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Lulworth Cove is one of the most well known
beauty spots of Dorset, situated about 8 miles to the east of Weymouth
it is a cove which has an almost semi-circular shore line with twisted
rock strata that is exposed and whows the violent forces that once
shaped this corner of the British Isles.
But this lovely little beauty spot has one
slight drawback, it can be quite noisey! Why? Because this is the home
of the tank and artillery rangers of the British Army. East Lulworth is
now dominated by the Royal Armoured Corps and this little area has
roads that are open to the public but only at different times and it is
dangerous to leave the road. 7,000 acres of beautiful countryside which
includes 4 miles of spectacular coastline it was requisitioned by the
army in 1943 and is still used as a range today. It is also the home of
the Weld family who came here in 1641 and have remained here ever since.
The large castle which is square but has
a rounded tower at each corner was build by a Weld family member during
the English Civil war and was garrison for the king but the troops of
Cromwell seized it. The castle in 1929 was destroyed by fire but it has
left a magnificent ruin and is being rebuilt and opened to the public
when finished. Also here was built the first free standing Roman
Catholic church to be build in the country after the Reformation
The chapel, which was built 1786-7, was
the first free standing Roman Catholic church to be built in England
after the Reformation.
To the west of Lulworth there is another
cove called Stair Hall, which has natural arches that are cut into the
steeply-dipping Portland and basal Purbeck limestone, though one has
collapsed, and today the sea roars through them to gnaw away at the
softer parts of the Purbeck shoreline. Durdle Door is one of the
limestone arches and is said to be the most beautiful and accessible
place on the coastline of Dorset.
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| View towards Lulworth |
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Walking up from the beach |
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Durdle Door
Picture kindly contributed by Liz and David Perry, Wellington
Nz |
The small village of Tyneham is inside
the boundary of the ranges and this was abandoned during WWII when the
army moved in and took charge of the area, but the church still stands
there and a notice has been place which reads
'Please treat the church and houses with
care; we have given up our homes where we lived for
generations to help with the war to keep men free. We
shall return one day and thank you for treating the
village kindly.'
Though the church is within the range
boundary it holds the Tyneham Exhibition (Museums) which was set up
to relate the history of the valley and to show the flora and fauna
that can be found on the ranges. This area of coastline has been
famed for the discovery of fossils and to the east of the Cove lies
the Fossil Forest where the stumps of fossilised trees can be seen
and these have stood for millions of years.
HOLY
TRINITY CHURCH
IMAGES
OF LULWORTH
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Holy Trinity Church |
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Spring Cottage |
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Fishing boats at
anchor |
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The harbour and
jetty |
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Boathouse on the
shore |
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Lobster baskets
ready to be laid |
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"The Little Shop" |
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The Mill pond |
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The Castle Inn |
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Myrtle cottage next
to the Castle Inn |
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| View
of Lulworth Cove |
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A
Lulworth Cottage |
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The castle was built in the 17th
century by Thomas Howard and it was to accommodate hunting
parties for the King and Humphrey Weld bought it along with its
estate in 1641.When it was seized by the Parliamentarians Humphrey
Weld had to pay a large fine in order to regain it. The fire began
in the northeast tower in 1929 and Humphrey Weld had to be forcibly
held back from trying to enter the burning building. It is said that
cries could be held from one of the tower windows and a woman could
be seen calling for help, but when a workman rushed to help she
vanished, and the strange thing was that the floor of the room she
was in had collapsed long before she had been seen. It is thought
that this could be the ghost of the Grey Lady who had haunted the
Weld family for many generations
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Photo courtesy of
Ron Dunning, London |
Another bit of folklore says that a
legion of Romans had been reported marching over Bindon Hill
towards Rigs Hill and it is thought that this was a strategic
position that was occupied in AD43-47 by Vespacians second legion.
Even an army officer had seen it and had reported it during the 20th
century. Local folklore also tell about the coach that drives by
Hambury Farm with a headless driver, maybe its the same coach that
had been held up here by a local highway man who had decapitated the
driver many years before.
Another ghost is said to haunt the
Castle Inn and a local fisherman out with his son reported they felt
the hairs on the back of their necks standing on end when they
walked by the stream leading down to the beach, it was here that a
man fell into the stream and drowned in the 19th century.
And as most coastal areas of Dorset
were famed for smuggling Lulworth was no exception as it is a very
isolated place and ideal for this type of activity. Men were lowered
by rope to one of the caves near Fossil Forest, and boats came close
enough for them unload the barrels of brandy etc into the cave until
it was safe enough for them to load it onto horses and carts to be
taken over Bindon Hill. Event he local women helped and often they
stored kegs of brandy in their cottages, it was poured into bladders
and the women used to hang these under their skirts and if spotted
by the revenue men.
On the path down to the beach is the
Dolls house which is said to have been brought here from Canada and
rebuilt in 1860 and during the 1920s and 30s it was known as Ash
Cottage. Jimmy Carter is said to have lived here at this time and he
was a fisherman who was renowned of being one who never altered his
clock and to stop tourists sitting on his boat he would smear it
with dripping.
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The Old Coastguard cottages
Photo kindly contributed by:
Thelma
& Matthew Birrell, Maroochydore, Australia
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The
New Coastguard station
Photo kindly contributed by:
Thelma
& Matthew Birrell, Maroochydore, Australia
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Bookshop
& Store at Lulworth
Photo kindly contributed by:
Thelma
& Matthew Birrell, Maroochydore, Australia
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The
Old Coastguard station
Photo kindly contributed by:
Thelma
& Matthew Birrell, Maroochydore, Australia
(Now the fresh fish shop) |
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Street
scene in Lulworth
Photo kindly contributed by:
Thelma
& Matthew Birrell, Maroochydore, Australia
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The Photographers assistant on
the Beach at Lulworth, imitating a local
fisherman!!
Photo kindly contributed by:
Thelma
& Matthew Birrell, Maroochydore, Australia
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