St Mary's Church in Swanage

The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the ancient parish church of Swanage. Built of Purbeck stone for which the town and district are famous, it has seen Swanage grow from a small fishing hamlet to a large town. Originally a chapel of ease of the neighbouring parish of Worth Matravers, Swanage became a parish with its own rector in 1487.

The church has been rebuilt on at least four occasions and the oldest remaining part is the tower.