Corfe Mullen
Encyclopedia
Corfe Mullen is a village
in Dorset
, England
, on the north-western urban fringe of the South East Dorset conurbation
and is part of the rural district of East Dorset
. The population
is 10,147 (2001).
The name Corfe Mullen is derived from the Old English
for a cutting or pass; 'corf' and the Old French
for a Mill
; 'molin'. The mill referred to is the old water mill on the River Stour
, mentioned in the Domesday Book
, where the village originally stood.
Despite the proximity of the urban area, Corfe Mullen is surrounded by Green Belt
and has six churches, five pubs, five schools, a library
, various shops and local businesses, a village hall
, and a whole host of community and sports organizations which help to preserve its community spirit and identity.
s. Around 3000 BC, the first real settlers came, cleared the forests and began to farm, although even they were largely nomadic. Later settlers, during the Bronze Age
, built burial mounds or Barrows
, examples of which may be found to the east of the village at Barrow Hill and at Naked Cross at the southern end of the village. These forms of occupation continued into the Iron Age
; evidence of pottery manufactured around the 1st century BC may be found at East End. Just prior to the coming of the Romans, in around 50 BC, the area was inhabited by the Belgae
.
Second Legion
under Vespasian
arrived in the Corfe Mullen area during the Forties AD and built a 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) fortress just to the north of the village at Lake Farm. The location of this fortress was important; the River Stour
provided a defensive barrier to the north and the site is only 3 miles (4.8 km) from the Iron Age Hill Fort at Badbury Rings
. Lake cut this important tribal centre off from the settlements at Dudsbury and Hengistbury Head.
In order to subjugate the local tribes and keep themselves supplied and in communication with other Roman centres, the Legion built several roads that run through or close to the area. Probably the most important of these, and the only one visible today, is the road that connected the deep water anchorage at Morionio (now Hamworthy
) and Lake, and continues northwards to Badbury and Hod Hill
. This road forms the eastern boundary of the village. Note that in the picture the original road is the overgrown bank on the left, not the farm track on the right.
In addition, traces of two other roads have been found, both of which are underneath or follow the course of modern roads. One of these linked Lake with Dorchester, and is roughly aligned with the present A31. The third road found ran through the spine of the village and followed the present road to Wareham
.
Although the Roman occupation of Britain lasted nearly 400 years, the military presence at Corfe Mullen was very short lived, lasting only until the Sixties AD However, there is ample evidence that the Roman influence continued in agriculture and industry even after they had left and the Celt
ic speaking people that descended from the original tribes took over the area again.
probably settled in the area around the 7th century. Christianity
arrived before 700 AD and open air services were believed to be held on the same site as the old village church (see the Normans below). During the centuries leading up to the millennium, division of land into Hundreds and tithe
took place and Manorial courts dealt with disputes. The name of Corf came into usage during this period and was located in the hundred of Cogdean, with the court being held at Cogdean Elms in the north of the present village.
A number of other land holdings dating from this period have been found around the village, the most notable being at Mountain Clump and the Knoll, where the remains of cottages may be seen.
, Corf's entry in the Domesday Book shows that it appears to have been a single manor under 'Robert, son of Gerold', but was previously held by two Saxon lords; Waga and Egelric. At some time during the next two or three centuries, the village reverted to two manors; probably Corf Molin and Corf Hubert. The latter manor was almost certainly named after a former lord, Hubert de la Vielle. By 1469 the two manors were combined into one again, although the two names were still preserved at that time. It was probably another century before the present day name came about; this merger was probably driven by the general depopulation of the country that occurred in the Middle Ages
due to migration to the towns and the Black Death
.
A third part of the village came to be known as Corfe Mullen St Nicholas and the origin of this appears to date back to a land acquisition by St Nicholas Hospital (a Salisbury
charity) in 1279. The present day areas of Lambs Green, East End and Brog Street were still called this until the early part of the 20th Century.
Construction of the original parish church, then called St Nicholas but now St Hubert's, was commenced during the 13th Century, with the tower being added a little later.
One important change was the construction of a toll road
by private enterprise during the latter half of the 18th Century. The present Higher Blandford Road and Mill Street (the A31 from the old church, past the Coventry Arms pub and mill) was part of a completely new route between Poole
and Blandford. This development provided the people of Corfe Mullen with access to the major markets of these two towns
, the whole of Britain went through major changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution
, and Corfe Mullen benefited from advances in technology. More toll roads were constructed, including an extension to Mill Street which provided a new route from Bere Regis
to Wimborne. By the late 19th century however, the railways had arrived, with tracks first appearing within walking distance of the village at Wimborne and later with a route that went through the village. Even though the village had a number of tracks through it, it was well into the 20th century before a Halt
was provided, and even that was never a success.
and the eastern boundary of the village has been filled in and a stranger could be forgiven for thinking that Corfe Mullen was part of Poole
.
