Editing Wessex (section)

== Cultural and political identity in modern times ==
{{Main|Thomas Hardy's Wessex}}
[[File:Wessex.png|thumb|Map of [[Thomas Hardy's Wessex]]]]
[[Thomas Hardy]] used a [[Thomas Hardy's Wessex|fictionalised Wessex]] as a setting for many of his [[novels]], adopting his friend [[William Barnes]]' term ''Wessex'' for their home county of Dorset and its neighbouring counties in the south and west of England.<ref name="oed2">{{Cite OED2 |Wessex}}</ref> Hardy's Wessex excluded [[Gloucestershire]] and [[Oxfordshire]], but the city of [[Oxford]], which he called "Christminster", was visited as part of Wessex in ''[[Jude the Obscure]]''. He gave each of his Wessex counties a fictionalised name, such as with [[Berkshire]], which is known in the novels as "North Wessex".{{citation needed||date=April 2024}}

In the book and television series ''[[The Last Kingdom]]'', ''Wessex'' is the primary setting, focusing on the rule of [[Alfred the Great]] and the war against the [[Vikings]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/the-last-kingdom |title=BBC Two announces new drama series, The Last Kingdom |access-date=24 July 2014 |author=Una Maguire |publisher=BBC |date=9 July 2014}}</ref>

''Wessex'' remains a common term for the area.<ref name="oed2"/> Many organisations that cover the area of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, and Wiltshire use the name Wessex in their company or organisation name; for example [[Wessex Bus]], [[Wessex Water]], and [[Wessex Institute of Technology]]. The [[Wessex Constitutional Convention]] and [[Wessex Regionalist Party]] are minor groups seeking increased political autonomy for the region. A number of [[British Army]] units also use the name Wessex, such as the [[Wessex Regiment]], and [[32nd Regiment Royal Artillery]] – known as the 'Wessex Gunners'.{{citation needed||date=April 2024}}

In 2023, [[Dorset Council (UK)|Dorset Council]] proposed to form a [[Devolution in the United Kingdom#England|devolved authority]] named "[[Heart of Wessex Combined Authority|Heart of Wessex]]" with [[Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council|Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole]], [[Somerset Council|Somerset]], [[North Somerset Council|North Somerset]] and [[Wiltshire Council|Wiltshire]] councils.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dorset Council asked to support joint devolution talks |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-67029336 |website=BBC News |access-date=24 August 2024 |date=9 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dorset Council devolution deal plan vague, councillors say |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-67122192 |website=BBC News |access-date=24 August 2024 |date=18 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dorset Council leader confirms devolution partnership plan |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-67730455 |website=BBC News |access-date=24 August 2024 |date=16 December 2023}}</ref>