Dorset, England

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Worth Matravers, Dorset
Located in England, U.K.

Authored by Pickatrail.co.uk

Worth Matravers is a small village located in Dorset on the World Heritage Jurassic Coast. Here amongst the chalk downs on the Isle of Purbeck this quaint village is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Its quintessential charm is reflected in the setting of their stone cottages built around the village green with its lovely duck pond. Most of these structures where built during and after the 17th through the 19th century. This is an ancient area going back to the Iron Ages, as evidenced by excavations in the village, which also revealed a Romano-British structure. The 'lynchets' on the steep slopes to either side of the Winspit Valley, made during medieval times are a "throwback" to both Iron Age and Anglo-Saxon times. These grass strips were a method of early farming on steep hillsides. The medieval Church of St Nicholas is Saxon which the Normans restructured with added buttresses in the 12th century. One of the oldest churches in Dorset, it has a lovely arch at the chancel. Benjamin Jesty, a farmer, known for his bold decision to vaccinate his family with cowpox to protect them during a smallpox epidemic, is buried here; this was 20 years before Edward Jenner initiated this method in 1794. A short walk from the village will take you to an interesting structure from Norman times, the small square shaped Chapel of St Aldhelm's built in the 11th century which originally may have been a watchtower for Corfe Castle, which is located in close proximity to the village. The quiet village of Worth Matravers also saw the beginnings of radar research, when a Telecommunications Research outstation was located at the radar station on St Aldhelm's head just outside the village. A radar memorial has been placed on the bluffs of the cliff to commemorate the efforts of the work done there during the early years of World War II. Today Worth Matravers is a popular coastal village near the South West Coast Path and has easy access to Chapman's Pool, a quiet cove used for fossil enthusiasts, swimmers and nature lovers who enjoy the popular walk down to the sea. The Square and Compass has a number of fossils on exhibit which reflect the diversity of what can be found in the area.

Location:
	Worth Matravers is located in Dorset, England.
	Map of England - Counties and Unitary Authorities.

Photographs:
	Photographs of Worth Matravers

Worth Matravers Trails:
	Backpacking Worth Matravers, England — A GPS trail guide with World War Two Landmarks.

Dorset Accommodation:
	Campsites & Caravan Parks in Dorset, England

Dorset Attractions:
	Castles in Dorset
	Nature Reserves in Dorset
	Museums in Dorset
	Gardens in Dorset

Worth Matravers, DorsetLocated in England, U.K.

Worth Matravers, Dorset
Located in England, U.K.