During the early part of the century, the village became famous for its Violet
and Lavender
cultivation, which was centred around Violet Farm. The trade diminished however and the farm was demolished in the 1960s, along with a 300 year old tithe barn
, to make way for new bungalows.
, Bournemouth
, Ferndown
, Verwood
and even Southampton
every day. Even so, pride in the village is high, with the general level of crime and vandalism being pretty low despite the close proximity of the South East Dorset conurbation
with a combined population of three to four hundred thousand people. It is one of the biggest villages in England.
The countryside around the village is split between agriculture and heathland, with woodland to be found fringing most areas. The existence of many bridleways criss-crossing the area around the village encourages horse riding and there are a number of stables nearby. The village also has a large Recreation Ground with facilities for outdoor sports including football, cricket and tennis. This is run by the CMSA (Corfe Mullen Sports Association), which is made up of volunteers from various sports clubs around Corfe Mullen. There are allotments between the Recreation Ground and Lockyer's school which are popular and currently have a waiting list.
is held near to Lockyer's School and various activities are available in the Village Hall. For those who require entertainment of a more commercial nature, Wimborne, Poole
and Bournemouth
provide a good choice with cinemas, theatres, and night clubs. The nearest beach, at Sandbanks
, is less than 10 miles (16.1 km) away.
to build 800 new homes on green belt
land on the edge of the village. These plans caused considerable consternation, because the village is already something of a dormitory and a survey of villagers at the time rejected these proposals overwhelmingly.
These extensive developments were ultimately shelved and the District Council later published much more modest plans to build on the sites of the Middle School or Recreation Ground. These plans define three housing blocks as options; with 80 or 150 houses on each. The adoption of any of these sites would require relocation of the school or recreational facilities. A public consultation period ended in January 2011 and the results are awaited.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on the north-western urban fringe of the South East Dorset conurbation
South East Dorset conurbation
The South east Dorset conurbation is a multi-centred conurbation on the south coast of Dorset in England. The area is rapidly becoming an amalgamation with the area of South West Hampshire immediately on the fringe of the newly formed New Forest National Park...
and is part of the rural district of East Dorset
East Dorset
East Dorset is a local government district in Dorset, England. Its council is based in Furzehill, near Wimborne Minster.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Wimborne Minster Urban District with part of the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Rural District and the Wimborne and Cranborne...
. The population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
is 10,147 (2001).
The name Corfe Mullen is derived from the Old English
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
for a cutting or pass; 'corf' and the Old French
Old French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
for a Mill
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
; 'molin'. The mill referred to is the old water mill on the River Stour
River Stour, Dorset
The River Stour is a 60.5 mile long river which flows through Wiltshire and Dorset in southern England, and drains into the English Channel. It is sometimes called the Dorset Stour to distinguish it from rivers of the same name...
, mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, where the village originally stood.
Despite the proximity of the urban area, Corfe Mullen is surrounded by Green Belt
Green Belt (UK)
In United Kingdom town planning, the green belt is a policy for controlling urban growth. The idea is for a ring of countryside where urbanisation will be resisted for the foreseeable future, maintaining an area where agriculture, forestry and outdoor leisure can be expected to prevail...
and has six churches, five pubs, five schools, a library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, various shops and local businesses, a village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
, and a whole host of community and sports organizations which help to preserve its community spirit and identity.
Early nomadic tribes and settlers
The first evidence of people living in the area consists mainly of a number of flint axeheads that have been found within the village and which date from the Old and Middle Stone AgeStone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
s. Around 3000 BC, the first real settlers came, cleared the forests and began to farm, although even they were largely nomadic. Later settlers, during the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, built burial mounds or Barrows
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
, examples of which may be found to the east of the village at Barrow Hill and at Naked Cross at the southern end of the village. These forms of occupation continued into the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
; evidence of pottery manufactured around the 1st century BC may be found at East End. Just prior to the coming of the Romans, in around 50 BC, the area was inhabited by the Belgae
Belgae
The Belgae were a group of tribes living in northern Gaul, on the west bank of the Rhine, in the 3rd century BC, and later also in Britain, and possibly even Ireland...
.
