Recorded history dates back to the 8th century when King Alfred ruled Wessex. Though often referred to simply as 'Wimborne', the full title of the town is Wimborne Minster, taking its name from the Minster church built on the site of a monastery. The present building dates from the 11th-12th century and houses a chained library, and an astronomical clock. Local sights include a miniature town with 300 model buildings and the Priests House Museum with a working Victorian kitchen and a walled garden. A thriving Folk Music festival is held each summer. Nearby is Kingston Lacy House, owned by the National Trust, and one of the best preserved historic houses in England. It was built in the 17th century by Sir Ralph Bankes, and houses a fine private art collection, including works by Rubens, Titian, and Valasquez. It also houses an Egyptian exhibition from 3000 BC (mainly stemming from the the travels of one member of the family in the early 19th century) and rooms showing domestic life at the end of the last century. The house, with its 13 acres of formal garden and 250 acres of woodland, is open from Easter each year until the autumn. Wimborne has a weekend market.
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