Church Knowle - Visit Wareham

Church Knowle is a small pretty village set in a valley around one mile west of Corfe Castle.

‘Cnolle’ is a Saxon word signifying the top of a hill, and so it is believed that there was once a Saxon settlement here.

However, a Roman villa has been discovered nearby and Church Knowle’s parish contains many prehistoric barrows, so there’s no doubt that human habitation goes back to the earliest times in the area.

The village is noted for Barnston Manor that dates back to the 13th century and possibly Britain’s oldest continuously occupied house. It was the home of the well known Dorset family – the Clavells.

The village is also the location of the popular Margaret Green Animal Sanctuary, a wonderful place to pay a visit with the whole family.

Church Knowle’s St Peters Church is famous as the burial place of the Pike brothers (Purbeck Ball Clay Merchants) famed for bringing the first steam locomotive to Purbeck in 1866. Also buried there is Warburton Pike who was the first person to translate Dante’s Inferno into English in 1881.

Finally, there’s the New Inn (which is actually hundreds of years old) is ideally situated for pub walks around the village.

Attractions in Church Knowle…

Margaret Green Animal Sanctuary

Church Knowle has perhaps become best known as the home of the Margaret Green Animal Sanctuary. Founded in 1965, the charity now cares for over a 1000 animals a year that have been abandoned or otherwise need looking after. It is famous as a place to go to get a cat for re-homing, but it also looks after pigs, donkeys, horses, goats, rabbits. The grounds have been extended lately making it an even better place to take a wander around with the family, and afterwards to spend a few pounds in the gift shop at the end.

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St Peter's Church

Given the village is called Church Knowle and ‘Cnowle’ is a Saxon word, there was no doubt a Saxon church nearby. Indeed, the Domesday Book refers to it. Parts of the present building date back to the 13th century, and there is a list of rectors going back to the 14th century.

The Church is the burial place of the Pike brothers famed for bringing the first steam locomotive to Purbeck in 1866. Also buried there is Warburton Pike who was the first person to translate Dante’s Inferno into English in 1881.

Church Knowle village

Church Knowle is a very pretty little village and after calling in to see the animals at the Rescue Centre, or for a swift one at the local pub, it's well worth taking a walk down the length of its main street!

Barnston Manor