Hardy's Birthplace and Thorncombe Wood Preview

Hardy's Birthplace Visitor Centre

The Visitor Centre opened in 2014 as a gateway for local people and visitors alike to discover more about the life and works of Thomas Hardy and the local landscape. It is also home to the Under the Greenwood Tree Cafe, Dorset County Council Rangers Office and Workshop and the National Trust shop and ticket sales for Hardy's Cottage.

Hardy's Cottage

This is where the famous author Thomas Hardy was born in 1840 and lived until he was 34. The cob and thatch cottage was built by his grandfather. It was whilst he lived here that he wrote two of his most famous novels, Far from the Madding Crowd and Under the Greenwood Tree.

Rushy Pond

Rushy Pond is home to a wealth of wildlife including Grass Snakes, Palmate Newts and Dragonflies and Damselflies. On hot summer days, you may often find our resident ponies in the pond taking a cooling dip.

Black Heath

The main wood gives way to a small area of heathland called Black Heath, home to our resident Dartmoor Ponies, this is now a small fragment of Hardy's famous 'Egdon Heath'. You can see an array of speacilsit heathland wildlife here including; Nightjars, Adders, Silver-studded Blue Butterflies and Smooth Snakes.

Roman Road

Running through the site is a well preserved Roman Road. This Scheduled Ancient Monument would have stretched from Dorchester to Badbury Rings.

Redwood Avenue

Walk amongst the giants! In one point in Thorncombe's past, its owners had the vision to plant an arboreteum, therefore a selection of exotic redwoods and sequoias were introduced. Now, the Dorset County Council rangers manage the woodland as a semi-anicent woodland, with an emphasis on maintaining native species. However, we enjoy the quiriness of this path of conifers, so have retained some specimens.

Hazel Coppice

To the south of the reserve is a small area of Hazel Coppice still traditionally worked for its material. The coppice is home to a varied range of woodland birds as well as a small populationof the rare Hazel Dormouse.

Picnic Area

Thorncombe Wood Car Park

Parking Charges Apply: £1 for 2 hours or £3 All Day. Blue Badge Holders exempt of display of valid badge.National Trust members receive free parking if visiting Hardy's Cottage and on receipt of car registration details at Visitor Centre.