Bere Regis

Originally on the main road linking east and west Dorset, now bypassed, Bere Regis sits on gently undulating hills at the boundary between chalk downlands to the north and sandy heathlands to the south.

The focus of the village is the Church of St John the Baptist,probably one of the most visited churches in Dorset thanks to its magnificent timber roof c.1475. The main street is mostly post 1788, a victim of the fires that plagued Dorset villages sporadically during the 18th century.

The most famous of Bere Regis's residents were the Turbervilles as Thomas Hardy chose them as the basis for his D'Urbeville family. Along with the well visited church the village is also served by a small local shop, school, doctors surgery and fire station the 1,797 residents (2001 census) also benefit from the amenities offered by Poole only 12.5 miles away.