Community Assembly of Symondsbury

The Community Assembly of Symondsbury is located in a village and civil parish in southwest Dorset. Symondsbury is recorded in the Domesday Book as having 31 households, with the lord of the manor being Cerne Abbey, which was also the lord at the time of the Norman Conquest.

In historical times the main economy of the village was the production of flax and hemp for Bridport's rope and net manufacturing trade. More recently the main business has been milk, beef, sheep, pigs and arable production and, since the decline of agriculture in the late 20th century, the village has hosted two colleges, many small workshops and several large self-catering holiday lets. The village still has several orchards, two cider presses, one apple juice business, an orchard conservation company, artists and potters.