Wool, Dorset 737041 215832381 2008-05-29T22:08:58Z Rydra Wong 2107290 /* Wool Carnival */ Copyedit/remove POV '''Wool''' is a village in the [[Purbeck (district)|Purbeck]] district of [[Dorset]], [[England]]. The village has a population of 4,118 (2001), though the population has fluctuated over the past 15 years, due to the proximity of military institutions, reaching a high of 4,300 in 1992. The village lies at a historic bridging point on the [[River Frome, Dorset|River Frome]], half way between [[Dorchester, Dorset|Dorchester]] and [[Wareham, Dorset|Wareham]]. A 17th century [[manor house]], Woolbridge Manor, is a prominent feature in the village and the location of Tess' honeymoon in [[Thomas Hardy]]'s ''[[Tess of the D'Urbervilles]]''. Other prominent features of the village include the [[medieval]] church of Holy Rood, the [[South Western Main Line]] from [[Waterloo station|London Waterloo]] to [[Weymouth]], and the [[thatch]]ed cottages along Spring Street. Nearby, to the east of the village, are the ruins of Bindon Abbey, which was demolished in the [[Dissolution of the Monasteries]] of 1539, the stone being used to build castles in [[Portland Castle|Portland]], [[Lulworth Castle|Lulworth]] and [[Sandsfoot Castle|Sandsfoot]]. According to local knowledge, only one building was destroyed during the war on [[3 May]] [[1941]]. The building was a small bungalow by the name of "Two Birches", located on Bailey's Drove. The house was later rebuilt. A small single lane hump backed stone bridge about 500m north from the railway station is no longer used for vehicular traffic. It has a stone halfway along it stating that those who deface or damage the bridge will be [[Penal transportation|transported]] (sent to Australia or another [[penal colony]]) for the rest of their lives. Of local interest are apair of old Somerset & Dorset railway carriages made into a house on Dorchester Rd. Local places of interest include the [[Bovington Tank Museum]] and [[Monkey World]]. It also boasts surrounding hamlets, including East Burton and [[Giddy Green]] ==Wool Carnival== Wool carnival is the newly renamed annual event at the local green behind the D'Urberville Hall. It provides entertainment for the village and surrounding areas. It began in the 1950's when it was known as Wool Awake. It ceased operation for a number of years but restarted in the 21st century as Wake Up Wool. In 2007, Wake Up Wool became Wool Carnival. ==External links== * [http://www1.dorsetcc.gov.uk/LIVING/FACTS/Census2001.nsf/6cadf4da179fc19500256663004afece/c26f6473fcae844380256ec5004fa4f8?OpenDocument Census data] * [http://www.imagesofdorset.org.uk/Dorset/085/intro.htm Images of Dorset] * [http://www.holyroodwool.org Holy Rood Church Website] * [http://gallery.beautifulengland.net/main.php?g2_itemId=9134 Information and photographs of Wool, Dorset] ==References== * Pitt-Rivers, Michael, 1968. ''Dorset''. London: Faber & Faber ISBN 0-571-06714-X {{coor title dm|50|40|N|2|13|W|region:GB_type:city_source:enwiki-GNS}} [[Category:Villages in Dorset]] [[es:Wool (Dorset)]]