Corfe castle

Situated on the picturesque Isle of Purbeck, the Castle was begun by William the Conqueror who appreciated its strategic siting for guarding the surrounding passes.   Blown up by the victorious Parliamentarians in the Civil War, the Castle's massive ruins make it a National Trust property of great historic interest and a dramatic visual spectacle. On some Bank Holidays members of the English Civil War Society re-enact the storming of the Castle.

The village, with a resident population of some 2,000, has a well-stocked shop, a local butcher's, village bakery, newsagents, a post office, a photographic shop, gift shops, local craftsmen, an award-winning jeweller's, 4 pubs, 2 churches...and a model village!   For special occasions Mortons House is a 3* hotel with a restaurant open to non-residents.

Wareham and Swanage, both about 5 miles away, have a wider selection of shops and some supermarkets. May we, however, offer every encouragement to use local shops in Corfe when possible; your custom will help them stay in business.

Corfe has two principal streets: East Street is the busy main road; West Street, once the noisy centre of the marble trade (supplying stone for Salisbury Cathedral), is today a quiet residential street where the Fox Inn (Corfe's oldest pub - 1568) and the Cottage are situated

          E-mail: alison.hatton@ntlworld.com