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Dorset's Castles, Abbeys and Forts

Dorset has a fantastic collection of castles and forts as well as several impressive abbeys which all promise a great day out for all the family.

Forde Abbey and Gardens is treasured for its beauty and its 30 acres of award winning gardens. Set in a former Cistercian monastery Forde Abbey has 900 years of history. Travel to Dorchester to find the largest and most complex Iron Age hill fort in Britain. Maiden Castle is the size of 50 football pitches and homed several hundred people in the Iron Age.

Visit Christchurch and you'll find its bursting with heritage. You'll be taken away by Highcliffe Castle, a romantic and picturesque Grade I listed seaside mansion set in the clifftop grounds in Highcliffe. Nearby, stroll around Christchurch Castle Ruins, built around 1100 and sieged during the Civil War.

There are also some beautiful abbeys in Dorset to visit including Sherborne Abbey. The abbey dates back to Saxon times but for many it is still the 'cathedral of Dorset'. Set on the site of Saxon England's Benedictine nunnery founded in 888AD, Shaftesbury Abbey Museums and Gardens lie in a peaceful walled garden and wait for you to discover its past!

It doesn't matter which country house, garden, castle, abbey or fort you choose to visit in Dorset - all will offer a fascinating day out, many offer events and activities and are sure to make you want to come back again and again! Check our Trips and Tours pages for more information on historic days out in Dorset.