Cerne Abbas sits comfortably at the heart of Thomas Hardy’s Dorset, surrounded by rolling hills and a wealth of natural beauty. Presided over by the mysterious Cerne Giant carved into the chalk hillside, it’s a tranquil and evocative place where modern living can proceed at a much more leisurely pace.

This is England of yore, defined by its ancient churches, a medieval abbey, Tudor cottages, period properties and bordered by the meandering River Cerne. The charming village centre positively bustles with activity, and provides for most of its inhabitants’ daily needs. Cerne Abbas First School for 4 to 9 year olds is the oldest village school in Dorset. There’s a general store, post office, boutique and antiques shop, as well as a pottery, doctor’s surgery, restaurant, tea rooms and a number of quaint old inns where you can stop off for a drink or meet with friends for a quiet lunch.

Thatched cottages of course, are an enduring feature of this part of the country. The decision to build new thatched cottages as part of our development was taken in order to provide the undoubted delights of these charming homes to present-day buyers, but with none of the drawbacks associated with very old buildings.