About Arne Parish

Arne is a rural parish with about 1,370 citizens in settlements from Worgret in the west to Arne hamlet in the east and Furzebrook Road to the south, with most people in villages at Ridge & Stoborough. Apart from a small proportion of mudflat and water to the east, the 29km2 of the Parish is about half used for farming with a fifth heathland and a fifth woodland. 

 

Major roads run west from Wareham towards Dorchester in the north of the parish, and south towards Swanage, with railway links also to these towns. The River Frome flows across the Parish through extensive water-meadows. The rich land-use makes Arne Parish an important part of the 10km square that has the most plant species in Britain, so nature conservation and tourism are important local interests, joining clay-mining in generating local jobs.

  

Local facilites and amenities

 

Arne Parish has many useful facilities, including Stoborough School for first tier education, the Lookout Stores and Purbeck Motors for purchases and pubs with food at the Kings Arms and Halfway Inn. There are hotels at Worgret Manor and with sports facilities at the Springfield Country Hotel. The Church at Arne, Stoborough Village Hall and Hayricks recreation area are further important civic amenities, with large nature reserves managed by Natural England, National Trust and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.