as the home of author and poet Thomas Hardy – his birthplace can be found on the outskirts, in Higher Bockhampton; you can also visit what's known as Hardy’s Cottage and his Victorian townhouse, Max Gate, both managed by the National Trust.

Hardy fans will know the town as ‘Casterbridge’, which featured in many of his novels, and references to the literary great and his work can be found all around.

Beyond Hardy, there’s a rich history dating back to the Iron Age. Just outside the town is Maiden Castle, one of the largest and most complex Iron Age hillforts in Britain, now looked after by English Heritage. With vast ramparts enclosing an area the size of 50 football pitches, it was once home to several hundred people.

The richness of the town and wider county’s 250 million-year history can be enjoyed at Dorset Museum which holds nationally and internationally recognised collections as well as a wide range of public programmes and exhibitions throughout the year.

At the heart of the town centre, opposite Dorchester Market, is Brewery Square, a shopping and eating complex which has roots dating back to 1833. Alongside shops, stylish apartments and restaurants, there is a main square which includes an outdoor LED screen, the Screen on the Square. The development has an eclectic mix of architectural styles ranging from the historic listed buildings of the original Eldridge Pope Brewery to stunning new builds.

With an average house price of £331,800 (12 months to July 2022), Dorchester offers a variety of different property types, from townhouses and apartments through to cottages and farmhouses in the surrounding countryside.

Its urban extension, Poundbury – designed in accordance with the principles of architecture and urban planning as advocated by the then Price of Wales, now King Charles – is home to 4,600 people; it also provides employment for 2,400 people working in more than 240 shops, cafés, offices and factories. The thriving urban settlement was designed to break the mould of conventional housing development to create a sustainable community. Emphasis is placed on the quality of place making through time-honoured principles, urban design, landscaping and the selection of materials.

Among the town’s facilities are two railway stations, Dorchester South, which is on the London Waterloo– Weymouth line, and Dorchester West, on the Bristol/Castle Cary–Weymouth line. Added to this the excellent selection of schooling in the area and the town is a great choice for families wishing to be enjoy all that Dorchester has to offer as well as glorious countryside and the World Heritage Jurassic coastline.

Here, we have selected some of the best homes currently for sale across the town and the surrounding area: