Dorstone

{{Short description|Village in Herefordshire, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox UK place

|country = England

|static_image_name = Triangular village green, Dorstone - geograph.org.uk - 3136307.jpg

|static_image_width = 250

|static_image_caption = The village green, Dorstone

|coordinates = {{coord|52.0703|-3.0016|display=inline,title}}

|official_name= Dorstone

|population= 401

|population_ref= (2011){{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11122780&c=Dorstone&d=16&e=62&g=6385877&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1446135170141&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|accessdate=29 October 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304124027/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11122780&c=Dorstone&d=16&e=62&g=6385877&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1446135170141&enc=1|url-status=dead}}

|unitary_england= Herefordshire

|lieutenancy_england= Herefordshire

|region= West Midlands

|constituency_westminster= Hereford and South Herefordshire

|post_town= HEREFORD

|postcode_district = HR3

|postcode_area= HR

|dial_code= 01981

|os_grid_reference= SO313418

}}

Dorstone is a village within the Golden Valley, Herefordshire, England. There is a church{{cite web|url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/289501 |title=Dorstone Church:: OS grid SO3141 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland – photograph every grid square! |publisher=Geograph.org.uk |accessdate=2012-07-04}} and public house{{cite web|url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/178009 |title=The Pandy Inn, Dorstone:: OS grid SO3141 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland – photograph every grid square! |publisher=Geograph.org.uk |accessdate=2012-07-04}} with restaurant. The Golden Valley area offers hillwalking and horseback riding countryside and is noted for its scenery. It is within the catchment area of Fairfield secondary school.

Dorstone was once the location of Dorstone Castle.{{cite web|url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/45963 |title=Dorstone Castle:: OS grid SO3141 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland – photograph every grid square! |publisher=Geograph.org.uk |accessdate=2012-07-04}} A mile to the south the fragmentary remains of Snodhill Castle can still be seen.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-37744260 |title=Trust takes over Snodhill Castle in Herefordshire |author=staff writers |work=BBC News |date=2016-10-23 |accessdate=2018-07-17}}{{cite web|url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2203637 |title=Snodhill Castle – 2:: OS grid SO3240 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland – photograph every grid square! |publisher=Geograph.org.uk |accessdate=2012-07-04}} From 2014 to 2018, the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (Historic England) put £150,000 into scientific and historical study of the Snodhill Castle site, plus an additional £500,000 grant to the Snodhill Castle Preservation Trust to complete clearing and restoration of the remains of Snodhill Castle, with the site opening to the public as of May 2018.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-hereford-worcester-39858828/snodhill-castle-is-restored-by-villagers-after-50k-grant |title=Snodhill Castle is restored by villagers after £50k (sic) grant |author=staff writers |work=BBC News |date=2017-05-09 |accessdate=2018-07-17}}{{cite news |url=https://www.historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/in-your-area/west-midlands/snodhill-castle-saved/ |title=Snodhill Castle Has Been Saved! |work=Historic England |accessdate=2018-07-17}}

St. Faith's parish church in Dorstone was reputedly built by Richard de Brito, one of the knights who murdered Thomas Becket, as penance for the murder. He also built the Pandy Inn in Dorstone to house the workmen who built the church. During Victorian era rebuilding of the church in the 1890s a tomb to another de Brito was found which contained a pewter chalice. This was housed in the church for many years, but was stolen in 2006.

The Dorstone History Society seeks to study the church and the village – which stretches back to Neolithic times as suggested by the local Arthur's Stone, an ancient monument. This is said to be the spot where King Arthur slew a giant who left the impression of his elbows on one of the stones as he fell.{{Cite web|title=History of Arthur's Stone|url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/arthurs-stone/history/|access-date=2020-06-11|website=English Heritage}}

An annual sloe gin competition is held in Dorstone. Each year the winner is crowned the "Grand Master of the Sloes".