WAREHAM, a town of Dorsetshire, England. Its popula tion in 1931 was 2,057.
Owing to its situation as a key of Purbeck, the site of Ware ham (Werham, Warham) has been occupied from very early times. There are still remains of earthworks around the town which are probably of Romano-British age originally and modified on many subsequent occasions. Wareham's British name was Durngueir. The early chroniclers declare that St. Aldhelm founded a church near by about 701, and perhaps the priory, which is mentioned as existing in 876, when the Danes retired from Cam bridge to a strong position in this fort. Their occupation was not lengthy. Having made terms with Alfred, they broke the conditions and returned to Cambridge. In the following year they were again at Wareham, which they made their headquarters. Beorhtric was buried here. Further incursions made by the Danes
in 998 and in 1015 under Canute probably resulted in the de struction of the priory, on the site of which a later house was founded in the 12th century as a cell of the Norman abbey of Lysa, and in the decayed condition of Wareham in 1086. The early castle, which existed before 1086, was important during the civil wars of Stephen's reign. John fortified it against Louis of France in 1216, and during the civil wars of the 17th century it was the scene of much fighting. Wareham was accounted a borough in Domesday. In 1587 Elizabeth granted certain priv ileges to Wareham, but it was not incorporated until 1703. There are three ancient churches, and the ruins of a priory dedicated to SS. Mary, Peter and Ethelwood.