Rockbourne Roman Villa (6 Miles) - http://www3.hants.gov.uk/rockbourne-roman-villa
- Location -Go north on the Alderholt Road and follow the signs for - Rockbourne, Fordingbridge, Hampshire. SP6 3PG
Why not visit the remains of the largest known Roman villa in the area? Discovered in 1942 ba a farmer looking for his ferret, Rockbourne Roman Villa remains one of the biggest archeological finds in Hampshire Rockbourne is near Fprdingbridge in a picuresque and peaceful part of Hampshire close to the New Forest. The Roman villa once stood in the centre of a large farming estate and is the largest villa in the area. Its history spans the period from the Iron Age to the 5th century.

Doll Museum and Hospital (8 Miles)
- directions - Leave Verwood on the Alderholt Road and follow the signs for Fordingbridge.
The Fordingbridge Doll Museum and Hospital houses a unique collection of dolls established by local artist Daphne Gordon. The address is "New Forest Doll Museum and Dolls Hospita"l, Bridge Street, Fordingbridge SP6 1AH Dolls old - and made in Fordingbridge by artist DAPHNE GORDON. Open for a short time nearly every day but PLEASE tepehone ahead: 01425 652450 to check they are going to be open. Email: alan.gordon13@btinternet.com

Fordingbridge Museum (8 Miles) - http://www.fordingbridgemuseum.co.uk/
- directions - Leave Verwood on the Alderholt Road and follow the signs for Fordingbridge.
Over a period of about 30 years the late John Shering and his brother Richard Shering collected a large quantity of artefacts which they housed in a private museum open to the public on request. In 1996 their extensive collection, comprising some 9,000 artefacts, was offered to the town of Fordingbridge. These artefacts came from various sources such as shops now closed and house clearances and included obsolete machinery, Cobblers and Blacksmith's tools and several hundred photographs and documents. In its entirety, the collection provides a fascinating insight into the social history of Fordingbridge over the last 100 to 150 years.

Chettle House (9 Miles)*
In 1710 Thomas Archer was commissioned to build the existing Chettle House. The house has no corners, all corners are rounded in common with the Archer style similar to those at the Church in Smith Square in London.

Priest's House Museum (7 Miles)*
The Priest's House is an historic town house dating from the 16th century. This Grade II* listed building retains many original architectural features.

Breamore House & Museum (8 Miles)*
The magnificent Manor House is set above the picturesque village of Breamore, overlooking the avon Valley on the edge of the New Forest just north of Fordingbridge.

Christchurch Ski and Leisure Centre (10 Miles)
One of the widest artificial ski slopes in the UK, this premier attraction provides skiing facilities right through the year thanks to its unique mist-lubricated.

Bournemouth Aviation Museum (10 Miles)
The Aviation Museum is based in a large aircraft hangar on the edge of Bournemouth Airport and represents one of the largest collections of aviation.

Walford Mill Craft Centre (11 Miles)
This lively craft centre is housed in the buildings of a disused eighteenth Century water mill. The main shop features work by contemporary artists and.

Tivoli Theatre (11 Miles
Built in 1936, this traditional theatre has been renovated and retains many of its period features. In 1976 the theatre narrowly missed demolition when a

Kingston Lacy (8 Miles)*
Kingston Lacy is a magnificent mansion with important collections, set in attractive formal gardens and parkland

Compton Acres (11 Miles)*
Compton Acres invites you to escape to a different world. Twelve individual gardens in one, set in ten acres with spectacular views over Poole Harbour, Brownsea Island and the Purbeck Hills.

Salisbury Cathedral (14 Miles)*
Salisbury Cathedral is a building of world importance. Set within the elegant splendour of the Cathedral Close it is probably the finest medieval building in Britain.

Wilton House (14 Miles)*
Wilton house, 450 year old home to the Earl of Pembroke, provides a fascinating insight into British history.

Brownsea Island (12 Miles)*
As an island nation we have a special fascination with islands and Brownsea Island is no exception.

Mompesson House (14 Miles)*
Sharing the Close in Salisbury with the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral overlooking the Choristers' Green, the grand Mompesson House with its Queen Anne facade looks quite at home in this quiet backwater of Old Sarum.

Old Wardour Castle (15 Miles)*
Beautifully sited beside a lake, Old Wardour Castle was built in the late 14th century by John Lord Lovel as a lightly fortified but showy and luxurious residence.

Studland Beach and Nature Reserve (15 Miles)*
Studland Bay is a stunningly beautiful stretch of Dorset coastline near Swanage, part of which is owned by the National Trust. It is se

Old Sarum (15 Miles)*
The great earthwork of Old Sarum stands near Salisbury on the edge of Wiltshire's chalk plains. Its mighty ramparts were raised in about 500 BC by Iron Age people and later occupied by the Romans.

St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery (16 Miles)*
The St Barbe Museum tells the story of the area between the New Forest and the Solent.

Corfe Castle (17 Miles)*
On the site of the ruins of Corfe Castle in Dorset there once stood the most magnificent castle of Middle Age England. Even in its current ruined state it is very easy to imagine its former grandeur.

