Wareham

Wareham is strategically sited between two rivers on the banks of the River Frome and close to the sea.  So its history dates back to ancient times,  with evidence of Metholic settlements.  A major dig at Bestwall quarry has unearthed siginificant Bronze age pottery and thousands of pieces of worked flint.

It is believed that Wareham was a Roman fort, used to subdue the local Durotrigues tribe that lived throughout Dorset.  Villas have been located at nearby Creech and substantial pottery finds have been dated to the Roman period.

In the times of Alfred the Great, Wareham was a stronghold.  It was invaded several times by the Vikings and was therefore defended by Saxon walls, which can still be seen today.  Its one of only two Saxon walled towns in the whole of the UK.  Several Saxon finds are displayed in the local museum.

Its importance carried on well into the English Civil War – where its walls were again extenisvely used as a defence and were the chilling site of the executions during the aftermath of the Monmouth rebellions.

Most of the homes in Wareham were once thatched but the town suffered a devastating fire in the 18th Century and only a handful survive.

The importance of its location dwindled throughout the Georgian and Victorian eras but at the outbreak of World War 1, Wareham became the home to the largest military camp in the country.  This was probably due its proximity to ports at Poole and Weymouth.  The army maintain an important presence in the area with camps at Lulworth and Bovington.

Wareham is so popular with visitors as its layout and charm have remained unchanged throughout the centuries and would probably be recognisable from Saxon times.