Tyneham House
One of Purbeck’s Finest Country Houses
Known affectionately as ‘The Great House’, Tyneham House was the grand centrepiece of village life – an elegant Elizabethan mansion that dominated the landscape and the community around it.
Built in 1523, this three-storey manor was home to the Bond family for centuries. Surrounded by beautifully kept lawns, lime trees, palms and exotic plants (thanks to the sheltered valley micro-climate), it was a striking symbol of wealth and tradition in rural Dorset.
Tyneham House – Home of the Bond Family
The Bonds shaped almost every aspect of village life from their great house. Their influence stretched from the church (where they had a private transept) to the school they funded, and the estate provided work for many local families.
Extract from the Tyneham DVD – Tyneham Remembered
Tyneham Manor House – After the Evacuation
During World War II, after the village was evacuated, the house briefly became accommodation for members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) supporting operations in the area.
After the war, the building was boarded up and left largely untouched for years – only a few missing roof tiles hinting at slow neglect.
Tyneham House After the War
In the years following the war, many of the house’s valuable fittings and furnishings were removed and reused elsewhere. Oak panelling went to Dorset County Museum, a doorway from the north porch found a new home at Athelhampton House, and the steps were relocated to Bingham’s Melcombe.
Some stories even suggest prized items made their way across the Atlantic to homes in the United States.
By the late 1960s, the house was deemed beyond repair and demolished – a decision many still regret, believing it could have been saved like the church and school. Hidden away in Great Wood, half a mile from the village, it was out of public sight, making the demolition easier to carry out quietly.
The Remains of Tyneham House Today
What’s left of Tyneham House is now hidden deep in Great Wood and strictly off-limits to the public. From certain distant viewpoints in winter (when foliage is thinner), you can just catch a glimpse of the ruins among the trees.
