Swanage via the Swanage Steam Railway

A rainy morning passed to a misty start to the afternoon for my short journey on the Swanage steam railway into Swanage itself for a nostalgic look around the seaside town I used to visit as a teenager. Slowly the mist lifted to reveal a lovely sunny late afternoon as I explored the Dulston Country coast park to the West of Swanage.

While fishing is likely the Swanage's oldest industry, quarrying has been important to the town and the local area since at least the 1st century AD. During the time of the Roman occupation this industry grew, with the distinctive Purbeck marble being used for decorative purposes in buildings as far away as London. When the Romans left Britain, quarrying largely ceased until the 12th century.

The town's greatest prominence came during the Victorian period. John Mowlem (1788–1868), a Swanage resident, became a successful builder in London, creating the Mowlem construction company, which still existed as recently as 2006, when it was acquired by another company.

John Mowlem made his business in London by importing stone into the city from around the country, including Purbeck limestone. Through this process, many relics and monuments were brought from London to Swanage in the nineteenth century by Mowlem. It is said that these items brought from London were used as ballast for the empty vessels which transported the Purbeck stone to London. These include the clock tower on the shore front which was once part of London Bridge.