Corfe Castle Dorset’s Ruined Guardian of the Hills

Corfe Castle was illuminated with blue lights as darkness fell.

I've just returned from a photography and birding trip to Dorset with my good friend Paul "Rushy" Coombes. I was blown away by the incredible scenery and wildlife throughout the Isle of Purbeck and Poole Harbour. Our first location to visit was the magnificent ruin of Corfe Castle. We photographed at sunset and sunrise and were very fortunate to be blessed with clear skies - although we were wishing for some mist, but I guess you can't have everything.

This blog post will be the first in a series focussing on our adventures. So to kick off here are a few facts about the iconic Corfe Castle.

The view of Corfe Castle from East Hill at sunset.

The adventure begins - at Corfe Castle.

Tucked away in the rolling hills of Dorset, the dramatic ruins of Corfe Castle rise from the landscape like something out of a medieval storybook. With its crumbling towers, windswept stone walls, and sweeping views of the Purbeck countryside, this iconic stronghold is more than just a pretty ruin — it’s a place steeped in history, intrigue, and centuries of power struggles.

The ruins of Corfe Castle. It must have been amazing in its heyday.

🌄 A Castle with a View — and a Purpose

Corfe Castle wasn’t built just anywhere. It guards a natural gap in the Purbeck Hills, a key strategic point for controlling movement through the area. That’s no accident. When William the Conqueror came to power after the Norman invasion of 1066, he needed strongholds to secure his new kingdom — and Corfe was one of the very first castles in England to be built using stone, rather than timber.

It was a symbol of dominance, and it meant business.

Corfe Castle - looking Southwards.

👑 A Royal Fortress for Royal Drama

For nearly 600 years, Corfe Castle served as a royal fortress. Monarchs like King John and Henry I used it as a treasury, prison, and personal stronghold. One of the most chilling stories linked to the castle involves Edward the Martyr, who was allegedly murdered here in 978, possibly on the orders of his stepmother. Dark times, indeed.

But Corfe wasn’t just about blood and betrayal — it was also a place of lavish banquets, political intrigue, and towering ambition. Over the centuries, it became one of the most impressive castles in southern England.

Sunset at Corfe Castle.

⚔️ Civil War and the Fall of a Fortress

Fast-forward to the English Civil War in the 1640s, and Corfe Castle found itself on the front lines. By this time, it was owned by the powerful Bankes family. Lady Mary Bankes, in particular, became a legend for her defence of the castle. Despite being heavily outnumbered, she held off Parliamentarian forces through two major sieges.

Unfortunately, in 1646, betrayal from within led to the castle’s fall. Parliament ordered it to be “slighted” — intentionally destroyed to prevent it from being used again. The result is the jagged, dramatic ruin we see today.

Sunrise at Corfe Castle viewed from the West Hill. 

🏞️ Today: History You Can Walk Through

Today, Corfe Castle is managed by the National Trust, and it’s one of Dorset’s most popular historical attractions. Visitors can explore its towering remains, climb the battlements for panoramic views, and imagine life inside its walls. The nearby village, also called Corfe Castle, is full of charming stone cottages, cosy pubs, and local legends.

Oh, and if you’re into ghost stories? Locals say the ghost of a headless woman in white still wanders the grounds at night — possibly the spirit of a betrayed noble or a murdered queen...

We both kept changing positions whether we were using a drone or a camera on a tripod.

The Technical Bit

This was my first visit to Corfe Castle so was not too sure about what to expect.

The sunset photographs were taken up the East Hill that overlooks the castle ruins. We parked on a side road near the hill and walked up a lot of steps to reach the top.

The steps that lead up to the East Hill.

Whilst the distance to walk is not great, it's pretty steep, and I was out of breath by the time we reached the top - maybe I need to lay off the Greggs.

I used the below gear during our visits -

DJI Air 2S drone

There were only two people on the hill at sunset other than Rushy and me. I spoke to them about flying the drone, and all was good. The only main risk to worry about was that Peregrine Falcons nest on the Castle Ruins. I had no intention of flying anywhere near them and always flew my drone at a very respectful distance so as not to cause any kind of disturbance. The drone was never flown over the castle.

A Peregrine Falcon perched on top of the castle ruins resembled a stone gargoyle.

For the sunrise visit, we walked up the West Hill. This is a much easier walk in comparison to East Hill. Paul enjoyed it so much in fact that he walked up and down it twice ( he had left his tripod head in the car!).

On the second visit, I wasn't the only person flying. Drone. There were two others but we all kept communicating with each other and flew at a very respectful distance.

West Hill was covered in yellow gorse. In fact, the large parts of the Isle of Purbeck consist of lowland heathland and at this time of the year, the colour yellow dominates the landscape.

Nikon Z6 (Mark1)

The Z6 remains my main landscape camera with the Nikor 24-70mm lens. As the sun got lower in the sky, it became a real challenge to get decent photographs as the light was really harsh and the images overexposed. However, as time moved on, it got better, and post sunrise, we started doing some long exposure night photography - a bonus was that the castle was lit up by lights a lovely blue colour.

The village of Corfe at dusk.

Apple iPhone

The iPhone is great for photography and it is always in my pocket :)

Epilogue

Paul and I were blown away by Corfe Castle. It really is a place photographer's dream about visiting.

I can't wait to return there one day and perhaps when I do the mist will roll in for something different :)

Happy photographers begin their adventure in Corfe.