Retirement Properties Spotlight in Cerne Abbas

Cerne Abbas : The small town of Cerne Abbas, in reality, no more than a village, is set among some of the most beautiful Dorset countryside. Its buildings, many of them centuries old, reflect the changing fortunes of this busy community. There are some fine Tudor houses, and several stone and cobb cottages, made from chalk and mud. Long Street has a variety of shops ranging from the essentials; a post office, general store and doctor‘s surgery, to antique and speciality shops. Summer provides an opportunity to visit some of the thirty beautiful private gardens in the village, which are open to the public.

Cerne Abbas is best known for its unique priapic giant, cut into the turf of the chalk hillside north east of the village and now maintained by the National Trust. There has been much speculation as to its history but it was most likely carved during the Roman occupation, as a representation of Hercules, with elements of a local deity added. An unmistakeable symbol of virility, the large naked figure has become a part of local folklore. As recently as the 19th century, it was believed that women sleeping on the hillside would become pregant.