# Askerswell

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Village and civil parish in Dorset, England

Human settlement in England

Askerswell Askerswell village from the south Askerswell Location within Dorset Area 2.7 sq mi (7.0 km2) Population 154 [1] • Density 57/sq mi (22/km2) OS grid reference SY529927 • London 140 miles (225 km) Civil parish Askerswell Unitary authority Dorset Ceremonial county Dorset Region South West Country England Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town DORCHESTER Postcode district DT2 Dialling code 01308 Police Dorset Fire Dorset and Wiltshire Ambulance South Western UK Parliament West Dorset Website http://www.askerswell.co.uk/ List of places UK England Dorset 50°43′58″N 2°40′07″W / 50.7327°N 2.6687°W / 50.7327; -2.6687

Parish church of St Michael

**Askerswell** ([/ˈæskərzwəl/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English)) is a small village and [civil parish](/source/Civil_parish) in the [county](/source/English_county) of [Dorset](/source/Dorset) in southwest England. It is sited on the small [River Asker](/source/River_Asker). It lies 11 miles (18 km) west of the county town [Dorchester](/source/Dorchester%2C_Dorset). The parish has an area of 1,724 acres (2.69 sq mi; 698 ha)[2] and in the northeast includes the western slopes of [Eggardon Hill](/source/Eggardon_Hill), including part of the [Iron Age](/source/Iron_Age) [hill fort](/source/Hill_fort) close to its summit.[3][4] In the [2011 census](/source/United_Kingdom_Census_2011) the civil parish had a population of 154.

## Toponymy

The name Askerswell is derived from *Osgar's Well* or its [Viking](/source/Vikings) equivalent *Asger's Well*, though local tradition is that Askers' Well is Dorset dialect for newts' well and refers to the name of the stream flowing through the village ("Askers" or the [River Asker](/source/River_Asker)).[5]

## History

In 1086 in the [Domesday Book](/source/Domesday_Book) Askerswell was recorded as *Oscherwille*;[6] it had 30 households, was in [Eggardon Hundred](/source/Eggardon_Hundred) and the lord and [tenant-in-chief](/source/Tenant-in-chief) was [Tavistock Abbey](/source/Tavistock_Abbey).[7]

Askerswell parish church has an early 15th-century west tower, but the rest of the building was rebuilt by [Talbot Bury](/source/Thomas_Talbot_Bury) in 1858.[5][8]

There are twenty structures in the parish that are [listed](/source/Listed_Building) by [English Heritage](/source/English_Heritage) for their historic or architectural interest. There are no structures listed as Grade I (the highest rating), but the parish church and South Eggardon Farmhouse are Grade II*.[9]

## Governance

At the lower tier of local government, Askerswell is a [civil parish](/source/Civil_parish). It does not have a [parish council](/source/Parish_councils_in_England); instead it has a [parish meeting](/source/Parish_meeting).[10]

At the upper tier, Askerwell is in the [Dorset unitary authority](/source/Dorset_(district)). For elections to [Dorset Council](/source/Dorset_Council_(UK)), Askerswell is in the [Eggardon](/source/Eggardon_(ward)) [electoral ward](/source/Wards_and_electoral_divisions_of_the_United_Kingdom). Historically, Askerswell was in [Eggerton Hundred](/source/Eggerton_Hundred), [Bridport Rural District](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bridport_Rural_District&action=edit&redlink=1) from 1894 to 1974, and [West Dorset](/source/West_Dorset) district from 1974 to 2019.

In the [United Kingdom national parliament](/source/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom) Askerswell is in the [West Dorset parliamentary constituency](/source/West_Dorset_(UK_Parliament_constituency)).

## Geography

Askerswell civil parish extends from the [A35 trunk road](/source/A35_road) on Askerswell Down in the south to the [Iron Age](/source/Iron_Age) [hillfort](/source/Hillfort) on [Eggardon Hill](/source/Eggardon_Hill) in the northeast and Knowle Hill in the northwest. Its altitude is between about 50 metres (160 ft) where the River Asker leaves the parish in the west up to about 250 metres (820 ft) on Eggardon Hill. The surrounding parishes are [Loders](/source/Loders) to the west, [Shipton Gorge](/source/Shipton_Gorge) to the southwest, [Chilcombe](/source/Chilcombe) to the south, [Litton Cheney](/source/Litton_Cheney) to the southeast and east, [West Compton](/source/West_Compton%2C_Dorset) to the northeast and [Powerstock](/source/Powerstock) to the north.[11] All of Askerswell parish is within the [Dorset National Landscape](/source/Dorset_National_Landscape) area.[12]

Eggardon Hill, showing the embankments of the Iron Age hillfort

The local travel links are located 5 miles (8.0 km) from the village to [Maiden Newton railway station](/source/Maiden_Newton_railway_station) and 33 miles (53 km) to [Exeter International Airport](/source/Exeter_International_Airport). The main road running through the village is Hembury Road.

