HousesDorset

Corfe Castle is a thousand‐year‐old castle rising above the Isle of PurbeckOne of Britain's most majestic ruins, the castle controlled the gateway through the Purbeck Hills and has been an important stronghold since the time of William the Conqueror. Defended during the Civil War by the ardent…

Lulworth Castle House stands in the 18th Century Park at East Lulworth, 200 yards from the family seat it was built to replace ‐ Lulworth Castle. Over the years, the castle has seen a number of uses, occupants and a varied and colourful history. There have been…

Birthplace of novelist and poet Thomas HardyThomas Hardy was born in 1840 in this small cob and thatch cottage and from here he would walk to school every day in Dorchester, three miles away. It was built by his great‐grandfather and is little altered since the family…

19th Century Stapehill Abbey boasts beautiful award winning gardens, both formal and informal, a Japanese garden, cloister garden, nuns' chapel, Victorian parlour and displays the history of the Cistercian order who lived there. A notable museum and farmyard depict life in rural England in Victorian times.Today you can…

The history of this fortress, which overlooks Portland harbour, is diverse and fascinating. Built by Henry VIII to defend Weymouth against possible French and Spanish invasion, its squat appearance is typical of the artillery forts built in the early 1540s. Unusually for a fortress of this period, the…

Built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594, Sherborne Castle has been home of the Digby family since 1617. Set in 40 acres of glorious 'Capability' Brown landscaped gardens and grounds around his 50 acre lake, the Castle contains a splendid collection of art, furniture and porcelain.The first building…

Sherborne Old Castle was built on a grand scale in the 12th century by Roger de Caen, Bishop of Sarum. In 1592 Elizabeth I gave it to Sir Walter Raleigh who built his country home, Sherborne Lodge now Sherborne Castle in the grounds. When besieged by Cromwell's forces…

Voted Our Favouite Garden by the readers of The Daily Telegraph in 2006. Runner‐up in the peoples' vote for the best major display garden at The Chelsea Flower Show, May 2006.Established in 1765 by the first Countess of Ilchester as a kitchen garden for her nearby castle. Developed…

Athelhampton House and its estate and gardens have been in private ownership for over five hundred years. We thank you for your interest which will help to ensure that Athelhampton will continue to flourish. The House has been owned by the Cooke family for three generations…

T. E. Lawrence 'Lawrence of Arabia' bought this tiny isolated brick and tile cottage in 1925. The austere rooms are much as he left them and reflect his complex personality and close links with the Middle East. An exhibition details Lawrence's extraordinary life. …

Compton Acres invites you to escape to a different world. The new Compton Acres has more features than ever before. As well as its beautiful ten acres of gardens, there are exciting shopping opportunities, restaurants, a delicatessen, regular events, and, with further all‐weather facilities planned for…

Planting of the gardens began a little over thirty years ago with a collection of rhododendrons and Australasian plants. It was not long before the 'Wimborne Botanic', as the garden was originally known, had a wide collection of trees and plants from around the world, and was featured…

Mapperton Gardens is a romantic valley garden deep into a lost Dorset combe among tumbling hills and unspoilt countryside. The gardens descend from the great lawn, through the formal topiary down to the valley garden. The manor house with its church,stable block, coach house, dovecote and…

The Minterne Valley, landscaped in the manner of Capability Brown in the 18th Century, has been the home of the Churchill and Digby families for 350 years. The gardens are laid out in a horseshoe below Minterne House, with a chain of small lakes, waterfalls and streams. They…

The Priests House museum and garden is an award winning museum set in a historic 16th Century town house. There are nine rooms, costume and textile gallery and a magnificent three hundred foot walled garden. A variety of fascinating displays and exhibitions, working Victorian Kitchen and…

Adventure Wonderland is packed full of so much fun and excitement for all our young visitors that youll want to stay all day. During the Full park opening we have Adventureland and Wonderland outside and the Wild Thing Aztec play centre inside. During the Winter, Wild Thing opens…

See Armour Through The Ages At The Tank Museum./pp/ppHead for The Tank Museum in September 2005, for an exciting journey through the history of armoured warfare./pp/ppThe Tank Museum, the biggest and best museum of its kind in the world, will be hosting the largest weekend event of its…

Sea Life - a network of marine life aquariums stretching across much of Europe. Each of our attractions offers a unique insight into the lives of a myriad creatures from shrimps to sharks. Come and discover the amazing stories behind nature's hard cases: the crustaceans. …