Pictures of Worth Matravers

About Worth Matravers

Picturesque Dorset village with a history pre-dating Roman times as evidenced by the medieval lynchets cut into the steep hillsides.

The village boasts one of the oldest chapel's in Dorset - St.Aldhelm's. Built of stone and unusual in shape the church occupies an outstanding location at the tip of St.Aldhelm's Head overlooking the sea.

Quintessentially English in style, the village epitomises English rural life. It has a pleasant tea room, charming duck pond in the centre of the village and a quaint village inn - The Square and Compass. There is a good village store, post office, and a pleasant craft centre for gifts.

A strong bond exists amongst the community and great care is taken to ensure the beauty of the village continues. All new housing must be built in local stone, not simply for the sake of uniformity but to keep the quarries east of the village in operation! Farming and fishing, once thriving industries of the area, continue only on a much smaller scale.

On a note of historic interest; the graveyard of St. Nicholas Church (Norman) has the burial place of a local farmer called Benjamin Jesty, who reputedly in 1774 developed a smallpox vaccine. This was based on cowpox inoculations used by him to secure his family from the disease. Twenty Five years later came the vaccine pioneered by Dr. Edward Jenner. Both church and churchyard are worth a look.

This truly pretty village lies 300 feet above the sea amongst lovely rolling countryside, far reaching views make it a favourite spot for walking along lovely coastal paths leading towards Durleston Head. A signposted walk from the village takes you to the coves at Winspit.