Longdown Activity Farm (17 Miles)*
Longdown Activity Farm is perfect for a family day out. The daily timetable is packed with activities, which run throughout the day.

Broadlands (17 Miles)*
Broadlands is to undergo major remedial work over the next two years and of necessity this means that the House and Mountbatten Exhibition will be closed to the public until 2012.

Swanage Railway (18 Miles)*
The award-winning Swanage Railway currently operates on the six miles of track between Swanage and Norden, through the beautiful Isle of Purbeck, passing the magnificent ruins of Corfe Castle.

Beaulieu (18 Miles)*
A unique day out in the heart of the New Forest. The list of things to see is as varied as its history which beckons you from across the centuries.

Doll Museum & Dolls Hospital, Bridge Street, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 1AH
Telephone: 01425 652450

Eling Tide Mill Trust Ltd, Eling Lane, Totton, Hampshire, SO40 9GG
Telephone: 02380 666339

Category: Historic Buildings

Fordingbridge Museum Trust Ltd, Kings Yard, Salisbury Street, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 1AB
Telephone: 01425 655222

Category: Museums

Mike Hodder Display Cases, Enfield, Sandleheath, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 1PA
Telephone: 01425 654663, Fax: 01425 654663

Local Information

SOME SUGGESTIONS OF PLACES TO VISIT

IN WIMBORNE

Food, Drink & Attractions:

The Tourist Information Centre on the High Street will answer all your questions about what's on, where to go, and what to do in the area.

The ancient and majestic Minster, a centre for pilgrimage, prayer and worship for 1,300 years is only a short walk.

The Tivoli Theatre, with its Art Deco interior, is a few minutes' walk. It runs a full programme of entertainment, being a cinema, theatre and a music venue.

Kids and adults will love exploring the streets of the dinky Model Town - just up the road on King Street. A perfect scale replica (1:10) of Wimborne in 1950, each miniature building has been designed down to the last detail, allowing visitors to peer into the butchers, ironmongers and bakers shop windows crammed full of goods.

The Priest's House Museum & Garden on the High Street is set in an historic town house where a series of period rooms takes the visitor back through the centuries. From the 17th century hall to the Georgian parlour and working Victorian kitchen, the rooms show what life and work was like for people in the past.

Wimborne plays host to a vibrate array of pubs and bars, including lively independents the Butcher's Dog and the Tap House, both specialising in craft beers. Renoufs Cheese & Wine Bar just off the square offers cosy lit interiors with delicious relaxed social dining. Minster Arms, Wimborne Pig or the Anchor at Shapwick (a 10-mintue drive - best to book) offer modern British cuisine with local ales. Enjoy an authentic taste of Italy in Toppogigio or Wimborne Tandoori if you fancy the sweet and spicy flavours of Bengali cuisine.

BEACHES

One of Dorset's jewels is the beautiful and impressive Jurassic Coast. There are nearly 3000 miles of rights of way, providing some of the most breath-taking coastal and beach walks in the South West.

Studland
A glorious slice of natural coastline in the Purbecks featuring a clear two-mile stretch of golden, sandy beach, with gently shelving bathing waters and views of Old Harry Rocks and the Isle of Wight. Ideal for water sports and includes the most popular naturist beach in Britain (discreetly tucked away in the dunes). Owned by the National Trust, Studland and the heathland behind the beach is a haven for native wildlife and features all six British reptiles. Designated trails through the sand dunes and woodlands allow for exploration and spotting of deer, insects and bird life as well as a wealth of wild flowers. Studland was the inspiration for Toytown in Enid Blyton's Noddy. If you are a member of the National Trust take your card for free parking.
Studland, near Swanage, Dorset. Telephone The National Trust: 01929 450259

Sandbanks
A 30 minute drive away is the lively sea side town of Sandbanks an area of the country that contains some of the most expensive land and houses in the world. Sandbanks itself is a small peninsula, and the place to go if you are looking for water sport activities. Numerous companies provide activities such as windsurfing, kitesurfing, kayaking, sailing, powerboating and offer the hiring of boats. Contact ‘The Watersports Academy’ on 01202 708 283, FC Watersports on 01202 707757 or Oceanos Watersports on 07828 650099 for more details.

Sandbanks also boasts a large crazy-golf and mini-golf courses, a mini road train that cruises up and down the prom in the summer and open top bus tours.

One of the most famous and unique attractions of Sandbanks is the Sandbanks Chain Ferry, which shuttles cars and passengers between Sandbanks and Studland crossing at the mouth of Poole harbour (there can be long queues at peak times in the summer season - so make an early start!)

Chesil Beach
The beach on which Ian McEwan based his novel of the same title is located in Bridport, 40 minutes away. It is a pebble beach 18 miles long and stretches north-west from Portland to West Bay. It is a haven for amateur fossil hunters.

Other beaches include: Kimmerage, Lulworth and Durdle Door with its cliff arch. Also Winspit and Dancing Ledge which are both a 20 minute walk from the Square and Compass Pub, Worth Matravers, where you can get a pie and pint and enjoy the owner's private fossil museum.

