View of Corfe Castle

High above this village towers the ruins of a castle that was built here by William the Conqueror. During the English Civil War (1642-1651), Corfe Castle remained a royal stronghold for a long time, but in 1645 it was blown up by supporters of Parliament.

Corfe Castle is one of my top three castles in the country. It's a ruin (thanks to Oliver Cromwell) but it's in such a fantastic setting on a relatively small knoll between two spurs of the Purbeck Hills - you can tell why it was built there.

Did you know that Corfe Castle was the place that is said to have given Enid Blyton her inspiration for the castle ruins of George‘s Kirrin Island in her „Famous Five“ books? ?! Looking at the ruins from a distance, say the Purbeck Way, for me even boosters the feeling of being right in the middle of a new Famous Five adventure :-)