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Welcome to the Itinerary Planner. Use this tool to build your own journey or choose from an exciting range of specially selected tours.

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  1. Picturesque Abbotsbury © Richie's Incredible Britain
    Picturesque Abbotsbury © Richie's Incredible Britain
  2. Milton Abbas is one of Dorset's prettiest villages
    Milton Abbas is one of Dorset's prettiest villages
  3. Explore the pretty village of Corfe Castle
    Explore the pretty village of Corfe Castle

You are here: Explore > Villages

Villages in Dorset

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Highlights

  1. St Catherine's Chapel near Abbotsbury
    Abbotsbury
    A chocolate box village steeped in history and surrounded by spectacular scenery
  2. Historic ruins of Corfe Castle in Dorset
    Corfe Castle
    Corfe Castle village is overlooked by the outstanding ruins of its castle perched on a hill in a gap in the Purbeck Ridge
  3. Cerne Abbas
    Cerne Abbas
    A charming and quaint village that is world renowned for the Cerne Giant, a 180 ft high ancient chalk figure carved out into the steep sloping hillside above the village
  4. Charmouth
    Charmouth
    A friendly village situated at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast, an ancient coastline of dramatic cliffs, fossils and beautiful scenery
  5. Cranborne Visitor Information
    Cranborne
    An ancient royal hunting area now populated by small picturesque villages in a large open landscape dissected by clear rivers and streams
  6. Lulworth Castle surrounded by the green countryside parkland
    East & West Lulworth
    Owned by the Weld Family, the villages on this country estate offer stunning scenery and the famous Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door and Lulworth Castle.
  7. Thatched cottages in Milton Abbas
    Milton Abbas
    A picture book English cob and thatch village on the Milton Abbey estate

Dorset is home to some of the prettiest villages in England.

If you’re looking to wander down winding country lanes lined with sweet scented wild flowers, tinkling streams, thatched cobb cottages before chancing upon a quaint little village pub or tea room, you’ve come to the right place.

Picturesque Dorset Villages

One of the most popular villages in Dorset is Abbotsbury, a picture postcard village set in the Dorset AONB countryside.

Whilst here, visit the famous Swannery, or climb to St Catherine’s Chapel for tremendous views along Chesil Beach and the Jurassic Coast.

You’re in for a treat if you visit West Lulworth as the small hamlet is dotted with little trinket shops and ice cream parlours as it meanders down to the stunning Lulworth Cove.

Milton Abbas is also well worth a visit, with its uniformed line of thatched white cottages. Visit in July for the 18th Century Street Fair and be whisked back in time.

And set in the heart of Cranborne Chase, once a mediaeval hunting estate, are the intimate, rural villages of the Tarrants, Chrichels and the Gussages.

Quirky village names

Dorset villages have their fair share of strange place names and many of these are often cause for much tittering.

Whilst in Dorset you may find yourself in the Piddle Valley and stumble across the villages of Piddlehinton and Piddletrenthide.

Whilst strolling in the beautiful Purbecks, you may see a signpost to Happy Bottom. And, what other English county has such evocative village names as Whitchurch Canonicorum, Rhyme Intrensica or Gussage All Saints?

There is one village name in Dorset which is far too rude to mention here but bound to cause a few laughs, why not come and visit and see if you can find it (we'll give you a clue, it's near Bere Regis).

Villages full of folklore and history

Each Dorset village has its own character, history, individual charm and tale to tell.

Visit Cerne Abbas and see the famous club wielding chalk giant, imagine historic battles as you stand in Corfe Castle with its romantic castle ruins, stand under the Martyrs Tree at Tolpuddle, birthplace of the Trade Union and hear the whispers in the walls at Tyneham – Dorset’s ghost village.

Make a wish at the Upwey Wishing Well, hunt for fossils at Charmouth, visit Thomas Hardy’s Cottage in the forest at Higher Bockhampton or ascend to Ashmore, the highest village in Dorset.

Experience the rural ideal and explore Dorset’s villages

As you can see there are many quirky little villages in Dorset, each with their own history, claim to fame and individual mysteries just waiting to be discovered and unless you spend a night or two, there’s no way you will be able to see them all!

Fortunately, there's lots of great accommodation close to each of these villages so why not take advantage, simply click the links below to get started:

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Number of results: 77

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  1. Whitchurch Canonicorum, Visit Dorset

    Add Whitchurch Canonicorum to your Itinerary

    Whitchurch Canonicorum

    Lyme Regis

    Planning on visiting Whitchurch Canonicorum?...If so, you have come to the right place!...Click here to get the latest information direct from the official Dorset tourist information site!

