Corfe Castle is an attraction that draws many thousands of visitors to this
delightful part of Dorset each year, but almost literally in the shadow of the
magnificent ruins is equally fascinating sight for tourists. Described as '3
Great Venues in One', the attractions include Corfe Castle Model Village,
Traditional Dorset Gardens and The Courtyard Café. The real castle was destroyed
by Cromwell's troops in 1646, but the Model Village faithfully restores both the
castle and the village. Visitors can therefore make the intriguing comparison
between the heritage castle laid out at their feet and the imposing ruin that
towers above, dominating the landscape even in its ruined state.
It was Eddie Holland who built the model, which took two years to complete
and was opened to the public for the first time in 1966. The detail in the
1/20th scale model, built with Purbeck stone, is extraordinary, right down to
the miniature 17th century folk going about their daily business and the music
playing gently in the miniature church. In one corner of the site, several of
the original village stocks are on display, a reminder of how minor offenders
were dealt with in times gone by. The model village is a delight for visitors of
all ages, and just a few steps away is an enchanting traditional Dorset garden -
life-size in this case.
The gardens have been restored and landscaped and many rare trees and shrubs
have been planted, which along with the glorious borders provide a variety of
wonderful colours and scents throughout the season. A woodland area attracts an
abundance of birds and wild animals.
After exploring the village and gardens, visitors can relax in the Courtyard
Café over a cup of tea or coffee, or tuck into a filled jacket potato, home made
soup, a well-filled sandwich or a full Dorset cream tea. All three venues - the
model village, the gardens and the café - are open daily from April to the end
of October. The model village is without doubt one of the most fascinating
attractions of its kind in the whole country, and no visit to the area would be
complete without spending a few hours peeping back into history.
|
FREE
eBOOKS
