Kingston (near Corfe Castle)

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DORSET OPC

Scoles

Scoles Manor

At the end of a 300-yard private drive, Scoles Manor is in a fantastic location. The listed barns were converted into three holiday cottages in 1990. Since then Peter and Belinda Bell have welcomed hundreds of parties to this lovely corner of Dorset.

A recent book says: "Scoles Manor is the most interesting of the houses built along the old marble line. It enjoys one of the best situations on the Purbecks, in a natural bowl with an almost unspoilt panoramic view in the direction of Corfe Castle".

If you have any information about Scoles which you would like to share, be it stories or old photographs etc., please email us at info@kingstonopc.org.uk

Lower Scoles Farm

Lower Scoles Farm is now the home of Purbeck Ice Cream. Click on the link to see how Hazel & Peter Hartle took their first steps to creating a nationally acclaimed brand.

Purbeck Ice-cream, Lower Scoles Farm, Kingston, BH20 5LG. Tel: 01929 480090. Website: Purbeck Ice-cream (external link).

Scoles, Scowles. Scovilies - a farm of about 145 acres between Afflington and East Lynch. It anciently belonged to the family of Scovill. Sold to the Eldon family 25 April 1807.

Extracted from The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset by John Hutchins Volume 1 Page 525

Photo courtsey of Scoles Manor - for more information about luxury self-catering accomodation at Scoles Manor click this link

Scoles Gate Cottage

Past Residents:

The following extract is taken from the Scholes Family Website:

One other possibility is that Scholes is of Norman origin, with the surname Scoles having derived from Scoville, a family from the village of Escoville or Echoville, near Caen, some members of which came over with William the Conqueror. In England the ‘E’ was dropped and the name took the form of Scoville. This family acquired land in the parish of Corfe Castle in Dorset the 13th century. The family flourished in the County until the early 18th century although the estate of ‘Scowles’ passed out of their possession at the time of Henry IV. Scowles Farm, 2 miles south of Corfe Castle, is known today as Scoles Manor and has the remains of a medieval chapel probably from the original homestead. It is a listed Grade 2 building and, according to Peter Bell, the present owner, is reputed to have a ghost!

Old photos showing the bee boles at Scholes Famhouse