Romans
The RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
Second Legion
Legio II Augusta
Legio secunda Augusta , was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative in Britannia in the 4th century...
under Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
arrived in the Corfe Mullen area during the Forties AD and built a 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) fortress just to the north of the village at Lake Farm. The location of this fortress was important; the River Stour
River Stour, Dorset
The River Stour is a 60.5 mile long river which flows through Wiltshire and Dorset in southern England, and drains into the English Channel. It is sometimes called the Dorset Stour to distinguish it from rivers of the same name...
provided a defensive barrier to the north and the site is only 3 miles (4.8 km) from the Iron Age Hill Fort at Badbury Rings
Badbury Rings
Badbury Rings is an Iron Age hill fort in east Dorset, England, dating from 800 BC and in use until the Roman occupation of 43 AD.-Iron Age:...
. Lake cut this important tribal centre off from the settlements at Dudsbury and Hengistbury Head.
In order to subjugate the local tribes and keep themselves supplied and in communication with other Roman centres, the Legion built several roads that run through or close to the area. Probably the most important of these, and the only one visible today, is the road that connected the deep water anchorage at Morionio (now Hamworthy
Hamworthy
Hamworthy is a parish and inner suburb of Poole in Dorset, England. Hamworthy lies on a peninsula of approximately and is bounded by Upton to the north, Poole Harbour to the west and Holes Bay to the east. Poole Bridge, the southern terminus of the A350 road, connects the suburb with the town centre...
) and Lake, and continues northwards to Badbury and Hod Hill
Hod Hill
Hod Hill is a large hill fort in the Blackmore Vale, north-west of Blandford Forum, Dorset, England. The fort sits on a chalk hill that is detached from the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase. The hill fort at Hambledon Hill is just to the north.The fort is roughly rectangular , with an enclosed...
. This road forms the eastern boundary of the village. Note that in the picture the original road is the overgrown bank on the left, not the farm track on the right.
In addition, traces of two other roads have been found, both of which are underneath or follow the course of modern roads. One of these linked Lake with Dorchester, and is roughly aligned with the present A31. The third road found ran through the spine of the village and followed the present road to Wareham
Wareham, Dorset
Wareham is an historic market town and, under the name Wareham Town, a civil parish, in the English county of Dorset. The town is situated on the River Frome eight miles southwest of Poole.-Situation and geography:...
.
Although the Roman occupation of Britain lasted nearly 400 years, the military presence at Corfe Mullen was very short lived, lasting only until the Sixties AD However, there is ample evidence that the Roman influence continued in agriculture and industry even after they had left and the Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic speaking people that descended from the original tribes took over the area again.
Saxons
The SaxonsSaxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
probably settled in the area around the 7th century. Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
arrived before 700 AD and open air services were believed to be held on the same site as the old village church (see the Normans below). During the centuries leading up to the millennium, division of land into Hundreds and tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
took place and Manorial courts dealt with disputes. The name of Corf came into usage during this period and was located in the hundred of Cogdean, with the court being held at Cogdean Elms in the north of the present village.
A number of other land holdings dating from this period have been found around the village, the most notable being at Mountain Clump and the Knoll, where the remains of cottages may be seen.
Norman period and Middle Ages
After the Norman ConquestNorman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
, Corf's entry in the Domesday Book shows that it appears to have been a single manor under 'Robert, son of Gerold', but was previously held by two Saxon lords; Waga and Egelric. At some time during the next two or three centuries, the village reverted to two manors; probably Corf Molin and Corf Hubert. The latter manor was almost certainly named after a former lord, Hubert de la Vielle. By 1469 the two manors were combined into one again, although the two names were still preserved at that time. It was probably another century before the present day name came about; this merger was probably driven by the general depopulation of the country that occurred in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
due to migration to the towns and the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
.
A third part of the village came to be known as Corfe Mullen St Nicholas and the origin of this appears to date back to a land acquisition by St Nicholas Hospital (a Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
charity) in 1279. The present day areas of Lambs Green, East End and Brog Street were still called this until the early part of the 20th Century.
Construction of the original parish church, then called St Nicholas but now St Hubert's, was commenced during the 13th Century, with the tower being added a little later.
