The area was important during the Roman invasion as the Roman's military headquarters from whence the conquest of Britain was directed were established nearby. Reknowned for its minster with the second largest chained library in the country and an astonomical clock, a nunnery was established on the site as early as 718 and King Aethelred of Wessex lies buried here. In the 11^th century the town was destroyed by the invading Danes.

Modern wimborne Minsters chief industries are market and nursery gardening and light industry.

The River Stour harbours some rare aquatic plants and upstream of the town to Blandford Forum the native subspecies of the summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) is found on the riverbanks and islands.

Wimborne is a few miles from the Iron Age hill fort of Badbury Rings and the Roman headquarters for the invasion of the british Isles was established near the site of the modern town. A nunnery was established at the town by Cuthbergha and Cwenburh, both sisters of Ine, the King of Wessex, in 718 AD and the present minster is reputed to have been built on the site of the nunnery destroyed with the town by the Danes in the early 11^th century.