If you’re thinking of visiting the village of Corfe Castle in Dorset, you will probably be planning to visit the castle ruins. The Corfe Castle ruins have been owned and managed by the National Trust since 1982.
The village sits around halfway between Swanage and Wareham, perfect for exploring some of the Isle of Purbeck.
Getting To Corfe Castle
If you’re driving to Corfe Castle, the postcode for your sat nav is BH20 5DR. There are a few options for parking, the main one being the National Trust car park. This is FREE for National trust members, or chargeable for non members.
This car park does fill up quite quickly, so if you arrive and find it full, I suggest parking at Purbeck Park, which is also the main car park if you’re planning a visit to the Swanage Railway steam train. From the Purbeck Park car park, it’s around a ten minute walk via the signposted paths.
If you park in the National Trust car park, then you will enjoy a scenic walk of around seven minutes around the base of the castle to the entrance.
Related post – Castles in Dorset
History Of Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle was built just after 1066 and has been through many battles since its beginnings. Being built on the top of an artificial hill, the castle was able to defend against enemies from all the different angles.
In the 12th Century, William the Conqueror’s son King Henry I had the great tower (the keep) built for him. This would have been very grand and fit for royalty.
Over time, the castle was home to many Kings including King John a descendent of King Henry I. During the 1500’s the Corfe Castle was privately owned by Sir Christopher Hatton. He eventually became the Lord Chancellor.
Over time the castle then became home to the Bankes family who utilised Corfe Castle as their country seat. It remained in the Bankes family until the transfer of ownership to the National Trust.
During the Civil War, the castle was demolished on orders from Parliament after Lady Mary Bankes was betrayed by one of her own soldiers.
If you visit Kingston Lacy in Wimborne, you’ll read about the links between there and Corfe Castle. Kingston Lacy became the mansion home of the Bankes family.
Corfe Castle Facilities
When visiting Corfe Castle ruins, you’ll enjoy the view as you look upwards. There are well places paths to explore the castle ruins, and your self led tour will take around half an hour at a leisurely pace.
The National Trust have lots of great accessibility aids in place if you need some help in visiting the castle ruins. You can pre book an electric assisted wheelchair, and also borrow walking poles from the entrance.
During the year, National trust Corfe Castle offer great events and activities in the school holidays. You’ll also often find a programme of outdoor cinema events through the Summer too.
As you wander around the castle ruins, there are great information boards and audio stories to help you immerse yourselves into history. Stand where some of the most affluent people in history once stood.
Corfe Castle is also dog friendly, which is a great excise not to leave anyone behind. Toilets are also located just outside the castle gates.
Corfe Castle Village
Don’t just visit Corfe Castle for the castle ruins, don’t forget to explore the village. You can visit the Corfe Castle model village and tea rooms for a 1/20th model of what Corfe Castle would have looked like before its destruction by Oliver Cromwell’s troops during the English Civil War.
You can stop in one of the village tea rooms, pubs or bakeries for a drink and bite to eat. Just as you exit the Corfe Castle ruins, you can enter the beer garden of the Greyhound Inn which offers amazing views of the ruins right from the garden. The Greyhound Inn is also one of the many dog friendly pubs in Dorset as well.
If you’re an avid walker, then there are some great paths and trails to explore on the Purbeck hills nearby as well.
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