Polycrystalline compounds of Dy0.55Sr0.45Mn1-xFexO3 (x = 0.0–1.0: 0.2) were prepared by high temperature solid state reaction route. All the compounds were found to have orthorhombic structure with Pnma space group with four formula units per unit cell. However, for high iron content corresponding to 0.8 and 1.0, some impurity phases were present. Raman modes of the substituted compounds were found to shift to higher wave numbers as compared to x = 0.0. All the compounds displayed insulating property with variable range hopping type of conduction. Mössbauer spectroscopy studies performed at room temperature revealed the presence of both trivalent and tetravalent iron ions for high concentrations of iron. Sextet pattern observed for high iron content suggested the presence of a magnetic phase even at room temperature. Temperature variation of magnetization showed paramagnetic behavior in the high temperature region (>100 K) and displayed variety of magnetic structures below 100 K. Effective magnetic moments (μeff.) of the compounds were determined by fitting the molar susceptibility data in the paramagnetic state to Curie-Weiss law. Experimental effective magnetic moment values were found to be larger than the calculated μeff. values revealing ferromagnetic cluster formation. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.