From Iron Age hillforts and medieval manor houses to Neolithic stone circles offering dramatic views over the sea, a day out in Dorset this season provides plenty for all the family to discover.
We have now switched to our summer opening hours, meaning that there is even more time for you to enjoy our properties and events on your visit. Please check opening times before travelling.
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Enjoy a great family day out this season in Dorset:
Built by Henry VIII to defend England, the Castle also played a part in World War I and II. Attractions include Tudor kitchen, Great Hall, gardens, sea views, tearooms and audio tour.
Built on a grand scale in the 12th century by the Bishop of Salisbury, Sherborne was coveted by churchmen and noblemen alike giving it a long, chequered history. Picnic, shop, light refreshments.
Among the largest and most complex of Iron Age hillforts in Europe, Maiden Castle’s huge multiple ramparts enclose an area the size of 50 football pitches and once protected hundreds of residents.
A late Neolithic or early Bronze Age circle of 18 fallen stones, on a hilltop overlooking Abbotsbury and the sea.
Part of a monastic building, perhaps the abbot’s lodging, of Benedictine Abbotsbury Abbey, Henry VIII ordered it’s destruction during the Dissolution in 1538. St Catherine's Chapel is nearby.
The principal parts of a small stone manor house, probably begun about 1370 for William Latimer, Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset. The hall and solar chamber display outstandingly fine timber roofs.
Join Properties Curator Heather Sebire for a tour of this 4000 year old site and discover the impact of the 1913 Monument Act.
Get out and about this holiday with our summer fun trail. Explore the Castle grounds and find the hidden clues. Solve the challenge and a special reward awaits!
You may also be interested in these events:
Gain exclusive access to the Neolithic Houses being built ahead of the new interpretation at Stonehenge.
Journey back to the Dark Ages this Bank Holiday weekend at Old Sarum as the Vikings take resident! Witness exciting combat shows, weaponry displays, and for our budding junior warriors, take part in your very own mini battle.
Meet Robin Hood and his band of merry men at Old Wardour this Bank Holiday weekend. See if you have what it takes to join the famous outlaws! Try your hand at archery, listen to tales of Sherwood Forest and watch Robin display his mighty long- bow skills.
Arr me hearties! Pirates are invading Dartmouth Castle! Come visit if you dare and meet the crew of the famous pirate ship' La Grande Derrier'. Marvel at demonstrations of musketry and cutlass work and listen to far fetched and fantastical pirate tales.
