Cranborne
Cranborne is a thriving community which lies at the centre of the Cranborne Estate. It was once an important market town and has a long history: it is the 'Chaseborough' of Thomas Hardy's Wessex novels and was also featured in a poem by Rupert Brooke. King John was a regular visitor to Cranborne, enjoying hunting on Cranborne Chase.
The village boasts an exceptional range of amenities. There is a village store with a post office, GP surgery, veterinary practice, and a charity book shop and haberdashers. There are two public houses, the Fleur de Lys and the Sheaf of Arrows, as as well as La Fosse, a restaurant with rooms, and Cranborne Lodge, a wedding venue and restaurant. Just outside the village at Holwell is the Sixpenny Brewery and tap room.
Cranborne has an extremely active modern village hall which acts as a community hub, with a wide range of activities, classes and events; it is available for private hire. Cranborne Sports Club runs a wide range of sports and there is a popular children's playground in the corner of the sports field. On the edge of the village is the Ancient Technology Centre with its magnificent replica historic buildings from the Iron Age to the Viking era. Cranborne has two schools: Cranborne CE First School and Cranborne Middle School.
The 17th century Cranborne Manor, the Dorset home of Viscount Cranborne, has exceptionally beautiful gardens which were laid out by John Tradescent: these are open to the public every Wednesday during the summer season. Cranborne Garden Centre is set in the walled former kitchen garden of Cranborne Manor: the shop and bustling tea room are open all year round.
The Church of St Mary and St Bartholomew is Norman in origin and built on the site of a Saxon Benedictine Monastery.
Edmondsham
Edmondsham is a small village a little over one mile south of Cranborne. Famous for its gardens, Edmondsham House is a fine Tudor Manor that has been in the same family since the 16th Century. It is built on the site of a former Manor which is mentioned in the Domesday book. The house and gardens are open to the public every Wednesday from April to October.
Across the lawn in front of the house is the churchyard to St Nicholas Church. This small but pretty church was dedicated to St Nicholas in 1644 and, although the date of the foundations is unknown, the square stone pillars that separate the nave from the north aisle appear to be dated from the 12th Century.
The village pump, which was constructed in 1884, was the main source of water for the village. The listed housing structure was designed by Anthony Medleycott in the 1930s. The pump went out of general use in the 1950s due to the modernisation of the village houses.
There was formerly a post office, a school, a Rectory and a Methodist chapel in Edmondsham but these have all now disappeared or have been converted to residential properties.
Edmondsham boasts a meticulously maintained and actively utilised village hall which is available for hire. It serves as a vibrant hub for the local community.