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Corfe Castle (Dorset - England)

Recently I set out to East Devon & Dorset. This place is special for several aspects - it has an incredibly beautiful coastal line, the natural rock formations are exquisite, its been in existence since Jurassic times and its the only ecological spot under UNESCO in the whole of England. As it happened in Bath, the day started with a cloudy sky and drizzle much to my dismay, but as time went by, by noon, it cleared very well. One of my stops here was at Corfe Castle. Whether you go on a daytrip to Jurassic Coast or weekend trip to Dorset, Corfe Castle & Swanage railway shouldn't be missed! Read on to know why!
To begin with Corfe Castle confused me. Its ancient and its ruins of a castle, kinda similar to Old Sarum but newer. Somehow this came under National Trust instead of English Heritage! Now, that was a bit confusing. Nevertheless, here's more about the place.

This was built in early 12th C by for King Henry I. This stands tall at 21m atop a 55m high hill. This castle was made of Purbeck stone which is innate to this area and mined in and around here. Infact these were the stones which was used in building Westminster Abbey!!!

At one point of time this place was the home of the crown jewels, and at another point this place also served as a prison. Henry I imprisoned his brother, the Duke of Normandy here in 1106. King John held Princess Eleanor and her 24 French Knights as prisoners here as well. An extra floor was built in 13th C.

An important factor here were the dungeons called Oubliettes. Quite a few prisoners were thrown into this and let to die & rot! Pretty much reminded me of the Moon Door of the Game of Thrones. Much later during the English Civil War of 1642, the castle was attacked by 1645 and brought the stage it is in, now. This place pretty much reminded me of Alamparai, with all the fallen walls and structures.


Nevertheless, the expanse of land was just spectacular. Since this is located atop a hill, it creates a natural moat and view point. The view of the town from atop is just gorgeous. Esp the view of the surrounding hills, the church in the town, the steam engine train line nearby is all just spectacular. It is pretty much is ruins which nothing that could be called as even a shelter. But not as worse as Old Sarum.

Very close by is the Corfe Castle station which is, very similar to Avon Valley Railway, is a restored Victorian style station which runs steam rail as well as diesel rail. This line is called the Swanage Railway. In 1972, the Swanage Railway was closed and the station, track etc were removed. Later in 1975, with the general public volunteers, this was restored and brought back to life.

There is also a little museum there which has a steam engine, lanterns, uniforms, boards and many more items associated with steam rail of the yesteryears. Till date, the board and ticket counters are maintained vintage. 


 P.S: Check out here to know what I wore for this trip.

To Get There:
Nearest bus stand / railway stations: Corfe Castle / Wareham / Bournemouth
Entry Ticket: from £8.50 (varies according to age and peak season)
More details on pricing on their website and can be bought at gate.

P.S: I was invited by Corfe Castle to experience it for review purpose, however the opinions are my own and this post does not to advertise the product/service.

Dedicated to Venkat

Bhushavali

An ardent traveler by passion. Being an ex - Art History Teacher, my area of interest especially lies in Nature and Heritage. Visited 85 UNESCO World Heritage sites as of June 2022. I've been listed among the Top 7 Women Travel Bloggers of India, Top 50 in UK. I have been interviewed in a couple of TV Shows, Radio Channels and Events as well. Read more about me and read the testimonials of different brands

16 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 25, 2016 at 9:30 PM

    I never knew castles could also be prisons for royalty. Makes me reflect on how much of the world I would like to see someday.

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  2. RochJune 26, 2016 at 5:43 AM

    This place looks very special. I love seeing the marvelous field of greenery and also the historic castle which was built a long time ago.

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  3. The Ordinary GirlJune 26, 2016 at 9:42 AM

    A place full of character. I adore such places which have historical things. The lush greenry is adding a touch of beauty!

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  4. Claire AlgarmeJune 26, 2016 at 4:13 PM

    Wow, castle ruins! Yes, it reminds me of Game of Thrones, too! Whenever I visit ruins or old structures, I always imagine how it was when it was in operation. The stories embedded in those walls are priceless.

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  5. Mr PossibleJune 26, 2016 at 4:22 PM

    This place reminds of that movie called Game of throne. I cherish historical avenue and materials a lot. Thanks for sharing

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  6. Fred SaidJune 26, 2016 at 8:38 PM

    I wonder if this is the same town and castle in the film Me Before You? Looks the same, very picturesque, although the castle did not look in ruins like this one.

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  7. Mia FooJune 26, 2016 at 10:28 PM

    i always dream of visiting England some day! your photographs all look so awesome! but now with Brexit, the problems of racism has somehow gone viral on social media and i wonder... if it's really going to be a pleasant experience.

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  8. FX777222999June 27, 2016 at 5:23 AM

    Actually, I think, you are so blessed because visiting these places can take a lot of money for us to travel. Well, your posts are very helpful for me, to know and explore. Ruins and other famous places in England are so majestic to discover.

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  9. Plastic GlowJune 27, 2016 at 4:27 PM

    The place looks like it's from a medieval computer game like Devil May Cry or Dark Souls. lol. I would sure like to visit and pretend I'm fighting monsters there.

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  10. FrancJune 27, 2016 at 5:07 PM

    I would love to go on top of the hill and just appreciate the natural and historical view points. There so much to see here.

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  11. Elizabeth O.June 27, 2016 at 10:04 PM

    The castle is beautiful, but how I wish they would somehow restore it so that we can see what it was like before it became a ruin. The view from up there is fantastic though, really breathtaking!

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  12. Sunshine KellyJune 27, 2016 at 11:02 PM

    I have not visit this place before. Its looks very relaxing surrounded with lots of greens.

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  13. Lee RosalesJune 28, 2016 at 4:01 PM

    I have never seen a real castle before and I would live to visit one someday

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  14. ShubJune 28, 2016 at 5:49 PM

    I remember seeing this place in the photos of my cousin who used to stay in Europe. Your red outfit stands out against the green. Nice!

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  15. ZwitsyJune 29, 2016 at 5:40 AM

    I really wanted to see castle personally. You know, we don't have it here in our country. And I have heard about England though not that much but sure they have so many things to show off to tourists. Urrggg, this made me jealous again.

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  16. UnknownJune 29, 2016 at 5:51 AM

    wow! this is new.. hope i get to visit the area soon. it looks like a beautiful place to go soul searching.. haha i just hope i'd be able to manage my budget for traveling.. Amazing post here. :)

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