Corfe Castle Model Village & Gardens

The Square, Corfe Castle, Dorset BH20 5EZ

Tel: 01929 481234

Corfe Castle is an attraction that draws many thousands of visitors to this delightful part of Dorset each year, but almost literally in the shadow of the magnificent ruins is an equally fascinating sight for tourists. Described as `3 Great Venues in One', the attractions include Corfe Castle Model Village, Traditional Dorset Gardens and The Courtyard Café. The real castle was destroyed by Cromwell's troops in 1646, but the Model Village faithfully restores both the castle and the village. Visitors can therefore make the intriguing comparison between the heritage castle laid out at their feet and the imposing ruin that towers above, dominating the landscape even in its ruined state.

It was Eddie Holland who built the model, which took two years to complete and was opened to the public for the first time in 1966. The detail in the 1/20th scale model, built with Purbeck stone, is extraordinary, right down to the miniature 17th century folk going about their daily business and the music playing gently in the miniature church. In one corner of the site, several of the original village stocks are on display, a reminder of how minor offenders were dealt with in times gone by. The model village is a delight for visitors of all ages, and just a few steps away is an enchanting traditional Dorset garden - life-size in this case.

The gardens have been restored and landscaped and many rare trees and shrubs have been planted, which along with the glorious borders provide a variety of wonderful colours and scents throughout the season. A woodland area attracts an abundance of birds and wild animals.