Panorama taken from the village square of Corfe Castle in Dorset. This picture was taken on a sunny afternoon in September 2009, and shows some people relaxing around the stone cross in the middle of the square. The ruins of Corfe Castle itself are hidden behind a building.

Corfe Castle - Corfe Castle visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Corfe Castle' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Dorset.

Corfe Castle is an ancient and popular village in Dorset famous for the ruins of Corfe Castle itself. The castle is a major tourist attraction in Dorset and thousands come to visit it during the peak season. The village square is surrounded by various tourist shops, pubs and cafes.

Evidence suggests that humans have lived around Corfe Castle since 6000BC and that a castle of some sort may have existed here before the Norman Conquest. 'Corfe' is Saxon for 'gap', and the castle is built on top of a steep hill standing in a gap in the Purbeck Hills. The oldest structures of Corfe Castle standing date from the 11th century.

The village of Corfe Castle grew up around the castle that was being built, and then remained gaining protection from it. It is one of the best preserved Medieval villages in Dorset. Other attractions within the village aside from the castle include a steam train that runs between Corfe and Swanage, Corfe Model Village which shows how the village looked in 1646, National Trust tea rooms, the church of Edward the Martyr and walking on the Purbeck Hills.

Train: Steam train from Swanage.
Road: Corfe Castle lies on the A351, 5 miles west of Swanage and 4 miles south east of Wareham.