Walditch

{{Short description|Village and civil parish in Dorset, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use British English|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox UK place |official_name= Walditch |local_name= |static_image_name= Hyde House "Real Tennis" Court - geograph.org.uk - 422726.jpg |static_image_caption= The [[real tennis]] court at Hyde House, Walditch |civil_parish=[[Bridport]] |unitary_england= [[Dorset (unitary authority)|Dorset]] |lieutenancy_england = [[Dorset]] |country= England |region= South West England |population= |os_grid_reference= SY485925 |coordinates = {{coord|50.7314|-2.7341|display=inline,title}} |london_distance= |post_town= Bridport |postcode_area= DT |postcode_district= DT6 |dial_code= 01308 |constituency_westminster= }} '''Walditch''' is a small village in the [[civil parish]] of [[Bridport]], in the [[Dorset (district)|Dorset]] district, in the ceremonial county of [[Dorset]], England. It is situated about {{convert|1|km}} to the east of the town of Bridport. The name Walditch is derived from an older term Waldyke, which alludes to the village's location: Walditch is located in the valley of a curved hill that encompasses the village; the hill has a dry stone wall still partially in place, which continues over towards Bothenhampton. In 1891 the parish had a population of 175.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10461571/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Walditch CP/AP through time|publisher=[[A Vision of Britain through Time]]|accessdate=9 August 2023}}</ref> In 1897 the parish was abolished and merged with [[Bothenhampton]] and Bridport.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/bridport.html|title=Bridport Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|accessdate=9 August 2023}}</ref>

Walditch has a [[real tennis]] court, on the site of which [[Henry VII of England]] played during his visits to the area.

Walditch is composed of Old Walditch (the original Walditch) and lower Walditch, a housing estate built around 1998.

The village no longer has a stated member of clergy; the last person to fill this role being the Rev. Maureen Alchin, who was a local figure.

Walditch formerly lay within the [[Godderthorne (hundred)|Hundred of Godderthorne]].

==References== {{Reflist}} {{Commons category-inline|Walditch}}

[[Category:Villages in Dorset]] [[Category:Real tennis venues]] [[Category:Former civil parishes in Dorset]] [[Category:Bridport]]