9 Historical Places to Visit in Dorset

Dorset’s history tells tales of how religion and political power met, clashed, and made peace over the centuries. Discover the memorial commemorating the Catholic martyrs who were killed during the English Reformation and a temple where prehistoric Celtic religion seems to have embraced Roman-introduced Christianity. Learn how the Clavell tower was saved from crumbling down the cliffside, and walk the halls of Dorset’s finest estates, many of which were owned by one very powerful family. These are the top nine historical locations worth exploring in the English county of Dorset.

Athelhampton Hall, built in 1485, is one of the finest examples of Tudor manor houses. Prior to its construction, records show that a manor stood in its place, named “Pidele.” The name “Aethelhelm” only appears in records from the 13th century. “Athel” and “ham” mean “noble” and “home,” respectively, and the name is inspired by the Saxon Duke Æthelhelme, who was killed in the Battle of Portland in 837 following the Danish invasion.

The Great Tudor Hall was built by Sir William Martyn, who inherited the property after his father’s death. By 1595, the Martyn family had all died, and the property served as a farmhouse until it was purchased in 1891. The house had been extended during the Elizabethan period (1558-1603); however, the new owner, Mr Alfred Cart de Lafontaine, set about restoring the manor house to its Tudor splendor. Along with Tudor heraldic stained glass and linenfold paneling, there are over 20 rooms featuring distinctive Tudor architecture, antiques, and furnishings. Mr Cart de Lafontaine’s architect, Francis Inigo Thomas, assisted with creating the surrounding gardens, which are very popular in today’s horticultural sphere. Both the house and gardens are open for visitation.

2. View the Ancient Timber Construction of What Was Once a Lavish Home 

Sheriff Latimer came to own Fiddleford Manor and the wider estate through his marriage to the daughter of a man named John Maury in 1355; his bride’s father was the previous owner of the estate. The existing manor house, a description of which is noted in records from 1086, suggests that Sheriff Latimer put in some effort to modernize his newly acquired property. Alterations in the 16th century and 18th century resulted in the addition of a north wing and a west wing, respectively. The north wing serves as a private home and is closed to the public; however, the remainder of the property is open to the public.

This lavishly designed Victorian family home is heavily influenced by Venetian architecture. The creator of the property as it stands today was William John Bankes. Bankes’ remodeling of the property took place remotely between 1834 and 1855. This came about following his exile; he was homosexual, which was a criminal offense that was punishable by death. Bankes sought refuge in Venice and spent his time issuing instructions on the decoration of the interiors.

The house is set on 8,500 acres and includes a variety of gardens, water meadows, and even Iron Age hill forts. The world’s oldest pedigree herd of Red Ruby Devon cattle also call the grounds their home. The Bankes family enjoyed great wealth, the source of which can be traced to the inheritance of Caribbean plantations. There is no doubt that the value of this wealth was largely accrued through the Transatlantic slave trade. Strategic and profitable marriages also led to the accrual of valuable property. With this abundance of wealth, the Bankes family continued to embellish their Venetian palace with art collections and artifacts. Today, the UK’s largest private collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts is held at Kingston Lacy. In 1982, Kingston Lacy, along with several other large estates belonging to the Bankes family, was donated by the family to the National Trust.

4. Explore Knowlton Church & The Neolithic Earthworks, a Place of Worship for Two Religions

Although this Norman church ruin has suffered over nine centuries of wind and rain, it is one of the few churches still standing today. Erected sometime in the 12th century, some of the walls were constructed with stone and flint, and although the roof has long since disappeared, the eastern face shows the line where it once would have sat.

This historical location is particularly interesting as the church was built at the center of what once was a ritual henge earthwork from the Neolithic period (4500-2500 BCE). These ceremonial sites, used by people in the Neolithic and later people in the Bronze Age (2500-600 BCE), were believed to be of vital importance, serving various different roles in the community. Today, “Church Henge” is protected, and it sparks curiosity over why two distinct religions of English history chose this location as their place of worship.

Corfe Castle sprang from the ground shortly after the Normans’ successful invasion of England in 1066. Typically, these motte and bailey castles were built with wood; however, Corfe’s walls were fortified with stone. Today, a stone hall stands as the oldest surviving part of the Norman castle. Prior to its role as a Norman fort, it was a Saxon stronghold and, in 978, the scene of a royal murder. On a visit to his half-brother, King Edward was stabbed and killed, with rumors that it was on his stepmother’s orders, who wished for her son to become King.

A keep was added in the 12th century using shiny Purbeck limestone. The design was intended to be eye-catching, and–standing at 21 meters atop a 55-meter high hill–Corfe Castle’s keep could be seen for miles around. King John, who reigned from 1199 to 1216, took a liking to Corfe Castle and built a magnificent gloriette. He spent a small fortune on interior improvements and the addition of an indoor toilet for his use. King John also used the castle to hide during times of turmoil and lock up his political rivals.