Elizabethan to Georgian times
After the major changes seen after the Normans, a period of stability came to the village for about 300 years. From Elizabethan to Georgian times, the story is mainly one of growing prosperity with a number of wealthy families being the major landowners as the years passed. None of these families built their homes within the parish boundaries, although the Phelips family took over an Elizabethan Manor House (the Court House) near the church and lived there for many years. Apart from this, the major architectural legacies of this period are some notable farm houses, a few cottages and the original building that housed Lockyer's Charity School, formed in 1706 by Richard Lockyer. This building is still used by the present day Lockyer's Middle School.One important change was the construction of a toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
by private enterprise during the latter half of the 18th Century. The present Higher Blandford Road and Mill Street (the A31 from the old church, past the Coventry Arms pub and mill) was part of a completely new route between Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
and Blandford. This development provided the people of Corfe Mullen with access to the major markets of these two towns
Victorian era
During the reign of Queen VictoriaVictoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, the whole of Britain went through major changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
, and Corfe Mullen benefited from advances in technology. More toll roads were constructed, including an extension to Mill Street which provided a new route from Bere Regis
Bere Regis
Bere Regis is a village in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England, situated north-west of Wareham.The village has one shop, a post office and two pubs, The Royal Oak and The Drax Arms. The parish church is St. John the Baptist Church...
to Wimborne. By the late 19th century however, the railways had arrived, with tracks first appearing within walking distance of the village at Wimborne and later with a route that went through the village. Even though the village had a number of tracks through it, it was well into the 20th century before a Halt
Corfe Mullen Halt
Corfe Mullen Halt was a station in the English county of Dorset. It was located between Bailey Gate and Broadstone stations on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. This section was built to enable trains to avoid the time consuming reversal at Wimborne...
was provided, and even that was never a success.
20th century
The story of the village through the 20th century is one of accelerating development. Prior to the Second World War, some new properties were built, with the populated area gradually extending up the hill from the river. Even a casual inspection of the housing in the village reveals that the original centre was along Mill Street with cottages also being found at Brog Street, Lambs Green and East End. Development between the wars is noticeable along Higher Blandford Road and Wareham Road, with few older properties in evidence away from those roads. Then, in the fifties and sixties, development took off, with major new housing estates around Phelips Road and Hillcroft Road. In the last forty years of the century, most of the area between BroadstoneBroadstone, Dorset
Broadstone is a town and suburb of Poole in Dorset, England. It is located from Hamworthy railway station and from Bournemouth International Airport. The town has a population of 10,256 according to the 2001 Census....
and the eastern boundary of the village has been filled in and a stranger could be forgiven for thinking that Corfe Mullen was part of Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
.
During the early part of the century, the village became famous for its Violet
Violet (plant)
Viola is a genus of flowering plants in the violet family Violaceae, with around 400–500 species distributed around the world. Most species are found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere; however, viola species are also found in widely divergent areas such as Hawaii, Australasia, and the Andes in...
and Lavender
Lavender
The lavenders are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. An Old World genus, distributed from Macaronesia across Africa, the Mediterranean, South-West Asia, Arabia, Western Iran and South-East India...
cultivation, which was centred around Violet Farm. The trade diminished however and the farm was demolished in the 1960s, along with a 300 year old tithe barn
Tithe barn
A tithe barn was a type of barn used in much of northern Europe in the Middle Ages for storing the tithes - a tenth of the farm's produce which had to be given to the church....
, to make way for new bungalows.
Modern times
As the village has grown so the population has changed. It is probably true to say that very few of the inhabitants actually work in the village or the immediate area, or were even born there. Large numbers of people commute to the nearby towns and cities of Wimborne, PoolePoole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, Ferndown
Ferndown
Ferndown is a town and civil parish in the East Dorset district of Dorset in southern England, situated immediately to the north of unitary authorities of Poole and Bournemouth. The parish, which until 1972 was called Hampreston, includes the communities of Hampreston, Longham, Stapehill and...
, Verwood
Verwood
Verwood is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England. The town lies north of Bournemouth and north of Poole. The town has a population of 14,820 according to latest figures from Dorset County Council, making it the largest town in Dorset without an upper school in terms of population.-Early...
and even Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
every day. Even so, pride in the village is high, with the general level of crime and vandalism being pretty low despite the close proximity of the South East Dorset conurbation
South East Dorset conurbation
The South east Dorset conurbation is a multi-centred conurbation on the south coast of Dorset in England. The area is rapidly becoming an amalgamation with the area of South West Hampshire immediately on the fringe of the newly formed New Forest National Park...
with a combined population of three to four hundred thousand people. It is one of the biggest villages in England.
The countryside around the village is split between agriculture and heathland, with woodland to be found fringing most areas. The existence of many bridleways criss-crossing the area around the village encourages horse riding and there are a number of stables nearby. The village also has a large Recreation Ground with facilities for outdoor sports including football, cricket and tennis. This is run by the CMSA (Corfe Mullen Sports Association), which is made up of volunteers from various sports clubs around Corfe Mullen. There are allotments between the Recreation Ground and Lockyer's school which are popular and currently have a waiting list.
