Tell me all about Shaftesbury

[EspressoMartiniBish]

Hi! Looking at a house in Shaftesbury at the moment but I'd be new to the area so looking for someone with some experience.
We are a family with a 2 year old daughter and I just wonder:
•Are there things to do with children?
•What's the nearest town? I've been to Shaftesbury town centre and it is a beautiful place but there isn't much to do it seems.
•Pros/Cons

Thank you

Lovely and historic but cold and windy (on a big hill), isolated (45 mins from everything it seems) and few services. If you’ve flexibility further south within Dorset, look at Wimborne or Dorchester which are much nearer to the coast and have more going on. Or Salisbury for rail links, schools and shops. Ringwood in hants is not far from Shaftesbury and feels like it’s in the SE.

Thank you @Plannymcplanface
I did wonder if perhaps there wasn't anything nearby!

My parents lived in Shaftesbury for a while. It was fine for supermarket shopping and independent shops (at the time) but for bigger shopping trips, theatre etc. they used to go to Salisbury. Wilton, just before Salisbury, had a big outdoor children's play area with zip lines etc., not sure if that's still there? If was a lovely place to visit.

What is life like for parents? Anything social going on?

It's absolutely dead. The high street has no decent shops and I wouldn't say it was beautiful either.

Look at Dorchester or Sherborne instead. Much more going on in either. Dorchester probably better for a young family.