Cranborne Chase

Cranborne Chase is an area of outstanding natural beauty in southern England, encompassing the counties of Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire.

Here royalty once came to hunt deer and other game in an area that became known as the Chase. It remains a landscape that feels like a painting of the past, with open chalk downland, wide expansive skies, dramatic escarpments and panoramic views. Renowned for its archaeological treasures, it remains largely unspoilt with its own sense of remoteness. Chalk river valleys provide a contrast with hidden villages, churches and manor houses surrounded by ancient woodlands, forming an atmospheric landscape where nature and humanity live hand in hand.

In this book, Roger Lane traces elements of the region’s history, occasionally with personal anecdotes adding to the interest. He and Roger Holman are acclaimed photographers with an intimate knowledge of the area. Here, their photography informs and delights both visitors and residents alike.