Corfe Castle, Medieval castle and museum in Dorset, England
Corfe Castle is a collection of stone ruins spread across a limestone hilltop in Dorset, with walls and towers dating from different historical periods. The layout reveals how the fortress grew and changed over time, with older sections still visible alongside later additions.
The castle was built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror to control a natural pass through the Purbeck Hills. In the 1600s during the English Civil War, it changed hands several times before being badly damaged and then abandoned.
The castle holds deep meaning as a place of female resistance during civil war, and visitors today walk through spaces marked by that dramatic chapter. The surrounding landscape and the way the ruins sit on the hilltop remind people of how this location shaped local identity for centuries.
The site is managed by the National Trust and has pathways through the ruins with some shaded spots to rest. The castle sits on a hill, so parts are steep and sturdy footwear helps you navigate safely.
The castle was deliberately blown apart with explosives during the English Civil War to prevent the opposing side from using it. The ruins you see today still bear the marks of that destruction, with broken walls and scattered stones telling the story of that violent siege.
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