DORSET LOCATIONS
Dorset has a truly tranquil feel, and its rural aura possesses an ambience that casts a magical spell over the intrepid wanderer. Its essence was captured perfectly by the novels and the poetry of the author Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928), many of whose characters were based on real life residents of the county, whose descendants still reside there today.
It is a county of secluded villages tucked away down remote lanes, and even its county towns possess an air of timelessness that the modern age has failed to dispel. It follows, therefore, that the ghosts that haunt Dorset are an eclectic mix, and their stories are as intriguing as they are terrifying.
THE A - Z OF DORSET GHOSTS
THE ANCHOR INN
- Seatown, Bridport
DT6 6JU
The death of a long ago excise man has left its indelible stain on the fabric of the lovely Anchor Inn, to which he returns as a ghost.
ATHELHAMPTON HOUSE
- Athelhampton Rd, Puddletown, Dorchester, DT2 7LG.
A ghostly grey lady, a phantom duelist and a spectral ape are just some of the ghosts one can encounter at Athelhampton House.
BADBURY RINGS
- Blandford Road, Near Kingston Lacy, Wimborne, BH21 4EA
The tranquil surrounds of Badbury Rings have endured an eventful past, with links to the Romans, as well as to the legend of King Arthur.
BOTTLEBUSH DOWN
- From the A3081
Nr. Sixpenny Handley
A ghostly figure on horseback that once galloped alongside an archaeologist's car is one of the Bottlebush Down's many ghosts..
CERNE ABBAS GIANT
- Near Cerne Abbas Village
DT2 7AL
The striking and magnificent Cerne Abbas Giant, is a truly impressive hill figure the origins of which are shrouded in mystery and legend.
CLOUDS HILL
- King George V Road, Bovington, BH20 7NQ
Once the abode of T. E. Lawrence, his ghost adheres to his lifetime promise that nothing would take him away from Clouds Hill.
CORFE CASTLE
- The Square, Corfe Castle, BH20 5EZ
The truly atmospheric ruin of Corfe Castle has numerous ghosts, amongst them those of a spectral white lady and a weeping child.
THE CROWN HOTEL
- 23 Market Street
Poole, BH15 1NB.
The delightful Crown Inn, in Poole, is haunted by 17th-century twins who endured a tragic existence and now return as ghosts.
KNOWLTON CHURCH
- Lumber Lane
Cranborne, BH21 5AE
The atmospheric ruin of Knowlton Church stands inside a late Neolithic Henge monument and has a long tradition of being haunted.
THE ROYAL LION
- 60 Broad Street
Lyme Regis, DT7 3Q
A mysterious cloud of ectoplasm is just one of the inexplicable occurrences encountered at the Royal Lion Hotel, Lyme Regis.
SANDFORD ORCAS MANOR
- Sandford Orcas
Sherborne, DT9 4SB
The beautiful and historically fascinating Sandford Orcas Manor has long held the reputation of being one of the most haunted houses in the country.
SHERBORNE OLD CASTLE
- Castleton Road, Castleton, Sherborne, DT9 3SA
Sherborne Old Castle was once the abode of Sir Walter Ralegh who may have fallen victim to a curse placed on it by St Osmund.