Cranborne, a small village which is rich in history, including naughty monks, revengeful princesses, ruined castles, smugglers and highwaymen. The landscape is filled with wild wood, spiritual burial mounds, Iron Age settlement, and Neolithic mystery, all of which is the playground for a plethora of wildlife. It has all been preserved thanks to the first … Continue reading Cranborne
Delve into the deep, lush valley of Melbury Abbas. Discover the hidden church, filled with decorative tiles and topped with a wizard’s hat. It sits on the edge of an ancient road that was used by King Alfred to visit his daughter in Shaftesbury. The route has since carved itself into the soft greensand, creating … Continue reading Melbury Abbas
After following the little River Winterborne, trace the footsteps of the Roman soldiers as their road cuts through Winterborne Kingston, still scarring the landscape today. Tread the earth that hides many of their remains, some having been unearthed from the ground including a precious coffin and dedications to a shrine. Climb the hill to Bere … Continue reading Winterborne Kingston
From White Mill, sitting on the River Stour, and the medieval bridge of the same name, discover the old railway cutting through the floodplains. Walk through the forested park of Henbury, the land developed into the modern age. Meet the boundary of Charborough Park, one of the largest private estates in the county, its 120ft … Continue reading Sturminster Marshall to Charborough
Skim the southern corner of the Kingston Lacy estate, walking between the historically feuding neighbours of the Bankes and the Erles. Explore the medieval routes that once connected the estates to the surrounding countryside. Walk through the beech tree avenue, one of the most iconic scenes of the county, to reach Badbury Rings. Follow the … Continue reading Kingston Lacy to Badbury Rings
Starting in the Iron Age and Roman landscape near Badbury Rings descend into the valley of the River Allen. Discover the fairy-tale cottage that guards the entrance to Gaunts House and the village church now left to ruin, dedicated to a murdered boy saint. Pass a brick water tower, topped with timber, standing in the … Continue reading Wimborne, Stanbridge and Chilbridge
The Big Map of Dorset is a hand drawn, to scale map of the whole county. It is drawn using pen and pencil onto four separate canvases, adding up to a total size of approximately 2 metres by 2 metres. The map records only a simple selection of earthworks, woodland, water, roads, tracks and settlement. … Continue reading The Big Map of Dorset
Nestled in the low valley of the Stour, hidden behind the large estate of Kingston Lacy and neighboured by the conurbation of Wimborne, Pamphill is a little gem, glistening along with the water. Buried in woodland with a 17th century manor house and fed by a small local farm shop, its history was endorsed by … Continue reading Pamphill
