Corfe Castle.......

I had been to Corfe Castle several times prior to this visit but its outstanding views of the village below are always worth the climb. This climb was nothing compared to what lay ahead of us. Corfe Castle is a fortification standing above the village of Corfe Castle and is in Dorset. Built by William the Conqueror, the castle commands a gap in the Purbeck Hills on the route between Wareham and Swanage. The first phase was one of the earliest castles in England to be built using stone when the majority were built with earth and timber. In 1572, Corfe Castle left the Crown's control when Elizabeth I sold it to Sir Christopher Hatton. Sir John Bankes bought the castle in 1635, and was the owner during the English Civil War. His wife, Lady Mary Bankes, led the defence of the castle when it was twice besieged by Parliamentarian forces. The first siege, in 1643, was unsuccessful, but by 1645 Corfe was one of the last remaining royalist strongholds in southern England and fell to a siege ending in an assault. In March that year Corfe Castle was demolished on Parliament's orders. It is now Owned by the National Trust. (edited from Wikipedia) Even in ruins its stark beauty takes the breath away..........one can see how formidable it once was. Sad that it had to be ruined Took me forever to get Jason in the stocks.............. On one side, lovely country views Imagine who may have sat at this window with arrows in hand It really is amazing that it was ever taken back then. I could see it happen when there was cannon balls and all that but well..........it would have looked invincible at one time. Here is Jason once more......... Years ago I took some pictures in the evening when thay beautiful glow was on the village below but those pictures are not on here. These pictures look washed out by the sun. It was a beautiful day, look at the blue sky.