Castles, Monuments & Heritage Sites in Dorset
Christchurch Castle & Norman House
Ruins of a 12th-c Norman keep, located in a very
peaceful setting by the banks of the River Avon
in Christchurch. The ancient walls rise up to
40ft high in places with an archway in each.
The ruins of the Norman Constable' s House, in the
nearby park, are also of interest.
Run by English Heritage.
Opening times: any reasonable time Free Entry
Location: Christchurch, Dorset - Website
Corfe Castle
One of the most impressive ruined castle in England.
It was here that King John imprisoned 24 French Knights
and Prince Edward was murdered in AD 978. Built by
the Normans circa 1080, the castle was later destroyed
after a siege in the Civil War. Today its crumbling
and leaning ruins dominate the small village below
it of the same name. Most of the village houses are
built from the local purbeck stone. There is
also model village where you can see what the area
looked like before the Civil War.
The castle is said to be the inspiration for Enid Blyton's 'Kirrin Castle' from her Famous Five adventures.
Opening times: daily, from 10am
(closed Xmas) Admission Charge
Location: The Square, Corfe Castle, Wareham,
Dorset, BH20 5EZ - Tel: 01929 481294 - Website
Facilities: parking, cafe, restaurant, gift shop
Hambledon Hill
A prehistoric hill fort set in Blackmore
Vale. One of the finest hill forts in the UK, with
ring ditches and impressive fortifications.
Opening times: any reasonable
time Public Access
Location: Blackmore Vale, five miles north of Blandford Forum (Latitude: 50.913554N Longitude: 2.221706W)
Lulworth Castle & Park
Historic castle set in lovely parkland. Part of
the Lulworth Estate, which includes Durdle Door and
Lulworth Cove. Built in the 17th-c as a hunting lodge,
the castle has been fully restored and houses a museum.
Visitors can climb the towers and explore its many
fine period rooms or walk around the surrounding
gardens, estate and woodlands.
Opening times: Sun to Fri from 10:30am Admission Charge
Location: Lulworth Castle, East Lulworth, Dorset,
BH20 5QS
Tel: 01929 400352 - Website
Facilities: parking, gift shop, animal farm,
indoor/outdoor play areas
Maiden Castle
One of the largest and most impressive Iron-Age hill forts in England. These enormous fortifications were created around 300 BC, making this one of the most important settlements in British prehistory. The 47 acre flat-topped site is surrounded by three great ditches and ramparts, each rising up to 90ft. Entrances at each end of the site are guarded by an intricate labyrinth of earthworks, designed to slow down attackers, and subject them to a hail of missiles from the ramparts above.
Archeological evidence shows that the fort was stormed by a Roman legion in AD 43, led by the future Emperor Vespasian, which brought about its final demise.
Opening times: at any reasonable
time Public Access
Location: Near Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 9PR - Website
Facilities: parking
Portland Castle
Henry VIII coastal fort, in continuous use up until the end of WWII. The castle is a squat, bastion style fortress, with 14ft thick walls that once bristled with artillery. Located on the waterfront overlooking Portland harbour, it was basically designed as a gun platform to protect the harbour.
Opening times: Apr~Oct, daily from 10am to 5pm Admission Charge
Location: Castleton, Portland, Dorset, DT5 1AZ - Tel: 01305 820539 - Website
Facilities: parking, gift shop
Royal Signals Museum
Housed in the School of Signals of the Royal Corps, the museum documents the diverse and fascinating history of British military communications, from carrier pigeons in the First World War to the long-range technology of modern warfare. Interactive exhibits for children.
Opening times: Mar~Oct Mon-Fri 10am to 5pm, Sat-Sun 10am to 4pm Admission Charge
Location: Blandford Camp, Blanford, Dorset, DT11 8RH - Tel: 01258 482248 - Website
Facilities: parking, shop
Sherborne New Castle
One of the most impressive of Dorset's historic
houses, set in 30 acres of Capability Brown landscaped
gardens, grounds and lakes. Built by the explorer
Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594, the Castle was later
passed to the Digby family in 1617. Period paintings,
furniture and porcelain are on show.
Opening times: Apr~Oct, Tue-Thu, Sat-Sun & BH Mon 11am to 4.30pm Admission Charge
Location: New Rd, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 5NR - Tel: 01935 813182 - Website
Facilities: parking, cafe, gift shop
Image Credit: Mike
Searle (CC2)
Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum
A
small but very important museum located in a group
of memorial cottages in the village of Tolpuddle. Packed
with illustrative displays that reiterate the story
of the Tolpuddle Martyrs and their struggle against
derisory pay and poor working conditions in the early
19th century.
Opening times: all year, times vary Free Entry
Location: Tolpuddle, Dorset, DT2 7EH - Tel: 01305 848237 -
Website
Facilities: parking (lay-by outside museum),
shop.
Other Places to Visit in Dorset
Adventure Wonderland | Farmer Palmer's Farm Park | Go Ape | Swanage Railway | Tank Museum
Castles, Museums & Heritage Sites:
Christchurch Castle | Corfe Castle | Hambledon Hill | Lulworth Castle | Maiden Castle | Portland Castle | Royal Signals Museum | Sherborne Castle | Sherborne Old Castle | Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum
Gardens & Historic Houses:
Athelhampton Hall | Clouds Hill | Compton Acres Gardens | Hardy's Cottage | Kingston Lacy | Knoll Gardens | Mapperton | Minterne Gardens | Red House Museum
Nature, Wildlife & Scenic Sites:
Abbotsbury Swannery | Bournemouth Oceanarium | Cerne Abbas Giant | Chesil Beach | Cranborne Chase | Monkey World | Purbeck Hills | Radipole Lake | Sea Life
Select Another Region To Visit
Towns and Villages in Dorset
Please note that the above information was accurate at the time this page was last updated. This information is subject to change at any time (opening times in particular), therefore if you plan on visiting any of the above attractions, please check the owner's website first or phone them for the latest details.