Abbotsbury

Abbotsbury is a village in Dorset situated a mile inland from the English Channel coast at Chesil Beach, an 18-mile barrier beach which is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The village is within the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, close to Weymouth. Abbotsbury comprises a long street of stone houses, many of which are thatched, with some dating from the 16th century. The street broadens into an old market square and the village has a couple of pubs, several tearooms, small shops, galleries and a cricket ground. Abbotsbury is known for its swannery, subtropical gardens, children’s farm and surviving abbey buildings, including St Catherine's Chapel, a 14th-century pilgrimage chapel that stands on a hill between the village and the coast. North-west of the village, at the top of Wears Hill, are the earthworks of Abbotsbury Castle, an Iron Age hill fort. The B3157 road between Abbotsbury and Burton Bradstock is well-known for its fine coastal views.