{{Short description|Village and parish in Dorset, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use British English|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox UK place |country= England |coordinates = {{coord|50.9133|-1.8317|display=inline,title}} |official_name= Alderholt |static_image_name= Charing Cross Cottage. - geograph.org.uk - 44042.jpg |static_image_caption= Charing Cross, Alderholt |population = {{Population WD|show=value}} |population_ref = ({{Population WD|show=year}}) |civil_parish= Alderholt |unitary_england= Dorset |lieutenancy_england= Dorset |region= South West England |constituency_westminster= North Dorset |post_town= Fordingbridge |postcode_area= SP |postcode_district= SP6 |dial_code= 01425 |os_grid_reference= SU119126 | london_distance_mi= 82 | london_direction= SW }} '''Alderholt''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɔː|l|d|ər|h|oʊ|l|t}} {{respell|AWL|dər|hohlt}}) is a large village and civil parish in east Dorset, England; situated {{convert|3|mi|km}} west of Fordingbridge. The parish includes the hamlets of Crendell and Cripplestyle. The parish had a population of 3,195 at the 2021 census.<ref name=census2021>Table PP002 - Sex, from {{cite web |title=Parish Profiles |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/sources/census_2021_pp |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=5 August 2024}}</ref>
The village has a Co-op Food convenience store, veterinary clinic and part-time GP surgery. There are three churches in the village: Alderholt Chapel,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alderholtchapel.org/|title=Alderholt Chapel|year=2011|accessdate=6 January 2014|publisher=alderholtchapel.org}}</ref> St James' Church of England, and the Tabernacle Gospel Church.
The village also has a large recreation ground with a sports and social club, two tennis courts, and a children's play area.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
==Transport== The main road running through the village is the B3078 connecting Alderholt to Fordingbridge and Shaftesbury.
Until 1964, Alderholt was served by Daggons Road railway station, west of the village on a line connecting to Fordingbridge and Salisbury to the north, and Verwood and Wimborne to the south.
==Governance== The civil parish was created in 1894.<ref>Kelly's Directory of Dorset, 1895</ref> A book was published in 1994 by Alderholt Parish Council recording parish details and interest over the 100 years.
Alderholt is in Dorset unitary district. It is part of the Cranborne and Alderholt ward which elects 1 member to Dorset Council.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Area profile for Cranborne & Alderholt - Dorset Council |url=https://gi.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/insights/AreaProfiles/Ward/cranborne-and-alderholt |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=gi.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk}}</ref>
Historically, Alderholt was in Wimborne and Cranborne Rural District from 1894 to 1974,<ref>{{cite web |title=Alderholt Ch/CP through time {{!}} Census tables with data for the Parish-level Unit |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10447550#tab02 |website=www.visionofbritain.org.uk}}</ref> and then East Dorset from 1974 until the creation of Dorset unitary district in 2019.
==Demographics== {| class="wikitable" style="width:32em; text-align:center;" |+ Census population of Alderholt parish |- ! scope=col| Census ! scope=col| Population ! scope=col| Households |- ! scope=row| 2001 <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/alderholt-e05003671#sthash.WF9krY74.dpbs|title=Parish and ward 2011|accessdate= 1 March 2015}}</ref> || 3,113 || |- ! scope=row| 2011 <ref name=census2011>{{NOMIS2011 |id=E04003362 |title=Alderholt Parish |access-date=25 January 2025}}</ref> || 3,171 || 1,263 |- ! scope=row| 2021 <ref name=census2021/> || 3,195 || 1,313 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category-inline}} * [http://www.AlderholtParishCouncil.gov.uk/ Alderholt Parish Council website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060519131703/http://www1.dorsetcc.gov.uk/LIVING/FACTS/Census2001.nsf/6cadf4da179fc19500256663004afece/75c12aab3d46856380256ec50030af95?OpenDocument Census data]
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Category:Civil parishes in Dorset Category:Villages in Dorset