The first appearance of the Danes in Dorset was in 787, when three Danish ships landed at Portland. They were met and killed by the Kings sheriff Beaduheard. In 876 the Danes attacked Wareham via the river Frome and were brought off by King Alfred the Great of Wessex on the proviso that they didn't come back. The next year the Danes attacked Wareham, but this time they were driven out by King Alfred the Great and the Danish fleet suffered heavy losses, 120 of their ships where wrecked in a great storm off Peveril Point.

When the original fish market was demolished in 1875 in London, George Burt salvaged the weather vane which was original mounted on Purbeck House opposite the Town Hall and is now on Newton Manor. 

The Isle of Purbeck Flag is a community flag proclaiming the unique identity of this distinctive area of Dorset and its people.

The colours of the flag are red, blue, yellow and white. It also features three symbols closely connected with the area. In the centre is a curving wave, while beneath are two white fishes flanking a yellow ammonite.

The Swanage Town Crier, Andrew Fleming, commissioned the Isle of Purbeck Flag and a linked anthem. Pupils of Swanage School then organised a competition to choose the winning design by popular vote.

Born George Burt 2 October 1816 Died 18 April 1894 

In 1835 George Burt moved to London to join Mowlem's business. Upon taking over the Mowlem's company, Burt substantially expanded the firm's operations, they a major public-works contractor and won the contract for Queen Victoria Street in the City of London (1869), followed by Billingsgate Market (1874-7), and the City of London School in 1880 on the new Victoria Embankment, amongst others. 

Many architecturally interesting buildings and monuments were scavenged as a result of the company's construction work on prestigious projects in London, and re-erected by Burt in Swanage and Durlston. The 1670 porch for the Mercers' Hall now adorns Swanage town hall, and a clock tower commemorating the Duke of Wellington which once stood at the Southwark end of London Bridge is now a feature of Swanage seafront. More prosaically, many of Swanage's cast iron bollards were originally made for London boroughs, and still carry their names. 

George still took an intrest in Swanage and developed the Durlston estate.

Photo credit: Swanage Museum and Heritage Centre

Painter in oil and watercolour, sculptor and draughtsman, landscapes, portraits and figure subjects. Studied art at the Royal Academy Schools, where he came under the influence of John Singer Sargent, and at the Académie Julian, for several years around the turn of the century. Maintained a studio in Paris and travelled regularly to Italy, Germany and Spain, where he was influenced by Velázquez. He had a fine bass singing voice, which was trained while living in Florence. In 1906 married the artist Mary Croom, with whom he settled in Kent. Palmer continued his travels in North Africa, and his ability as a linguist led to his doing secret service work in World War I. He was showing extensively, including RA, RBA, ROI, RI, Paris Salon and elsewhere on the continent.

Ian Fleming author of the James Bond novels, who attended Durnford prep school in Langton Matravers. The school was next to the estate of the Bond family whose motto is 'Non sufficit orbis' ('The World Is Not Enough'). 

23 July 1921 – 11 November 2003 was a actor, best known for his portrayal of M in the James Bond films. 

He's a Weather Man who attended Swanage Grammar School. 

The Grand Hotel Swanage and Studland

Filmed in Swanage and  St Aldelms Head

Filmed in Studland