Church Knowle is the 'village on a hillock', the burial place of ancient Britons. The Saxons named it cnoll - a hillock. In Domesday the village was called Chenolle.

Today we are left with an attractive village in the Purbeck style with a 13th century church, ancient manor house and an inn, very traditional and cozy. The east window of the church depicts Jesus walking on the water and Peter sinking.