DAYS OUT

East Dorset boasts a collection of beautiful houses and gardens open for the public to visit.

Kingston Lacy
2 miles from Wimborne Minster, Dorset BH21 4EA | Telephone: 01202 883402
Home of the Bankes family for more than 300 years, this striking 17th-century house is noted for its lavish interiors. The outstanding art collection includes paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and Tintoretto, with the largest private collection of Egyptian artefacts in the UK. Outside, stroll across the beautiful lawns towards the restored Japanese tea garden. There are several waymarked walks through the surrounding parkland, with its fine herd of North Devon cattle. The 8,500-acre estate is dominated by the impressive Iron Age hill fort of Badbury Rings.

Badbury Rings
Near Kingston Lacy (1 mile further along the road to Blandford). A high and impressive ancient earth works with steep ramparts, originally iron age, subsequently used as a fort by the Romans between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD and subsequently by the Saxons. Now open to the public and good for an interesting short walk. Car parking available. National Trust.

Corfe Castle
Wareham, Dorset BH20 5EZ | Telephone: 01929 481294
One of Britain's most majestic ruins and once a controlling gateway through the Purbeck Hills, the castle boasts breathtaking views and several waymarked walks. The attack on the castle in 1646 by the Parliamentarians left a towering ruin, and marked the end of a rich history as both fortress and royal residence. With its fallen walls and secret places, it is a place to explore, a giant playground for children of all ages. The crumbling ruins and subtle invasion by plants and animals, along with its almost ethereal quality as light and weather change, all contribute to the unique atmosphere of Corfe Castle. Note: steep, uneven slopes, steps and sudden drops. National Trust.

Swanage HeritageSteam Railway
For railway enthusiasts, and for a fun day out for the family, the Swanage to Corfe heritage steam and diesel railway is a must.
Visitors can experience a unique journey behind a vintage locomotive through six miles of beautiful scenery passing the magnificent ruins of Corfe Castle and travelling down to the blue flag beach at Swanage.
This award-winning standard gauge preserved railway offers steam and diesel galas, family events and regular on-board evening dining, teas and Sunday lunch services, as well as themed events such as the highly popular Santa Special trains during the run up to Christmas.
You can even drive and fire your own steam train with the one-hour footplate taster experience (book well ahead).
The Railway is located within easy access by car from Wimborne and can be boarded for a return journey either at Swanage (50 mins via the Sandbanks Ferry, Poole) or at Corfe (40 minutes via Wareham).

Full details and timetables: www.swanagerailway.co.uk

Brownsea Island
An Island situated in Poole Harbour, Dorset.
Brownsea Island offers a varied and beautiful landscape for enjoying the wonders of nature; from the patchworks of woodland, heath and grassy fields in the peaceful and secluded interior, patrolled by peacocks and haven to red squirrels, to the cliffs and beaches of the coastline, which offer breathtaking views across the harbour to the Purbeck Hills.

Clouds Hill
Wareham, Dorset BH20 7NQ | Telephone: 01929 405616
This tiny isolated brick and tile cottage in the heart of Dorset was the peaceful retreat of T. E. Lawrence ('Lawrence of Arabia'), who died nearby on his motorcycle. The austere rooms are much as he left them and reflect his complex personality and close links with the Middle East, as detailed in a fascinating exhibition. Please note - only open 17th March till 30th August.

Bovington Tank Museum
The collection traces the history of the tank. With almost 300 vehicles on exhibition from 26 countries it is the largest collection of tanks in the world. Bovington was where the first tank crews were trained and remains the MOD's main tank training facility. Displaying examples of tanks from the earliest WWI tanks to late C20th examples, it includes a Tiger 131, the only working example of a German Tiger I tank, and a British First World War Mark I, the world's oldest surviving combat tank.

NGS Open Gardens
If you are looking for a relaxing day time activity many local houses open their gardens to the public via the National Garden Scheme, a scheme that raises money for charity by allowing the public to visit beautiful private gardens. If you are interested in visiting a garden look up the Nation Gardens Scheme website at www.ngs.org.uk for more information on the gardens open in the surrounding areas.

Entertainment
Poole and Bournemouth are the nearest large towns to Wimborne. Poole is a 15 minute drive away and Bournemouth a 25 minute drive. Both towns offer a shopping complex and a range of restaurants and actives, similarly Bournemouth has a large range of nightclubs and lively evening entertainment.
While Wimborne itself has the charming art deco cinema/theatre called the Tivoli, should you require a larger cinema and entertainment facilities, Tower Park, a 15 minute car journey away, offers a more comprehensive range of activities (post code BH214NY). Including a cinema, bowling alley, indoor water park, bingo hall, family amusements and casino games as well as a selection of places to eat and drink including Burger King, Chiquito, Georgie Porgies Buffet World, KFC, Marvin’s, Nando’s, Pizza Express, Pizza hut and TGI fridays. Within the Tower Park complex there is also a large Tesco.

Transportation
The nearest train station for trains to London is Poole, where trains generally run every half an hour. The service to London stops at Clapham Junction and Waterloo and takes approximately 2 ½ hours.