Saxons and Vikings in Corfe Castle!

Saturday 7th May and 14th May - Saxons and Vikings descend upon the quiet little village of Corfe Castle. 

Now, Corfe is probably best known for the dreadful events of 1646 in which Lady Bankes defended the Castle against Cromwell's men, until the Parliamentarians cunningly gained access and tried to blow it to smithereens. Fortunately they weren’t totally successful and Corfe Castle is one of the most enchanting Castles to visit in the Kingdom .

But, back to the Saxons and the Vikings…

The Vikings sailed into Poole Harbour one dark and wintry night in 875 AD, pillaged the town of Wareham and waited for a navy of 120 Viking ships. The Vikings had already invaded large parts of the country and Wareham was next on their list; which is understandable as Wareham, Corfe and the surrounding villages are rather special places to visit!  But the Saxons were on the ball and Alfred, aka "Burnt Cakes Alfie", summoned his soldiers to defeat the Vikings.

It’s still proving difficult to keep the Vikings at bay, but every time they turn up in Corfe Castle, you can be sure you’ll also see the Saxons. They’ve already tried a siege of Wareham this year, but for their next two visits they will be sharing their skills and telling Viking stories. The Saxons will be doing the same and presumably keeping their beady eyes on the dastardly Vikings!

If you want to visit the Saxon Village in Corfe Castle and hear the stories, we still have availability in some of our properties for a short break or longer stay. Have a look on this website or give us a call and we can find something for you. We don’t think that dressing up is obligatory, but if you have a Viking horned helmet you can dust off, we are sure you would be welcomed with a cry of “Odin”!