A diary by James Attfield...

We arrived at Corfe Castle late morning and Dad parked in the National Trust Car Park at the Visitor Centre. He was very happy because as we were members we did not have to pay for a parking ticket.

© James Attfield

The Visitor Centre

We went into the visitor centre and learned about how people use to live in the castle and village over 800 years ago. There were plenty of displays that you could touch and discover answers to that were fun but you were learniing at the same time. There was also a lot of information about the surrounding area in the centre and you could learn about the different soil and rocks that helped to make the castle so strong and resist attacks for so long.

© James Attfield

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We decided to have some lunch before we went up to the castle ruins and found a place to eat just inside the castle grounds. Once we had eaten and had a drink we were ready to climb the hill path to the castle. As we were walking up the path we heard a steam train blow its whistle and could see it going over a bridge. Dad was busy taking photos so my brother and I pretended we were being attacked by another army and hid inside a fortified tower and pretended to fire arrows out of a slit window down onto the enemy.

Conservation work

There is a lot of work being done on the castle at the moment and there are signs telling you what and why this is being done. I think that this is a good thing as we heard that the Trust is finding out new things about the castle and its construction as this is being done and at the same time they are protecting the castle for the future.

© James Attfield

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Gunpowder

I climbed all the way up to the top of the tower and there was a great view of the village and grounds below. It was then that I saw how important it was to build the castle on a hill as you can see everywhere below and have a good warning before you are attacked. Dad was telling us how the castle was blown up with gunpowder by army engineers of their day, there must have been some very big bangs to make the thick walls fall down.

We were walking between walls that had been blown up and the scale of the damage was very hard to understand when all they had used was gunpowder. When we had finished walking around the ruins we went back to the cafe for an ice cream and a sit down before we walked around the village and National Trust shop. I have got a National Trust Passport and got the shop to put the special stamp in it for me.

© James Attfield

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So much to learn

We met Terry, a guide for the Trust who asked us if we had enjoyed our visit and was asking Peter and I some questions to see if we understood what we had seen. There are a few places along the small street that will also add to a good day out, there was a small museum and a model village along the street that looked very good but we had run out of time as we were off to Kimerige Bay to look for fossils. It's only about five miles away from the castle and well worth a trip.

I thought the castle was a super day out because you learn so much about things not only at the castle but also at the visitor centre.We will be going back to Corfe Castle in the future because we feel there is more to learn but also because it was a nice day out and the surroundings were fantastic.

If you would like to send a diary for the website please send all entries and photos to internet@nationaltrust.org.uk