Holidaying in and all about Woolland, Dorset.

Thursday, 23 January 2014

The Victorian Barn & Dairy House Farm Cottages are in the small hamlet of Woolland.

Woolland is in an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in the very heart of the North Dorset countryside, with its gentle rolling downland, woodlands and nature reserves.

Within the AONB there are many winding country lanes, bridle paths/foot paths, peaceful villages, rivers and streams with an abundance of wildlife and spectacular views.

Woolland Church was built in 1857 and was designed by Sir Gilbert Scott.

Interesting architectural facts:

• Jasmine and Plumtree Cottages were originally built in 1830 restored in 2012
• The Victorian Barn was orignially built in 1849 restored in 2009
• Woolland Dairy Farm House now renamed Dairy House Farm was built in 1856 with additions in 1999.

The yew tree next to Woolland Church, mentioned in the Domesday Book, is likely to be more than 1000 years old. The girth of the tree is 9.30 m measured at a height of 30 cm. Its height is not known. This tree was planted in 1000, which makes it exactly 1014 years old.

The local area:

Only a short drive away is the interesting Georgian town of Blandford Forum, the old market town of Sturminster Newton, the important county town of Dorchester (Hardy’s “Casterbridgeâ€, the centre for several of his greatest works) and the historical towns of Shaftesbury and Sherborne.

Within easy reach is Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, England’s first natural World Heritage Site, and the Isle of Purbeck.

Attractions for children are plentiful and include CoolPlay, a wonderful local play centre, The Royal Signals Museum, Dorset Heavy Horse Centre & Farm Park and Monkey World.