CORFE CASTLE VILLAGE TRAIL

Walk through the history of one of Dorset’s most fascinating villages

- Edward Griffihs

Visitors usually drive straight through Corfe Castle village en route to Swanage or just stop briefly to see the steam trains or to explore the castle. On this walk, which you can start from three different points, we’re looking at the village’s other historic buildings, houses, rivers and places of work, as well as strolling on the common where villagers grazed their animals over the centuries.

THE WALK

1 Start Point A: Before the 17th century, Corfe Castle Square was much wider than it is today. Following the Civil War siege and slighting of the Royalist-held fortress, the north side cottages were built with stone from the castle. The Greyhound Hotel was originally two cottages, converted to a coaching inn in the 18th century. Two open jettied porches were added in 1733, the first one bearing the date and Fire Insurance plaque. The second one was later enclosed to pavement level. Walk down past Bankes’ Arms, built on the earlier Fish Inn site. Continuing down Wareham Road, the stone-mullioned house on the right is Uvedale House, built 1575 by John and Henry Uvedale, both Constables of the Castle for Sir Christopher Hatton who purchased the castle and manor in 1571. Running under the road, Byle Stream fed left Boar Mill’s mill pond below the line of 17th and 18th-century cottages. Passing right Sandy Hill Lane, which leads to Nine Barrow Down, continue downhill below the castle. Over Byle Stream’s culvert, the left track to 18thcentury Boar Mill, built to replace the 16th-century building, was the old road up into The Square. Past right Swanage Railway bridge over ‘Studland’ road, cross ‘Church Knowle’ road and Corfe River bridge.