Kingston - Visit Wareham

Kingston is a popular little village with some fantastic views looking towards Corfe Castle.

A pretty, rural village in Purbeck with some fantastic views looking towards Corfe Castle. The village is dotted with traditional cottages built of the local Purbeck stone, a local church and a popular village pub. Around Kingston there are many farms that have been in existence since Saxon times.

Kingston means ‘King’s farm and manor’ and was indeed once owned by Saxon kings before it was finally granted to the Abbess of Shaftesbury. The Abbess also owned the mound at Corfe and William the Conqueror persuaded her to swap it for a church in Gillingham. He then built the castle on it in 1086.

There are two popular walks from Kingston: the Commoners Ways which takes you down to Corfe Castle, and Swyre Head which takes you to the highest point on the Purbeck hills; from there you’ll enjoy extensive views towards the Isle of Wight and Poole Harbour.

Attractions around Kingston…

St James Church

Magnificent Victorian church built in 1880 which the poet John Betjeman was a great admirer of. All the limestone and Purbeck marble came from local quarries and took 6 years to build. It’s enormous proportions and lavish decorations have led to the church being nicknamed ‘The cathedral of Purbeck’. The pink hue of the stone is caused by algae growing on the church’s shadier side.

Commoners Way walk

A spectacular walk in the Purbeck landscape starting at Kingston and heading south across the ancient Corfe Common to Corfe itself. Take in the beautiful views on the way down and maybe stop for lunch or afternoon tea at Corfe. Afterwards, rather than walking, you could then take the Number 40 bus from Corfe back to Kingston!

Dorset Council have a good leaflet describing the walk - see link below.

Leaflet

Swyre Head Walk

A great walk to some of the best views anywhere from the highest point on the Isle of Purbeck. The hill Swyre Head lies about a mile southwest of Kingston.

The hill commands extensive views, including west past the Isle of Portland and east to the Isle of Wight, as well as north across the Purbeck Hills to Poole Harbour. To the west, the folly of Clavell Tower can also be seen.

The Scott Arms

'A traditional Dorset pub with arguably the best views in Purbeck, overlooking the Purbeck hills and the ruins of Corfe Castle.'

Kingston, BH20 5LH
Tel: 01929 480 270