Churches
- St Hubert's, the original parish church.
- St Nicholas, the new Anglican church.
- Corfe Mullen Baptist Church
- Corfe Mullen Family Church
- East End Methodist Church (part of the Wimborne Circuit)
- Wareham Road Methodist Church (part of the Poole and Swanage Circuit)
- Knoll Farm Christian Fellowship
Pubs
- The Coventry Arms
- The Dorset Soldier
- The Holme Bush
- The Lambs Green Inn
- The Mount Inn
Schools
- Henbury View First School
- Lockyer's Middle School
- Rushcombe County First School
- Corfe Hills SchoolCorfe Hills SchoolCorfe Hills School, is a purpose built secondary school in the urban fringe between Poole and Wimborne, located in Broadstone, Poole, England. In 2001, the school was given Technology College status. The school has over 1600 students and over 100 teaching staff...
(actually just outside the village in Broadstone, but serves older village children) - Castle Court Preparatory School (A private school for 3 to 13 year olds)
- Chapel in the Valley Pre School (Held in the Baptist Church Hall for 2 to 5 year olds)
Children's Centre
- Corfe Mullen's Sure Start Children's Centre, 54 Wareham Road (The Children's Centre and Library share the same building)
Sport
Corfe Mullen Cricket Club runs a number of senior and junior sides catering for all abilities and is based at Corfe Mullen Recreation Ground under the auspices of the Corfe Mullen Sports Association. Other members of the association include tennis and football clubs, and most recently even a baseball team.Other places of entertainment
Apart from the local pubs, a weekly youth clubYouth club
A youth club or youth social club is a place where young people can meet and enjoy activities such as football, soccer, basketball, table tennis, or video games, and other religious, sports activities are frequently sponsored by a community center....
is held near to Lockyer's School and various activities are available in the Village Hall. For those who require entertainment of a more commercial nature, Wimborne, Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
and Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
provide a good choice with cinemas, theatres, and night clubs. The nearest beach, at Sandbanks
Sandbanks
Sandbanks is a small peninsula or spit crossing the mouth of Poole Harbour on the English Channel coast at Poole in Dorset, England. It is well-known for the highly regarded Sandbanks Beach and property value; Sandbanks has, by area, the fourth highest land value in the world...
, is less than 10 miles (16.1 km) away.
Future plans
During the first decade of the 21st Century, proposals were made by the South West Regional AssemblyRegional Assemblies in England
The Regional Assemblies of England were a group of indirectly elected regional bodies established originally under the name Regional Chambers by the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. They were abolished on 31 March 2010 and replaced by Local Authority Leaders’ Boards...
to build 800 new homes on green belt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
land on the edge of the village. These plans caused considerable consternation, because the village is already something of a dormitory and a survey of villagers at the time rejected these proposals overwhelmingly.
These extensive developments were ultimately shelved and the District Council later published much more modest plans to build on the sites of the Middle School or Recreation Ground. These plans define three housing blocks as options; with 80 or 150 houses on each. The adoption of any of these sites would require relocation of the school or recreational facilities. A public consultation period ended in January 2011 and the results are awaited.
Notable residents
- Isaac GulliverIsaac GulliverThe name of three generations of Gullivers from Semington in Wiltshire, England during the 18th and early 19th century; Isaac Gulliver was so successful as a smuggler on the south coast that he came to control its length from Lymington on The Solent in Hampshire, through Dorset to Torbay on the...
, the famous Smuggler lived in Highe House in East End - William JoyceWilliam JoyceWilliam Joyce , nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw, was an Irish-American fascist politician and Nazi propaganda broadcaster to the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He was hanged for treason by the British as a result of his wartime activities, even though he had renounced his British nationality...
, who is better known as 'Lord Haw-Haw', once lived in the Court House. - Gladys MitchellGladys MitchellGladys Mitchell was an English author best known for her creation of Mrs. Bradley, the heroine of numerous detective novels. She also wrote under the pseudonyms Stephen Hockaby and Malcolm Torrie...
, the detective writer and creator of Mrs Bradley, lived in the village at the end of her life. - Hugh MilesHugh Miles (filmmaker)Hugh Miles is a British filmmaker who specialises in wildlife films. An award-winning cinematographer, Hugh likes to be involved in as many aspects of the filmmaking process as possible, even appearing in front of the camera to help the audience get closer to the experience of actually being out on...
, British filmmaker who specialises in wildlife films.