Centuries later, the Bankes family would come into ownership of Corfe Castle and use it as their country seat. The Bankes family would later support King Charles I during the English Civil War period, with the defense of two sieges led by Lady Mary Bankes. A mutineer would eventually betray the defending party, which included the Lady’s daughters and her maids.

Corfe Castle was then partially demolished with gunpowder, but Lady Mary eventually would have the castle returned to her and the Bankes family would keep ownership until the late 20th century. Along with Kingston Lacy, Corfe Castle was gifted to the National Trust by Ralph Bankes, culminating in one of the largest giftings of property ever received by the National Trust from one family. Today, it is possible to visit the grounds and walk among the remaining walls, now scarred from its dramatic past.

Clavell Tower is situated on the Smedmore Estate, property belonging to the Clavell family since 1420. As the property was passed down through extended family, new owners adopted the Clavell family surname until, in 1833, it passed to a late owner’s niece, who kept her surname of Mansel. Clavell Tower was built only a few years prior to Ms Mansel’s inheritance of the estate. It was originally used by coastguards keeping watch, but by 1914, it was no longer in use. Cliff erosion over the next few decades threatened to pull the tower into the sea, and the tower was eventually relocated in 2002. Today, this Grade II-listed building serves as a navigational mark and also an observatory.

7. Trace the Square Foundations of Jordan Hill Roman Temple

Of all the interesting ruins and outlines to be found across the rolling hills of England, this Romano-Celtic temple, with its distinctive square shape, signifies a fractious time in English history. Built sometime in the 4th century, as Roman control over Britain was beginning to recede, this ruin indicates a merging of two cultures: the common Celtic culture of southern British tribes and the Roman way of life.

This small, symmetrical temple design was quite typical for Roman Britain, and excavations have uncovered the bases of four portico columns, with other column parts found close by. Also nearby is a cemetery, with over 80 skeletons buried in a mixture of stone cists and wooden coffins. Many of the items excavated, including the pillars, are on display at Dorchester Museum. A 4-meter-deep pit that had been lined with old roofing slabs revealed several artifacts, including a spearhead, two urns, a sword, and a coin from the reign of Emperor Theodosius I (379–95 CE). Across Europe, similar pits have been found, indicating a merging of prehistoric Celtic religious practices with classical religions.

Dorset is home to one the largest and most complex Iron Age hillforts across all of Europe: Maiden Castle. The vast area would have housed many ramparts, and the overall structure would have been outlined by the bright white chalk naturally found in the earth. Prior to its use in the Iron Age, the hilltop was also used in the early Neolithic period (3000–2300 BCE). A “causewayed enclosure,” created by digging segmented ditches, would have been used as a space to construct flint axes and perform other community duties and activities.

It is thought that hundreds of residents would have sought sanctuary in the castle grounds sometime during the Iron Age (800 BCE-43 CE). As construction continued, the entrance routes became more and more elaborate, with the addition of ramparts and improvements to gateways. The settlement would eventually grow to become the preeminent settlement in southern Dorset. Evidence of grain storage, textile production, and metalworks has been found. The interior layout of the hillfort, packed with roundhouses in no particular order, was restructured with properties lined up in rows and roads for easy passage.

Excavations in the 1930s uncovered over 50 burial sites, with some male skeletons possessing gruesome injuries. This may be from the Roman conquest of 43 CE, during which the Romans brutally attacked the Britons. Other evidence suggests inter-tribal warfare during the Iron Age period, as violence was common and could have easily caused the trauma inflicted upon the uncovered skeletons.

9. Visit the Dorset Martyrs Memorial, Where Seven Men Were Executed During the English Reformation

In 1527, following Pope Clement VII’s refusal to grant King Henry VIII an annulment, the king passed reformation legislation that gave the monarchy full religious authority. As the Head of the Church of England, and with no challenge to his papal authority, the religious minority of Protestants gained increasing support from the monarchy, while the Catholics fell from favor. Between 1534 and 1680, many Catholic men and women found themselves at the mercy of the English Reformation. In 1570, Pope Pius V excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I and instructed a Catholic rebellion against the Crown. This triggered a new law whereby Catholics could face execution for treason if found to be acting under the authority of Pope Pius V.

At the site of the Dorset Martyrs Memorial, at least seven Catholic martyrs were hung from the gallows; Hugh Green, Thomas Pilchard, and John Cornelius SJ were found guilty of being Catholic priests. William Pyke, a carpenter, was killed for having spoken favorably of the Catholic religion while in prison. Thomas Bosgrave, John Carey, and Patrick Salmon all were found guilty of harboring a Catholic priest. The memorial shows two Catholic men about to be made martyrs and remembers all the women and men of Dorset who met a cruel and untimely fate under the English Reformation.