The village of Corfe Castle in Dorset surrounds the ruin of a castle which dates back to the 11th century. The castle stands on top of a 55m high hill and can be seen for miles around. The keep was built in the early 12th century for King Henry I, William the Conqueror's son. After six centuries of keeping enemies at bay, an Act of Parliament was passed at Wareham to destroy the castle. Soldiers used gunpowder to bring the towers and ramparts crashing down, resulting in the yawning gaps and crazy angles that can be seen today. After a brief period of confiscation, the castle was handed back to the Bankes family and remained in their ownership for three and a half centuries. In 1982 Ralph Bankes gave it to the National Trust.

The church is situated in the centre of the town square, opposite the entrance to Corfe Castle. It is dedicated to King Edward, who was murdered on the orders of his stepmother in 978. The story goes that Edward's body was hidden in the house of a blind woman, and when she found the body, her sight was restored. The church is said to be built on the site of her house. It is thought that a church was built there sometime during the 12th century, but it fell into decline after much damage was caused during the Civil War between 1642-1646 and by 1859 the main church was demolished, just leaving the tower. A new church was then built and completed in 1860, and is what we see today.

The churchyard itself does not have many headstones left standing. There are a few dotted around the edges of the churchyard, though most are weathered and unreadable. There are also a few on the floor of the church itself.

When the churchyard reached capacity many years ago, a new cemetery called 'God's Acre' was established - the land for this was donated by Henry Bankes in 1924. Click here to go to it.

(The village of Corfe Castle is not to be confused with Corfe Mullen)

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[Added by Lancashire Lass]