Towns & cities · South West England
Sixpenny Handley
Sixpenny Handley — village in Dorset, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 3 h–6 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
About
Sixpenny Handley is a town, city, village or settlement in the United Kingdom. Recent population estimates put it at around 680 people. Wikidata describes it as: "village in Dorset, England, UK". Coordinates: 50.9548°, -2.0073°.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2025
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Avon System SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Cranborne Chase SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Pentridge Down SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Sixpenny Handley or Handley is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Sixpenny Handley and Pentridge, in north east Dorset, England, situated on Cranborne Chase ten miles (16 km) north east of Blandford Forum. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 1,233. The civil parish was abolished on 1 April 2015 and merged with Pentridge to form Sixpenny Handley and Pentridge.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
On Woodcutts Common in the north of the parish (west-northwest of the village) is the site of a 4 acre Iron Age and Romano-British settlement, probably a farm. It was excavated by General Pitt Rivers in 1884–5.
Description
On 20 May 1892, the village suffered a major fire which resulted in most of it having to be rebuilt, after nearly two hundred people were left homeless. Well-wishers subsequently sent gifts to aid the villagers; so much clothing was donated that it was said a man could be identified as being from Handley because he wore two or even three waistcoats. This generosity was celebrated in 2014 by the Heritage Lottery–supported Sixpenny Handley Waistcoat Festival.
Visiting
Sixpenny Handley is located on the B3081 road which has been described as providing "a magical driving experience", and the village is a popular stop-over for touring. Cranborne Chase hosts a number of festivals including The Great Dorset Steam Fair, Larmer Tree Festival and the Cranborne Chase AONB Woodfair; the village is always busy at these times. The village's isolated position makes it popular with both walkers and star gazers.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 50.9548, -2.0073
- District
- Dorset
- Parish
- Sixpenny Handley and Pentridge
- Postcode
- SP5 5SA
- Parliamentary constituency
- North Dorset
- Population
- 680
Sources
- wikidata: Q1811716 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Sixpenny Handley (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Sixpenny Handley High Street - geograph.org.uk - 1934416.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Sixpenny Handley War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.0 km
Church Farm Campsite
Caravan parks · 0.2 km
Sixpenny Handley
Villages · 0.7 km
Wor Barrow
Burial mounds & barrows · 1.6 km
Wor Barrow
Archaeological sites · 1.6 km
RSPB Garston Wood
Forests & woodlands · 1.9 km
Oakley Down Barrow Cemetery
Burial mounds & barrows · 2.2 km
Oakley Down Barrow Cemetery
Archaeological sites · 2.2 km
Camp in Mistlebury Wood
Vineyards · 2.2 km
Down Farm
Farms (open to visitors) · 2.4 km
Dorset Cursus
Hill forts · 2.6 km
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Cranborne Chase
Archaeological sites · 2.7 km
Sixpenny Handley is a village in South East England with a population of 680. Our guide lists N nearby attractions within reach.
At a glance
- Population
- 680
- Constituency
- North Dorset
Things to see in Sixpenny Handley
10 attractions within 12 km. Full guide: things to do in Sixpenny Handley →
📷 5Archaeological sites · South West England
Cranborne Chase
Cranborne Chase — Plateau in southern England.
📷 5Forests & woodlands · South West England
RSPB Garston Wood
RSPB Garston Wood is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Farms (open to visitors) · South West England
Down Farm
Down Farm — a other in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Burial mounds & barrows · South West England
Wor Barrow
Wor Barrow — a burial mound in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South West England
Sixpenny Handley War Memorial
Sixpenny Handley War Memorial — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Caravan parks · South West England
Church Farm Campsite
Church Farm Campsite — a caravan park in england south east.
📷 5Vineyards · South West England
Camp in Mistlebury Wood
Camp in Mistlebury Wood — a UK vineyard in england south east, producing English or Welsh wine from cool-climate grape varieties.
📷 5
📷 5📷 5Archaeological sites · South West England
Wor Barrow
Wor Barrow — archaeological in england south east.
Nearby
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South West England
Sixpenny Handley War Memorial
Sixpenny Handley War Memorial — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Caravan parks · South West England
Church Farm Campsite
Church Farm Campsite — a caravan park in england south east.
📷 5📷 5Burial mounds & barrows · South West England
Wor Barrow
Wor Barrow — a burial mound in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Archaeological sites · South West England
Wor Barrow
Wor Barrow — archaeological in england south east.
📷 5Forests & woodlands · South West England
RSPB Garston Wood
RSPB Garston Wood is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Sixpenny Handley
Places to stay
📷 5Caravan parks · South West England
Church Farm Campsite
Church Farm Campsite — a caravan park in england south east.
📷 5Caravan parks · South West England
Lower Farm Caravan Site
Lower Farm Caravan Site — a caravan park in england south east.
📷 5Caravan parks · South East England
Cherwell Leys Farm
Cherwell Leys Farm — a caravan park in england south east.
📷 5
📷 5Campsites · South West England
Blue 1 Exhibitor Camping
Blue 1 Exhibitor Camping — a campsite in england south east.
📷 5Places to eat & drink
📷 5
📷 7Historic pubs · South West England
The Talbot at Iwerne Minster
The Talbot at Iwerne Minster in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
The Cart Wheel Public House
The Cart Wheel Public House in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · South West England
The Benett Arms
The Benett Arms in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 7
📷 5Historic pubs · South West England
Fox And Hounds Public House
Fox And Hounds Public House in England South West, United Kingdom.
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Sixpenny Handley?
- Sixpenny Handley is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode SP5 5SA), in the parish of Sixpenny Handley and Pentridge.
- What is Sixpenny Handley?
- Sixpenny Handley — village in Dorset, England, UK.
- How do I get to Sixpenny Handley?
- Drivers can use postcode SP5 5SA.
- Is Sixpenny Handley a protected site?
- Yes — Sixpenny Handley is part of the River Avon System SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Cranborne Chase SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Sixpenny Handley free to visit?
- Yes, Sixpenny Handley is free to enter.
- How do I get to Sixpenny Handley?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode SP5 5SA. It sits within the North Dorset parliamentary constituency.