Wareham Tourist Information Centre, Trinity Church, South Street, Wareham,
Dorset, BH20 4LU Tel: 01929 552740
Find out more about Wareham Tourist Information Centre

Wareham Town Museum
Find out more about Wareham Town Museum

Boat trips can be taken with Brenscombe Rib Charter Tel: 01929 481222 or Pequod Tel: 0779 2334879 Open the attached Adobe Acrobat file for full details of all boat trips  jurassic_coast_by_boat (1.39 Mb)

Wareham is a Gateway Town to the Jurassic Coast.

Wareham is a fascinating and picturesque market town which dates back over 2000 years.

The town was once a stronghold for King Alfred the Great, who built huge earthen walls around three sides of the town to defend it against the Vikings. The remains of these can still be seen today and a walk around them will transport you back to Saxon times. The Saxon church of St Martins (the oldest in Dorset) houses early medieval wall paintings and an effigy of Laurence of Arabia, which was originally intended for Westminster Abbey. 

The Purbeck Information and Heritage Centre is a mine of information, and just across the road is the small but fascinating Wareham museum.  The Rex Cinema is also worth a visit as it is the only gas-lit cinema in the country. 

On Thursdays, the town buzzes with the Market, which dates back over 500 years.  It is also the oldest auction based market in the country and features an absorbing fruit and produce auction, the only one in England.  There is also an excellent farmer's market on the fourth Thursday in every month. 

Wareham is also close to two of Dorset's most famous attractions; Monkey World, the world famous ape rescue centre, and the imposing ruin of Corfe Castle. 

Getting There

By Bus: The CoastlinX53 stops at Wareham. Find out more about the Jurassic Coast Bus Service

By Coach: National Express operates a direct service to Wareham from London, Poole and Bournemouth. They also go to Swanage from Wareham. Contact them on 08705 808080 or visit Traveline for further information.

By Rail: Wareham is on the main line from London Waterloo to Weymouth. There are hourly connections to London and Southampton. Visit National Rail Enquiries or call 08457 48 49 50

By Road: From the A35 just west of Poole take the A351 to Wareham.  From the West take the A352 from Dorchester to Wareham.