Corfe & Purbeck Holidays
Church Knowle and Kimmeridge
Church Knowle Is a village set in the valley between the beautiful rolling Purbeck Hills near Corfe Castle. Church Knowle is a walker’s paradise! With many stunning walks to Corfe Castle, Swanage, Kimmeridge, and many more there are lots of magnificent beauty spots to explore. From the Purbeck Hills on either side of the village there are panoramic views over Purbeck to Brownsea Island.
Church Knowle had a very traditional village pub, The New Inn, full of olde world charm & character. Its also home to Margaret Green Animal Rescue. The village host a popular village fete in the grounds of the Old Rectory, every August.
There is the historic church, named Saint Peter’s Church in Church Knowle, with some parts of the church dating back to the 13th century. Buried in the Churchyard are the two brothers who brought the first steam locomotive (Primus) to Purbeck in 1866 - The Pike Brothers - John William and William Joseph Pike.
Kimmeridge Bay forms part of the Jurassic Coast and is renowned for its fossils. It lies within the Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve; it boasts the best rockpooling, safest snorkelling and an abundance of natural fossils. The coast is also part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and the whole area is part of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The natural limestone ledges extending out into the bay make it easy to view life on the shore and in the shallow waters, making it a wonderful location for rockpooling. The shallow, warm waters are excellent for snorkelling and diving, with easy access to excellent dive sites such as the Underwater Nature Trail.
Visitors can enjoy a walk up to Clavell Tower which offers spectacular views over the bay and coastline. The Etches Collection - Museum of Jurassic Marine Life, is housed in Kimmeridge, it’s the remarkable fossil collection of Steve Etches.
