Isle of Purbeck Area Summary


The Isle of Purbeck is a peninsula in Dorset, England. It is bordered by water on three sides: the English Channel to the south and east, where steep cliffs fall into the sea; and by the marshy lands of the River Frome and Poole Harbour to the north. Its western boundary is less well-defined, with some medieval sources placing it at Flowers Barrow above Worbarrow Bay. According to writer and broadcaster Ralph Wrightman, Purbeck “is only an island if you accept the barren heaths between Arish Mell and Wareham as cutting off this corner of Dorset as effectively as the sea” The most southerly point is St Albans Head (archaically St. Aldhelm’s Head). Its coastline is suffering from erosion.


The whole of the Isle of Purbeck lies within the local government district of Purbeck, which is named after it. However, the district extends significantly further north and west than the traditional boundary of the Isle of Purbeck along the River Frome.

In terms of natural landscape areas, the southern part of the Isle of Purbeck and the coastal strip as far as Ringstead Bay in the west, have been designated as National Character Area 136 – South Purbeck by Natural England. To the north are the Dorset Heaths and to the west, are the Weymouth Lowlands.


There are a number of Iron Age, Roman and Saxon archaeological sites to be found on the Isle of Purbeck. Nine Barrow Down, for example, takes its name from the nine barrows (stone age burial mounds) that have been found along this ridge on the northern side of the Purbeck hills while Flowers Barrow, near Kimmeridge in the south, is an Iron Age hill fort built 2500 years ago, a part of which has been lost to the sea thereby dramatically demonstrating the effect of coastal erosion.

The first settlement in the area would have been at Wareham. Easily reached by road and rail, today’s town forms an ideal base for exploring the Purbeck coast. Wareham’s accessibility attracted regular raids throughout history, especially from the Vikings, and it was eventually captured by King Canute in 1016. Raised earthen walls were built around the town for protection and today these walls are a haven for wildlife and enclose a thriving market town with a Saxon street plan and more than 200 buildings of historic and architectural interest.


Purbeck is a rural district located in south Dorset and is home to some of the country’s most well-loved towns and landmarks including Swanage, Lulworth Cove, Corfe Castle and Durdle Door. The Isle of Purbeck is part of the district, being a peninsula connected by road rather than a separate island.

On Purbeck’s boundary is Poole Harbour: one of the world’s largest natural harbours. Brownsea Island is the largest island in the Harbour and is managed by the National Trust and Dorset Wildlife Trust. Taking a boat trip to the Island is an ideal day out and it is one of the few places in southern England where you can see a red squirrel!