    More info for Whitchurch Canonicorum
  2. Bradford Peverell

    Add Bradford Peverell to your Itinerary

    Bradford Peverell

    South Walks House, Dorchester

    Bradford Peverell is one of the oldest villages in Dorset which pre-dates the Roman occupation of Dorchester. The village is the birthplace of John Hutchins (1698-1773), Dorset's most famous historian.

    More info for Bradford Peverell
  3. St Nicholas Church, Moreton

    Add Moreton to your Itinerary

    Moreton

    Moreton's highlights include St. Nicholas Church's beautiful glass windows engraved by the late Sir Laurence Whistler. T.E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) lived nearby at Clouds Hill, Bovington and his last resting place is in the cemetary.

    More info for Moreton
  4. Highcliffe Castle

    Add Highcliffe to your Itinerary

    Highcliffe

    Highcliffe, CHRISTCHURCH

    Highcliffe's attractive coastline, with its panoramic views of the Isle of Wight to the east and Bournemouth to the west is just a few minutes walk from the village centre.

    More info for Highcliffe
  5. Tolpuddle

    Add Tolpuddle to your Itinerary

    Tolpuddle

    South Walks House, Dorchester

    Tolpuddle is a tiny, thatched village by the River Piddle which has become globally famous for the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs.

    More info for Tolpuddle
  6. Melbury Bubb

    Add Melbury Bubb to your Itinerary

    Melbury Bubb

    Sherborne

    This attractively named farming village, tucked between a heavily wooded area and Bubb Down is refreshingly reminiscent of how the region would have looked in the 19th century.

    More info for Melbury Bubb
  7. Corfe Castle village, Dorset

    Add Corfe Castle to your Itinerary

    Corfe Castle

    Corfe Castle

    Corfe Castle village is overlooked by the outstanding ruins of its castle perched on a hill. The Castle, built in 1086, was one of the country’s great strongholds and was defended by Lady Bankes during the English Civil War.

    More info for Corfe Castle
  8. Character Farm Cottages

    Add Langton Herring to your Itinerary

    Langton Herring

    Dorchester

    This picturesque, rural village has a quaint appearance, with a number of original thatched cottages from the 17th and 18th century and four listed buildings.

    More info for Langton Herring
  9. Mudeford Quay - credit Millard Photography

    Add Mudeford to your Itinerary

    Mudeford

    Mudeford, CHRISTCHURCH

    Mudeford has an intriguing history of smuggling over the centuries and the picturesque quay is still the focal point of the local fishing industry.

    More info for Mudeford
  10. Credit Mark Simons

    Add Abbotsbury to your Itinerary

    Abbotsbury

    Bridport

    Abbotsbury is a popular, pretty, picture-postcard village steeped in history and surrounded by spectacular scenery.

    More info for Abbotsbury
  11. credit Mark Simons

    Add Higher Bockhampton to your Itinerary

    Higher Bockhampton

    South Walks Road, Dorchester

    Higher Bockhampton is a tiny hamlet on the edge of Puddletown Heath containing the woodland cottage where Thomas Hardy was born on 2nd June 1840.

    More info for Higher Bockhampton
  12. Chedington

    Add Chedington to your Itinerary

    Chedington

    Bridport

    Chedington is an attractive village made entirely of rich golden ham stone and commands one of the finest views in Dorset.

    More info for Chedington
  13. Cranborne

    Add Cranborne to your Itinerary

    Cranborne

    Wimborne

    A charming village of red brick and cob houses on the River Crane. The village has two pubs, a restaurant, village stores selling local produce and a garden centre.

    More info for Cranborne
  14. Winterborne Came, Visit Dorset

    Add Winterborne Came to your Itinerary

    Winterborne Came

    South Walks Road, Dorchester

    Winterborne Came is a small rural parish located 2 miles south of Dorchester and is well known for its connections with the Dorset dialect poet William Barnes, who was rector here for 24 years until his death in 1886.

    More info for Winterborne Came
  15. Buckland Newton, Visit Dorset

    Add Buckland Newton to your Itinerary

    Buckland Newton

    South Walks Road, Dorchester

    Buckland Newton is an average sized village which sits at the head of the Blackmoor Vale and lies amongst lush AONB meadow land and gentle hills.

    More info for Buckland Newton
  16. Frampton, Visit Dorset

    Add Frampton to your Itinerary

    Frampton

    South Walks Road, Dorchester

    A quirky village with many attractive cottages.

    More info for Frampton
  17. West Stafford, Visit Dorset

    Add West Stafford to your Itinerary

    West Stafford

    South Walks House, Dorchester

    West Stafford is a small, thatched village in the Frome valley with good connections to Thomas Hardy’s work..

    More info for West Stafford
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