by Tim Harry

Created on: May 27, 2008   Last Updated: May 28, 2008

Corfe Castle is one of the most imposing and popular of tourist attractions to be found in Dorset, situated in a village of the same name. The ruined castle is to be found situated in a gap in the Purbeck Hills, a tactical position it has occupied for over a thousand years.

Derived from the Saxon word for gap, Corfe Castle is to be found equal distance between Wareham and Swanage, each some five miles away. The gap is the only route, even today between the two towns, and also is a defensive site from sea borne attacks. There is current archaeological work being undertaken to see whether there is any evidence for a Roman fort on the site, although evidence as so far only taken the castle's history back to the 10th century.

A wooden Saxon castle is likely to have stood on the site, and King Alfred the Great built a castle at Corffe's Gate, which is supposed to be the site of the present Corfe Castle. History records that King Edward the Martyr was murdered at Corfe Castle in 979. Edward was said to have been lead to his death by his own stepmother, Elfryda, who wished her own son, Ethelred the Unready, to be king. Edward was stabbed in the back as he drank wine after a stag hunt.

It was after the Norman Conquest that a stone built castle was constructed from Purbeck marble. King William the Conqueror ordered the construction of Corfe Castle in 1090. As well as being a defensive position, the castle was also the central controlling point for the Royal Forest that surrounded the castle's land. Despite the demise of King William I, Corfe Castle continued to be developed by his son, Henry I, who had the keep and inner bailey built and extended.

It was though later kings who made it into the defensive superstructure, whose remnants can be viewed today. Corfe Castle was one of the castles favoured by King John. John built up the defensives, using the castle as a prison and execution site. King John also made the castle into a somewhere he could stay in comfort, building a hall, chapel and royal treasure storehouse. Work continued with John's son Henry III and grandson Edward I. It was Edward I who made the castle into an impregnable fortress, building up the ramparts and gatehouse. To highlight the importance of Corfe Castle it should be noted that during Edward's reign the Constable at Corfe Castle was the fourth highest paid in the country.

With the passing of the medieval age the importance of Corfe Castle declined, and was rarely kept in good repair. By the time of

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