TYNEHAM, Purbeck, Dorset
- Quick Links
- An Introduction to Tyneham
- Things to See & Do
- Shops & Amenities
- More About Tyneham
- Directions From: Adventure Centre
About Tyneham
The history of Tyneham village is both sad and fascinating. It was once described as "one of the most beautifully situated villages in the country" and comprised an Elizabethan manor house, a handful of greystone cottages, a church and a school hidden among the trees and a distant view of the sea between wide areas of open grassland and the towering Purbeck hills.
All that however, was to change in November 1943 when notice was given by the War Office to the villagers and their neighbours in the hamlet of Worbarrow Bay, that they must vacate their family homes and leave the village before Christmas, as it was to be used for military training purposes. Parish records from the time show that approximately 252 people left 102 properties. Before leaving however, they pinned the following notice to the door.
"Please treat the church and houses with care; we have given up our homes where many of us lived for generations to help win the war to keep men free. We shall return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly."
Unfortunately however, they were never to return as in 1948 the village was subject to a compulsory purchase order, as was the manor house, later in 1952.
The village is now a deserted ruin of what once was although the church has been repaired and now compliments the village's official museum which has been opened in the renovated schoolhouse. Potential visitors should note that visiting times are restricted to holidays and weekends as the nearby tank ranges are still used by the army.
In addition to the modern wartime history of the village, Tyneham has plenty more to offer the budding historian, with prolific evidence of man's early occupancy of the land, with some 24 recorded Bronze Age Barrows on nearby Povington Heath, fragments of Celtic fields just north of Gold Down, evidence of Iron Age occupation at Whiteway Farm, and many Saxon and Medieval remains throughout Tyneham Valley.
Things To See & Do
Church & Old School House
The church contains an interesting exhibition of the history of Tyneham village including photographs of former villagers and their homes prior to wartime evacuation. The old school house has been refurbished and opens 10.00am to 4.00pm along with the rest of the village.
Shops & Amenities
The nearest shops and amenities are in Lulworth and Wareham. More information coming soon.
More About Tyneham
Select one of the articles from the list below to learn more about Worth Matravers in Purbeck, Dorset and the immediate surrounding area.
How To Get There
From the Poole & Dorset Adventure Centre, turn left onto Renscombe Road and follow the road for a short distance and you will enter the village of Worth Matravers. Follow the one way system through the village going past the church and then the post office on your left with the duck pond on your right. At the bottom turn left. After approx. 100 yards the road will fork. Take the left fork and continue along this road until you reach a T-junction with the B3069. Turn left onto the B3069.
Continue to follow the B3069 signposted for Corfe Castle, until you reach the T-junction with the A351. Turn left onto the A351 and drive through Corfe Castle village. As you leave the village you will drive down a steep hill taking you past Corfe Castle on your left. As the road bears left around the castle you will see a left hand turn, signposted for Tyneham. Turn left here onto Tyneham Road.
Stay on this road driving through Church Knowle, Steeple (where the road bears right) and onto Tyneham. There is a public car park at the access to the village.
