Wareham

Wareham River Wareham is a curious and fascinating town. It has a history that goes back nearly 2000 years; flourishing in Saxon times and was a strategic stronghold for King Alfred the Great. After seeing action in both Civil Wars, Wareham’s importance slowly diminished as the nearby town of Poole grew in stature, leaving a picturesque market town on the banks of the River Frome.

It is the gateway to Purbeck and is also a centre for the rural communities providing services for those in the town itself and in the many outlying villages and hamlets. Wareham is the start of many of our walking and cycling routes to explore the rest of Purbeck.

Photo: Purbeck Information and Heritage Centre Near to the Quay is the Purbeck Information and Heritage Centre. Set within a 12th Century medieval church, this centre is a mine of information and the staff have countless tips on how to explore this town and the rest of the area. At the main cross-roads is the small but fascinating Wareham Town Musuem which has displays and artefacts which will help tell the story of the town.

The old Saxon walls that still surround the town make an interesting walk of the boundaries. One of the highlights of the walls is the Saxon church of St Martins which contains early medieval wall paintings and an effigy of Lawrence of Arabia, originally bound for Westminster Abbey.

The town’s quay is now a focal point and, where once it used to be a busy and bustling place with great sailing vessels docking here and taking the famous off to France and beyond, it is now one of the most relaxing places in Purbeck.

Photo: Wareham Quay Wareham is also gaining a reputation as a centre for locally produced foods. Local shops sell a range of local produce and every fourth Thursday in the month, a farmers market is held at the Corn Exchange where producers from around the county bring their products for sale. This is coupled with the oldest auction based market in the country and also a market on the Quay every Saturday.