Corfe Castle

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Corfe is a really cute English village that is almost completely made from the local grey Purbeck limestone. It comprises of two main streets, linked at their north end at the Square. There is a small collection of shops, the post office, church and pubs. The main attraction is . The dramatic ruins of stand on a natural hill and it overlooks the main route through the Purbeck Hills. The castle has incredible views of the beautiful Dorset countryside.



The Castle is a National Trust site and is full of rich history. It was sold to Sir Christopher Hatton from by Queen Elizabeth I. He was her dancing master and favourite, then in 1635, the castle was bought by Sir John Bankes, who at the time was Lord Chief Justice. He used the castle for occasional private residence. Then as trouble brewed for Charles I, his family took up permanent residence.

Sir John Bankes died in 1644 and then the Roundheads allowed the family to leave the castle and the castle was destroyed by Parliamentary sappers. Sir Ralph Bankes, who was the son of Sir John, built a new home, Kingston Lacy House as his primary home.

The castle remained in the ownership of the Bankes family until 1982, when it was bequeathed as part of the Kingston Lacy and Estate to the National Trust by Mr.H J R Bankes.



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