Charminster is a small village just north of Dorchester on the River Cerne. The name comes from the minster church of St Mary and the 'Cerne' of the river. Roman mosaic found buried here suggests that there was a settlement of some kind as early as the 1st century.
Perhaps the most famous native of Charminster was Richard Norman, one of the original founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, who left for the New World in 1628.
St Mary's Church
St Mary's church in Charminster is 12th century, but it stands on or near the site of an 8th century Saxon church. The Saxon church, probably made of timber, was a minster, meaning it acted as a mother church for the Cerne valley.
A Norman church was built in stone in the 11th century and you can still see rounded Norman pillars and the chancel arch from that period. The church is unusually situated directly over the river. The interior boasts some wonderful monuments to the local Trenchard and Devenish families. The tower is 15th century.
The village retains a wonderful untouched charm so typical of many Dorset countryside villages. There are two pubs, the Gamekeeper and the Royal Oak.
Wolfeton House
Just outside the village in the direction of Dorchester lies Wolfeton House, a haunted medieval manor with Elizabethan additions, begun around 1480 by the Trenchard family. The house is fronted by a twin-towered gatehouse built in 1534. One tower is a chapel while the other is let as a holiday cottage by the Landmark Trust. The house boasts a superb collection of plasterwork ceilings, oak panelling, and Jacobean carvings.
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About Charminster
Address: Charminster, Dorset, England
Attraction Type: Village
Location map
OS: SY 6833 9273
Photo Credit: David Ross and Britain Express
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HERITAGE
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Historic Time Periods:
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11th century (Time Period) - 12th century (Time Period) - 12th century (Time Period) - 15th century (Time Period) - 1st century (Time Period) - 8th century (Time Period) - Elizabethan (Architecture) - Elizabethan (Architecture) - Jacobean () - Medieval (Time Period) - Medieval (Time Period) - Norman (Architecture) - Norman (Architecture) - Roman (Time Period) - Saxon (Time Period)
NEARBY HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS
Heritage Rated from 1- 5 (low to exceptional) on historic interest
Charminster, St Mary's Church - 0.3 miles (Historic Church) 
Wolfeton House - 0.5 miles (Historic House) 
Dorchester Roman Town House - 1.2 miles (Roman Site)
Max Gate - 1.3 miles (Historic Building)
Keep Military Museum of Devon and Dorset - 1.3 miles (Museum)
Dorset County Museum - 1.3 miles (Museum)
Tutankhamun Exhibition - 1.3 miles (Museum) 
Dorchester, St Peter's Church - 1.4 miles (Historic Church)
Nearest Holiday Cottages to Charminster:
