Durweston

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The River Stour at Durweston "Sheep Dip"

Durweston is a village in north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour where it flows out of the Blackmore Vale through a steep, narrow gap between the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase hills, two miles north of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 429.^[1] It is home to Knighton House School for girls; a picturesque prep school home to around 100 girls in red dungarees, and Durweston CE VA Primary School; a successful school recently changed from being a first school. It is currently undergoing large scale expansion to cope with increasing numbers and popularity. In Summer 2007, building work began on the new school; sponsorship program is available for students and others to "purchase" a brick for the school.The school also have a rugby team they went on the 17/10/07 and they came 5th place.

There is an annual tradition of "Shroving" every Shrove Tuesday, when the schoolchildren of Durweston Primary School process around the village during the morning, calling on local people, singing songs, giving flowers, and bringing good cheer. Those who are visited may also give the children bread or other tidbits to eat. This is a very old tradition, which has largely died out in England, and Durweston is thought to be one of the very few villages in England that has maintained the tradition.

It is also home to a thriving football team, set up in 1999 by Gary and Sandra Sutherland. At the time of writing, over 40 young boys (and occasionally girls) play every Saturday morning over three age groups. There is also a men's football team, although they do not play in the village.

Knighton House School is one of only 8 independent girls' prepy boarding schools in England. Girls can bring ponies and pets to board with them. Tetrathlons and triathlons are popular in ther prep and senior circuits, and girls practise shooting in the shooting alley. Further up the hillside from the school is 'The Sheep Dip', a beautiful outdoor pool, once a real sheep dip, but converted and recently refurbished. Girls can learn Latin and Greek with the headmistress, Mrs Claire Renton Bourne. A 36 strong Chapel Choir sings regularly in the school's Saturday service in the Durweston village church of St Nicholas. In 2008 the Chapel Choir got through to the second round of the BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year competition.