Wareham

Description:

Wareham is a small Dorset Town situated eight miles West of Poole, on the River Frome. There is a small quay, a reminder that Wareham was until the 13th century the main port in this part of Dorset. This status changed however when traders moved down river to take advantage of deeper waters in the bay, setting up a new town in the process called Poole.

It is still possible to take boat trips from the bustling quay, maybe after a satisfying lunch in the newly refurbished Old Granary restaurant or enjoy fresh crab or lobster in a nearby pub. There are fishing tackle and bait facilities.

To the North West of town is a large conifer plantation, Wareham forest which stretches several miles to the southern foothills of the Dorset Downs. To the South East is Corfe Castle and the heathland that borders Poole Harbour, including Wytch Farm oilfield and Studland and Godlingstone Heath Nature Reserve. There is an eighteen hole golf course and a shooting school.

Wareham has a good selection of shops and galleries, catering for every taste. There are plenty of cafés, bars and restaurants. Also of interest is the Rex Cinema in West street, a small establishment in the style of the 1930's and gas-lit which is run amazingly by volunteers and is still in business today.
 
Further east the street is mostly residential with a small market at the end. There is a Market on Thursdays.

In the centre of town is the town hall which was built in 1870.

The town holds an annual carnival at the end of July, involving a series of events to raise money for local charities.

Wareham Town Museum, in the lovely Victorian town hall building by the Market Cross, is free to visitors. It evolved from the Wareham Pictorial Museum, a private collection which was acquired by the Town Council. The museum displays objects which range throughout the thousands of years of human occupation of the Wareham area. This includes a collection of pottery from the Roman period.

Another section of the museum is devoted to a famous local resident. T.E.Lawrence is probably better known as Lawrence of Arabia. Towards the end of his life, he lived at Clouds Hill, near Bovington and not far from Wareham. He was known to have visited the town regularly during these latter years. There are a number of interesting documents and exhibits in this section. Lawrence's cottage, at Clouds Hill, is now owned by the National Trust and is open to visitors.

Wareham is still on the railway route and is easily accessible by road from places such as Dorchester, Poole and Swanage. Other Dorset attractions not far from the town and in the Isle of Purbeck area include the historic Corfe Castle, Lulworth Castle, Putlake Adventure Farm and the highly acclaimed Monkey World.
 
See our Guide2Dorset Events section for more details.