Forest FM's volunteer reporters have been out and about, visiting the villages within the Chalk and Cheese area of East Dorset. From the selection below you can click to play or download (right click and save as) the features recorded at Cranborne.

The name Cranborne originated in the Saxon period, although its first record is in the Domesday Book of 1086, as Creneburne. Later medieval spellings like Craneburna in 1163 and Craneborne in 1207 show that the name means 'stream frequented by cranes' . Like so many other places in Dorset, the stream here has given its name to the place. The stream referred to is now actually called the River Crane. The same name recurs in Berkshire and Hampshire, although with the different modern spelling, Cranbourne.

 

 

Firefighter Mick Stead tells us about the Cranborne Fire Station.

Cranborne Fire Station

The popular Cranborne Restaurant under new ownership.

La Fosse Restaurant

The facts behind Cranborne's remaining shop.

Cranborne Stores

Sedate but fun

Cranborne Bowling Club

Rex Neville, the new Landlord ponders the future of the pub

Sheaf Of Arrows Pub

 

Cranborne's Ancient Technology Centre

From the Earth House to the Round House - click each icon in turn for the whole tour !

Stories at the Earth House