Askerswell

Coordinates: 50°43′58″N 2°40′07″W / 50.7327°N 2.6687°W / 50.7327; -2.6687

Askerswell /ˈæskərzwəl/ is a small village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southwest England. It is sited on the small River Asker. It lies within the West Dorset administrative district, 11 miles (18 km) west of the county town Dorchester. The parish has an area of 698 hectares (1,724 acres) and in the northeast includes the western slopes of Eggardon Hill, including part of the Iron Age hill fort close to its summit. In the 2011 census the civil parish had a population of 154.

Toponymy

The name Askerswell is derived from Osgar's Well or its Viking equivalent Asger's Well, though local tradition is that Askers' Well is Dorset dialect for newts' well and refers to the name of the stream flowing through the village ("Askers" or the River Asker).

History

In 1086 in the Domesday Book Askerswell was recorded as Oscherwille; it had 30 households, was in Eggardon Hundred and the lord and tenant-in-chief was Tavistock Abbey.