Wareham definition

He assisted at the taking of Wareham, and shortly afterwards compounded for his estates by a fine of X500 from which, however, he was afterwards relieved by Cromwell.

Owing to its situation as a key of Purbeck, the site of Wareham (Werham, Warham) has been occupied from early times.

That Wareham was a pre-Saxon town is evident from Asser's statement that its British name was Durngueir.

The early chroniclers declare that St Aldhelm founded a church near Wareham about 701, and perhaps the priory, which is mentioned as existing in 876, when the Danes retired from Cambridge to a strong position in this fort.