The Village Now

Puriton Parish Council > About the Village > The Village Now

Puriton Parish and Village

Population

Puriton has grown in size by a huge amount over the past couple of hundred years.

There were said to be 32 households in the parish in the 17th century. In 1801 the population was 332. It increased rapidly in the 1820s, fell in the 1830s, but again increased, reaching a peak in 1881 with 753 people. Thereafter it declined, particularly in the 1890s, and by 1911 had reached 612. In the 1920s growth began and was increased temporarily in the early 1940s when a hostel for workers at the Puriton ordnance factory was opened at Dunball in 1942. The total of 1,036 recorded in 1951 and 991 in 1961 may similarly have been accounted for by employees at the ordnance factory. By 1981, after considerable building in the village in the 1960s, the population had risen to 1,802. In 1991 there were 1,986 residents.

By the time of the 2001 census, the population had risen to 2033, of which 983 were male and 1050 were female. This included 404 children between the ages of 0-15.

There are currently 842 households in the parish with 1612 electors.

The next census will take place in 2011 - one wonders what that will reveal?

Menu:

The Village Now

Puriton Parish and Village

Population