List of liberties in Dorset

Liberties were an administrative unit of local government in England from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, co-existing with the then operative system of hundreds and boroughs but independent of both, generally for reasons of tenure. The following were the liberties in the county of Dorset and the areas they contained:

• Alton Pancras

• Bindon Liberty:

Chaldon Herring

Edmondsham (part)

Moreton (part)

Pulham (part)

West Lulworth

Wool

• Broadwindsor

• Corfe Castle (also described as a hundred)

• Dewlish Liberty:

Dewlish

Milborne St Andrew (part)

• Fordington Liberty:

Fordington

Hermitage

Minterne Magna (part)

Stockland (part) (ie, Dalwood, transferred to Devon 1844)

• Frampton Liberty:

Bettiscombe

Bincombe

Burton Bradstock

Compton Valence

Frampton

Winterborne Came (part)

• Gillingham Liberty:

Bourton (from 1866)

Gillingham

Motcombe

• Halstock

• Loders and Bothenhampton Liberty:

Bothenhampton

Loders

• Owermoigne (formerly part of Winfrith Hundred)

• Piddlehinton

• Piddletrenthide Liberty:

Gorewood (from 1858)

Minterne Magna (part)

Piddletrenthide

• Portland

• Powerstock Liberty:

Powerstock (part)

• Ryme Intrinseca

• Stour Provost

• Sutton Poyntz Liberty:

Chickerell (part)

Preston

Stockwood

• Sydling St Nicholas

• Waybayouse or Wabyhouse Liberty:

Upwey (part)

• Wyke Regis and Elwell Liberty:

Upwey (part) (ie, Elwell)

Wyke Regis

Sources

• Boswell, Edward, 1833: The Civil Division of the County of Dorset (published on CD by Archive CD Books Ltd, 1992)
• Hutchins, John, History of Dorset, vols 1-4 (3rd ed 1861-70; reprinted by EP Publishing, Wakefield, 1973)
• Mills, A D, 1977, 1980, 1989: Place Names of Dorset, parts 1-3. English Place Name Society: Survey of English Place Names vols LII, LIII and 59/60