(1) Standing outside the library turn left.

(2) Cross South Street at the bridge, turning right into Abbots Quay.

(3) Turn right into Tanners Lane.

(4) In front of you is The Rectory of Lady St. Mary parish church. Its most famous resident was Rev. John Hutchins MA, Rector of Wareham from 1744 to 1773. He compiled his “History of Antiquities of the County of Dorset” here. The building replaces an earlier rectory which was destroyed in the 1762 fire. Turn left into Pound Lane - notice the Norman Arch in The Rectory’s garden wall, which is believed to be reused stonework from Wareham Castle.

(5) Follow Pound Lane.

(6) Follow Pound Lane.

(7) On the left is the site of Wareham Castle - built on instructions from William the Conqueror. Documents imply that the Castle was completed by 1110, but it is not known when it was destroyed. Today, the only visible remains are the mound where the house now stands and traces of the surrounding ditch. Massive stone foundations have been discovered approx. 15ft underground and the base of a stone keep survives inside the mound.

(8) At the end of Pound Lane on the left, is the Town Pound - originally built to hold stray and impounded animals.

(9) Turn right into West Street.

(10) On your left is The Rex Cinema which is home to the annual Purbeck Film Festival and both the interior and exterior are still furnished in 1920’s style.

(11) At the crossroads and turn left into North Street.

(12) Continue along North Street until you reach St Martin on the Walls church on your right.

(13) St. Martin on the Walls Church stands on the North Walls. The Chancel and Nave are pre Conquest of the 11th century and there are early medieval wall paintings and an effigy of Lawrence of Arabia carved by Eric Kennington.

(14) Retrace your steps back to the crossroads and turn left into East Street. The present Town Hall is on the left and was built in 1870. It replaces an earlier town hall, school, jail and butcher’s shop, which were built in 1768. Before that, the parish church of St. Peter was here - the first priest was recorded in 1321. Today, the Town Hall is used for Town Council meetings, weddings and civil ceremonies, and the ground floor for social functions, exhibitions and farmers markets.

(15) Wareham Town Museum (next to the Town Hall) has displays of local artefacts and a special section on Lawrence of Arabia. The museum is open from Easter to end of October (Monday to Saturday 10am - 4pm) and admission is free.

(16) Opposite the Museum are the Almshouses. Founded by John Streche who died in 1418, they were rebuilt in 1741. The bell tower was originally part of the 1768 Town Hall. At the traffic lights turn left into South Street.

(17) On the left is Lloyds Bank. The bank stands on the site of The Bull’s Head Inn, believed to be the place where the 1762 fire of Wareham began.

(18) Further along, the Manor House, built in 1712, is a fine, dignified, early Queen Anne three storey building.

(19) On the opposite side of the road, set back in a courtyard, is the Wareham Conservative Club. Originally this was built as the Unitarian Church and used as such until 1960.

(20) The Black Bear Hotel has a life-sized statue of a bear over the door. The first reference to a “Bear Hotel” in Wareham was in 1747, but this was destroyed in the fire of 1762 and replaced by the present building in 1770.

(21) After the traffic lights, turn left into St. John’s Hill.

(22) Follow the path diagonally to the right towards the church. Gold Courtis reputed to stand on the site of Wareham’s mint, established by King Athelstan in the early 10th century.

(23) Turn right towards Church Green

(24) Turn left.

(25) The parish Church of Lady St. Mary is built on the site of an 8th century Minster church and still boasts a 14th century chancel and Tudor Tower with a ring of 10 bells. The Church contains a number of interesting objects, including five pre-Conquest inscriptions (dating from the 7th century to circa 800), a 12th century lead font and two 13th century military effigies.

(26) The Priory Hotel next to the church, is an early 16th century building which was formerly the home of a monastery. The monastery was preceded by a nunnery, founded according to legend, by St. Aldhelm in the 8th century.

(27) Standing outside the church, walk diagonally to the left following the sign towards The Quay.

(28) Walk through the alleyway to reach The Quay.

(29) Walk across The Quay and turn right to arrive back at Wareham Library.