Corfe Castle

Corfe Castle is one of England’s most picturesque historical landmarks, with its ruins perched on a green hill in the county of Dorset, in the southwest of the country. For more than 600 years this castle was a royal fortress, and since 1982 the architectural monument has been under the patronage of a foundation founded by one of its last owners, Sir John Banks.

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Video: Corfe Castle

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Highlights

Historians do not have exact data on the construction of the fortifications, but it is known that from the end of the 12th century there was already a tall Norman tower. For ten centuries, Corfe Castle has experienced many bloody events. It has been tried many times to destroy and wipe off the face of the Earth. The ruins of the ancient fortress look very majestic. They are located on top of a hill 55 meters high and can be seen from afar.

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Nowadays, the ancient Corfe Castle has become one of the most popular attractions in the UK. Family festivals are held on the territory of the castle. During them you can hear medieval music, take part in exciting quests and try on knight’s armor.

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Tourists

For tourists, the territory of Corfe Castle is open daily from 10.00 to 18.00. The Visitor Center closes an hour earlier. A café and a store selling farm produce and souvenirs serve visitors until 17.30.

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History of Corfe Castle

Before Corfe Castle, there was a wooden Saxon fort on the hill where, according to legend, King Edward the Martyr ended his days at the end of the 10th century. According to legend, he died at the hands of his stepmother Queen Elfreda, who wanted her own son to sit on the throne of England.

After the arrival of William I the Conqueror, a 21-meter high Norman Tower was built here to control the main trade routes and protect the territory from the sea. The locals who built the tower used stones from the Purbeck hills. For this they received the right to take refuge in the fortress during raids.

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Since the end of the 12th century, Corfe Castle became a royal residence and was used for hunting and entertainment. It was also used as a prison for opponents of the crown and for executions of convicts. In addition, the fortress was repeatedly reconstructed to meet all the requirements of fortification art.

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In 1572, Lord Chancellor Sir Christopher Hutton bought Corfe Castle from Queen Elizabeth I of England. The new owner spent a lot of money and rebuilt the military fort into a livable fortress. In 1635, the owner of the castle became John Banks, who served as Chief Justice at the court of King Charles I of England.

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After his death, in 1643 Banks’ widow Lady Mary stood up to defend Corfe Castle from the besieging Parliamentarian troops. The powerful fortress proved so impregnable that it did not fall until February 1646. However, the cause of the defeat was not the destruction of the fort, but the treachery of one of the officers of the garrison.

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Although the castle began to be ruled by Cromwell’s supporters, the keys were returned to the owner, Lady Mary Banks, in recognition of this woman’s courage. Remarkably, Banks’ widow lived to see the restoration of the monarchy and regained all the lost lands. Today, the ancient keys are kept as a relic at Banks’ family estate, Kingston Lacy. When the Civil War came to an end, Corfe Castle was abandoned and its stones were used to build a neighboring town.

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Village

At the foot of the ancient ruins stands a colorful village, which is a reconstruction of a settlement from the middle of the 17th century. In its center you can see a 1:20 scale model of Corfe Castle. Like the original, the miniature castle is built of Purbeck stone, so tourists can compare the castle of three hundred years ago with the ruins left on the hill.

Very close by is the picturesque Dorsetshire Garden. It has only recently been restored, although the tradition of growing gardens in the county goes back several centuries. The beautiful garden is home to a variety of trees and shrubs, with many flowers blooming in the summer.

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On the opposite side of Corfe Castle, in the square, stands the parish church, built in memory of the murdered King Edward. According to legend, it was erected on the site of the house where the body of the deceased was moved after his death. From the mid-nineteenth century the old church collapsed and a new parish church in Gothic style was built here.

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How to get there

Corfe Castle is located just off a country road through the Purbeck Hills in Dorset. Corfe Castle railway station is within walking distance of the castle, with trains from London Waterloo station taking 2 hours to reach it. It is also accessible by bus from London and Weymouth.

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