Dorchester is a market town in southern central Dorset, England, on the River Frome at the junction of the A35 and A37 roads, 20 miles west of Poole and 8 miles north of Weymouth. In 2001 the town had a population of 16,171. There were 7,386 dwellings in 2001 and 205 shops in 1991. Dorchester has been the county town of Dorset since 1305.
A market is held on Wednesdays. Major employers include Dorset County Council, West Dorset District Council and Dorset County Hospital.
The town has two private schools, three first schools, two middle schools and one upper school. The upper school, The Thomas Hardye School, can trace its origins back to 1569, when it was founded by a Dorchester merchant of that name. The Dorset County Museum is centrally located in a Gothic-style building.
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