thumb|Loders CE VC Primary School|260px
Loders is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. It lies north-east of the town of Bridport. It is a linear village, sited in the valley of the small River Asker, between Waddon Hill and Boarsbarrow Hill. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 518. a village hall, several farms, and a primary school, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2019.
In his book Portrait of Dorset, Ralph Wightman gave an agricultural assessment of Loders as having "more than its share of soil variations but most of them are good soils. The result is a village of fertile fields but with an amazing difference in levels."
History
In 1086 Loders is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Lodres.
During the reign of Henry I, Baldwin de Redvers founded a seat of a Benedictine priory at Loders. The monks were reputedly the first to introduce cider-making into Dorset.
Governance
Loders is in the Dorset unitary authority area. It is part of the Eggardon electoral ward, which elects one member to Dorset Council. Historically, Loders was in the Bridport Rural District from 1894 to 1974, and West Dorset district from 1974 to 2019.
For elections to the UK Parliament, Loders is part of the West Dorset constituency.
In culture
Johnny Coppin's Westcountry Christmas album includes a song called Song for Loders, which mentions many places around the area, including Eggerton, Askerswell and Muckleford, amongst others.
:When frost lies thick on Egerton
:And every pool begins to freeze
:From Muckleford to Nettle Coombe
:And hills are hung with sparkling trees
:Then to Loders we must go
:Before the world is drowned in snow