Stour Provost

Stour Provost
Stour Provost
Stour Provost Location within Dorset
Population	573 (2021 census)
OS grid reference	ST793215
Unitary authority	Dorset
Ceremonial county	Dorset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Gillingham
Postcode district	SP8
Dialling code	01747
Police	Dorset
Fire	Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	North Dorset
List of places UK England Dorset 50°59′32″N2°17′45″W / 50.9923°N 2.2957°W / 50.9923; -2.2957

Stour Provost is a village and civil parish in the Blackmore Vale area of north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour between Sturminster Newton and Gillingham. In old writings it is usually spelled Stower Provost.

The civil parish includes the settlements of Woodville and Stour Row to the east. ^[1] In the 2021 census, the parish had a population of 573, of which around half live in Stour Row. ^[2]

History

After the establishment of Stour Provost village near the River Stour, at least four smaller settlements were established in a piecemeal fashion from the 13th century – or perhaps earlier – in the common land or "waste" further east, at Woodville and beyond. These small groups of farms, with their own irregular shaped fields, were separated by unenclosed "waste" probably until the 18th century, when it was enclosed and divided into rectilinear fields. ^[3]

Governance

At the lower level of local government, Stour Provost is part of a grouped parish council with the neighbouring parishes of East Stour, Todber and West Stour. Stour Provost elects 5 of the 12 members of the council. ^[4]

At the upper level of local government, Stour Provost is in the Dorset unitary district. For elections to Dorset Council, it is in Beacon electoral ward. ^[5]

Stour Provost once constituted a liberty, containing only the parish itself. From 1894 to 1974, it was in Shaftesbury Rural District. ^[6] From 1974 to 2019, it was in North Dorset district. ^{[1] [7]}

Demographics

Census population of Stour Provost parish

Census	Population	Female	Male	Households	Source
1921	445				[8]
1931	392				[8]
1951	446				[8]
1961	453				[8]
1971	510				[8]
1981	500				[8]
1991	580				[8]
2001	560	292	268	232	[9]
2011	579	310	269	235	[10]
2021	573	303	270	251	[11]

Notable buildings

The water mill

The Church of England parish church of St Michael and All Angels is a grade I listed building, possibly dating from the 13th century. It has a 14th century nave and 15th century tower. ^[12]

An early-19th century water mill stands beside the River Stour and is grade II listed. ^[13]

See also

• List of liberties in Dorset

References

1. North Dorset District Council (c. 1983). North Dorset District Official Guide. Home Publishing Co. Ltd. pp. 47–9.
2. https://www.stours-pc.gov.uk/Our_Villages_31202.aspx.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
3. "'Stour Provost', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 4, North (London, 1972), pp. 79-84". British History Online. University of London. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
4. https://www.stours-pc.gov.uk/Councillors_31197.aspx.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
5. "Area profile for Beacon - Dorset Council". gi.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.
6. "Shaftesbury RD through time | Census tables with data for the Local Government District". www.visionofbritain.org.uk.
7. "The Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole (Structural Changes) Order 2018", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2018/648, retrieved 9 November 2025
8. "Past population - Parishes (M-Z), 1921-2001- Census Years". Dorset County Council. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012.
9. "Key Statistics". Office for National Statistics. Tables KS001 (Usual resident population) and KS016 (Household spaces and accommodation type). Retrieved 23 June 2025.
10. "Key Statistics". Office for National Statistics. Table KS101EW (Usual resident population) and Table KS105EW (Household composition). Retrieved 23 June 2025.
11. "Parish Profiles". 2021 United Kingdom census. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
12. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1110379)". National Heritage List for England .
13. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1110382)". National Heritage List for England .