Cranborne, a small village, 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 conservationist - … 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
Discover the largest ancient monument in the country. An earthwork that covers over seven miles, its path dipping into the valleys and skimming the hilltops. Set in a landscape, rich with spiritual burials, it puts Stonehenge to shame. Begin in the valley of the little Crichel Brook, following old tracks that once cut through the … Continue reading Long Crichel and the Dorset Cursus
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
Explore the landscape of the Melcombes. Several villages with similar names, but all with a different history. Discover the deserted village, the manor and the farm surrounded by footprints of the past. Climb the medieval trackways to reach the Dorsetshire Gap, an ancient junction of five routes, linking the northern and wild Blackmore Vale to … Continue reading Melcombe Horsey
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
‘The World’s Leading and Largest Heritage event, showcasing Great Britain’s Rich Industrial, Agricultural and Leisure History’ Steam Fair Site Layout. For the larger map of the main area see below. The great Dorset Steam fair Heavy Haulage Arena You can hear it and you can smell it before you see it. The Great Dorset Steam … Continue reading The Great Dorset Steam Fair
Skim the edge of an estate that has evolved through the centuries, old manors still traceable in the ground and whispered in the place names. While the ancient families grew, the estate also developed. Keeping with the fashion of the time, Bryanston led the way, starting from scratch three times over. The demise of the … Continue reading Bryanston