## Demography

In the [2011 census](/source/United_Kingdom_Census_2011) Askerswell civil parish had 86 dwellings,[13] 71 households and a population of 154.[1] The average age of residents was 51.7, compared to 39.3 for England as a whole. 27.9% of residents were age 65 or over, compared to 16.4% for England as a whole.[14]

## Amenities

Askerswell village has a [village hall](/source/Village_hall), located by the road to Spyway.[15] There is also a village pub, first licensed in 1845 - The Spyway Inn.[16]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ons_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ons_1-1) ["Area: Askerswell (Parish). Key Figures for 2011 Census: Key Statistics"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140602200853/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11120170&c=Askerswell&d=16&e=62&g=6418479&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1371015461395&enc=1). *Neighbourhood Statistics*. [Office for National Statistics](/source/Office_for_National_Statistics). Archived from [the original](http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11120170&c=Askerswell&d=16&e=62&g=6418479&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1371015461395&enc=1) on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Askerswell"](http://www.opcdorset.org/AskerwellFiles/Askerwell.htm). Dorset OPC Project. Retrieved 3 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** *West Dorset*. West Dorset District Council. 1982. p. 2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Ordnance Survey](/source/Ordnance_Survey) 1:25000 Pathfinder Series, Sheet SY 49/59 Bridport, 1977

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-life_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-life_5-1) Hannay, Clive; Legg, Rodney (December 2007). ["Askerswell village"](http://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2007/12/askerswell-village/). Dorset Life magazine. Retrieved 3 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Dorset A-G"](http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/dorset1.html). *The Domesday Book Online*. domesdaybook.co.uk. Retrieved 17 February 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Place: Askerswell"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150218021540/http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SY5292/askerswell/). *Open Domesday*. domesdaymap.co.uk. Archived from [the original](http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SY5292/askerswell/) on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["'Askerswell', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 1, West (London, 1952), pp. 12–15"](http://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol1/pp12-15). *British History Online*. University of London. Retrieved 2 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Listed Buildings in Askerswell, Dorset, England"](http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/dorset/askerswell). britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Askersewll Parish Meeting"](https://www.dorsetforyou.com/askerswell-pm). *dorsetforyou.com*. Dorset County Council. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Ordnance Survey (1977), 1:25,000 Pathfinder Series, Sheet SY 49/59 (Bridport)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Dorset Explorer"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151006075621/http://explorer.geowessex.com/?layers=4805&basemap=27&x=376944.16&y=99635.35&epsg=27700&zoom=10). Natural England. Archived from [the original](http://explorer.geowessex.com/?layers=4805&basemap=27&x=376944.16&y=99635.35&epsg=27700&zoom=10) on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Area: Askerswell (Parish). Dwellings, Household Spaces and Accommodation Type, 2011 (KS401EW)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150218012154/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120170&c=Askerswell&d=16&e=62&g=6418479&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1424210444932&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2481). *Neighbourhood Statistics*. Office for National Statistics. Archived from [the original](http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120170&c=Askerswell&d=16&e=62&g=6418479&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1424210444932&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2481) on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Area: Askerswell (Parish). Age Structure, 2011 (KS102EW)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150408132643/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120170&c=Askerswell&d=16&e=62&g=6418479&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1428113083637&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2474). *Neighbourhood Statistics*. Office for National Statistics. Archived from [the original](http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120170&c=Askerswell&d=16&e=62&g=6418479&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1428113083637&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2474) on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Askerswell Village Hall"](http://www.dorsethalls.net/content/askerswell-village-hall). *Dorset Halls Network*. Dorset Village Halls Association. 2 February 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [https://thespywayinn.com](https://thespywayinn.com). Retrieved 8 August 2018. {{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title))

## External links

- Media related to [Askerswell](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Askerswell) at Wikimedia Commons

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Askerswell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Askerswell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Askerswell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.