Corfe Castle Model Village

Heritage attraction

Explorer Tom

In Corfe Castle village, Tom has found a castle small enough to survey without packing lunch, then noticed a second model of the model and declared a crisis of scale. The real ruins stand beyond the garden; this one shows the village and fortress before their Civil War upheaval. The village opened in 1966 after local businessman Eddie Holland chose this site in the Square. It took two years to build the one-twentieth-scale scene of 1646. Model maker Jack Phillips crafted many houses in the Potting Shed, fitting minute tiles to their stone roofs. The castle was built on a man-made mound, and the King's Tower rises about twenty feet above its model moat. Tom insists he could defend it with a teaspoon, provided the invaders also shrank. Look for the miniature Church of St Edward, where a choir can be heard, then compare the reconstructed castle with the actual ruins from the garden. There are life-size Civil War soldiers, a punishment area with stocks, a fossil corner and a wildlife garden with a hide. Giant games and an enchanted fairy walk await; Tom wants to inspect the fairies’ tickets. The courtyard café can be visited separately from the ticketed model village. The operator lists 10am–5pm daily during spring, summer and autumn; check the current day before travelling. Admission is charged, dogs are welcome on leads, and there is no private car park. Flagstones and a slope make some areas difficult for wheelchairs, though the main model can be seen from accessible parts. Take a look up at the full-size castle before Tom files his very small battle report.

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More pictures of this place

Connected story: Top 10 castles in Dorset: real walls, borrowed names and one locked door.

What is recorded here

Map note: Near Corfe Castle, Dorset, England, the map records Corfe Castle Model Village as a heritage attraction. See what else is around it before planning your day.

From OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors) w907706770