The Donheads

The Donheads, near Shaftesbury, encompass Donhead St Mary and Donhead St Andrew, and the hamlets of Ludwell, Charlton, Higher, Lower and Middle Coombe, Gutch Common and Ferne. 

This is a peaceful and pretty corner of Wiltshire, close to the Dorset border. Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (now known as a National Landscape), the area has stunning views of farmland and rolling downs, and of course the River Nadder which rises in Donhead St Mary. 

Time has seemingly forgotten The Donheads, yet Shaftesbury is just four miles to its west and Salisbury 13 miles, north east. It’s about a 10-minute drive to Shaftesbury, and Tisbury, which has a host of amenities and facilities, including a train station, is less than five miles away. 

Both Donhead St Mary and Donhead St Andrew host annual village fetes that people travel to from far and wide.  

Donhead St Andrew has a 12th Century church which has been recently refreshed so that it provides a multi-purpose building that can double as a village hall.  

The heart of The Donheads is the 200-year old Ludwell Stores and Post Office on the A30, stocking delicious local produce – the likes of Angel Cottage Organics, Dorset Coffee (beans and ground), Dorset salami, Lievito sourdough breads, Stone Daisy beers and Capreolus charcuterie, as well as more than 40 cheeses. They have daily deliveries of fruit and veg, bread, milk and eggs, with many organic and free-range options. 

The Stores description sums up the community spirit that is The Donheads; “A village shop is a curious entity very much greater than the sum of its parts. It is a village green, a lost and found, a place for meeting and greeting, for organising events, for finding help, for swapping recipes, for passing news; and you can buy groceries.” 

The Forester is the charming local for Donhead St Andrew. A historic thatched pub with rooms, it dates back to 1650. Originally The New Inn, it was built from stone that was allegedly stolen from Old Wardour Castle after it was taken under siege by the Parliamentarians in 1643 and then abandoned. The pub has roaring open fires in the winter, is dog-friendly and serves quality ales and good food, including Sunday roasts, in the bar and gardens. 

The Rising Sun describes itself as “An independent coffee shop within a characterful thatched pub”. It serves local, real ale and the team is barista-trained and make their coffee from beans roasted by Reads in Sherborne. A simple, home-cooked menu is available and there’s a large family-friendly garden. Be sure to check its opening hours if you’re thinking of visiting though!

The Donheads have a community magazine called Donhead Digest.