Benville Manor Camping

No availability at present on Pitchup.com 9.7 36 reviews

Wild-style site set in the grounds of a 16th-century Tudor manor
A 30-minute drive to Lyme Regis or Charmouth; 10 minutes to Beaminster
Outdoor yoga classes in the hidden garden; firepits for hire

For wild-style stays in gorgeous west Dorset, get set for a trip to Benville Manor Camping. As the name suggests, this is a place where you can camp in quite some style – you'll be settling down in a spacious meadow sandwiched between manor gardens and green and leafy woodlands. There's a strict limit on guest numbers here to keep things as peaceful as possible, meaning there's sure to be ample room where you can ramble, play and soak up the all-natural surrounds. Or perhaps have a good old stretch – a local yoga instructor runs hour-long classes in the pretty hidden garden on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 8.45 for a good way to ease yourself into the day. This low-key and fetchingly rural spot has some convenient amenities too – the hot showers, well-kept toilets, washing-up facilities and strong 4G reception are likely to go down well with practically-minded guests. Fond of stoking the embers of a campfire? Sturdy firepits are available to hire on site, as well as the firelighters, kindling, firewood that are available at the small shop. In the mood for some locally-produced snacks? Evershot and its artisanal bakery are five minutes' drive away. For the nearest supermarket, you're 10 minutes from Beaminster, where there's also a good selection of independent shops, restaurants and pubs. Dorchester (20 minutes) and its several specialised museums are also worth a peek – Dorset's county town has exhibits dedicated to Roman history, dinosaurs, teddy bears and Egyptology. Those who fancy a bit of posh pub grub may instead like to head out for the half-hour hike to Corscombe, where top chef Mark Hix serves up smart plates at the Fox Inn.

Site type

Please note

The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
Group bookings of 12 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
Single-sex bookings of 5 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.
No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
Dogs are not allowed if you are staying in the accommodation units.
Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the site are unlit.

Languages spoken

English

Pitch types & availability

No availability at present on Pitchup.com

Choose your dates and we'll email when available.

See nearby bookable sites

Bell tent

4 people maximum No dogs allowed

Dimensions: 5.0m width x 5.0m length (16.4ft width x 16.4ft length) Calculated area: 25.0m² (269.1ft²)

4 people maximum No dogs allowed

Bring all camping equipment minus the tent (linen, sleeping bags, pillows, cooking equipment, etc.)

Dimensions

5.0m width x 5.0m length (16.4ft width x 16.4ft length) Calculated area: 25.0m² (269.1ft²)

1 room

Open space 1 x Double airbed, 2 x Single airbed

No toilets in the unit: shared facilities available.

No showers in the unit: shared facilities available.

Features

Car 1 included, 1 max.

Car parking by pitch/unit
Dry toilet / eco toilet
Firepit
Lanterns/fairy lights

Other restrictions

No dogs allowed
Bed linen not provided

Arrival days

No availability on our site

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

6 people maximum

Ground type: Grass

Pitch size: Min 10.0m width x 10.0m depth (32.8ft width x 32.8ft depth) Calculated area: 100.0m² (1076.4ft²)

6 people maximum

One Campervan allowed per pitch

Additional units require additional pitches - quick book via 'Make another booking like this' after making your booking.

Pitch size

Min 10.0m width x 10.0m depth (32.8ft width x 32.8ft depth) Calculated area: 100.0m² (1076.4ft²)

Ground type

Grass

Suitable for

Campervan, (Motorhome not allowed)

Features

Car 1 included, 2 max.

Car parking by pitch/unit

Other restrictions

Awnings not allowed

Extras

Bring a gazebo (2 max)		£2 (£2) per night
Bring a pup tent (2 max)		£3 (£3) per night
Dog (2 max)		£2 (£2) per night
Extra car (1 max)		£5 (£5) per stay

You will be able to choose extras on the booking page.

Arrival days

No availability on our site

Non-electric grass tent or trailer tent pitch

6 people maximum

Ground type: Grass

Pitch size: Min 10.0m width x 10.0m depth (32.8ft width x 32.8ft depth) Calculated area: 100.0m² (1076.4ft²)

6 people maximum

One Tent or Trailer tent allowed per pitch

Additional units require additional pitches - quick book via 'Make another booking like this' after making your booking.

Pitch size

Min 10.0m width x 10.0m depth (32.8ft width x 32.8ft depth) Calculated area: 100.0m² (1076.4ft²)

Ground type

Grass

Suitable for

Tent, Trailer tent

Features

Car 1 included, 2 max.

Car parking by pitch/unit

Other restrictions

Awnings not allowed

Extras

Bring a gazebo (2 max)		£2 (£2) per night
Bring a pup tent (2 max)		£3 (£3) per night
Dog (2 max)		£2 (£2) per night
Extra car (1 max)		£5 (£5) per stay

You will be able to choose extras on the booking page.

Arrival days

No availability on our site

Reviews

would recommend this site to a friend

would stay here again

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1

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Even our dog was ultra chilled after one night

Lovely no frills, back to basics site at a good price.

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	10
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	10
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	No rating

Lynn G. Sept 2024

Non-electric grass tent or trailer tent pitch

Liked: Lovely location. Friendly lady greeted us and talked us through everything and then we chose our own pitch which are little areas cut into longer grass and well spaced out with pathways cut. Loved the fun showers which really reconnect you with the outdoors and the composting loo's were very clean and work very well. I always think they are more pleasant than conventional public loo's. Drinking water available from tap at main house or sold onsite. Hopefully we will be back very soon.

Disliked: Nothing about the site. Just find dogs left to bark without being attended to a little annoying. But thats not campsites fault.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Did what it said on the tin. Very friendly.…

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	10
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	10
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	10

Anonymous Sept 2024

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

Liked: Did what it said on the tin. Very friendly.

Recommend to friends Visit again

A very laidback time, great place!

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	10
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	10
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	No rating

jo S. Aug 2024

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

Liked: Loved the location and being surrounded by rolling countryside.
Loved the meadow and how the pitches had been mown.
The kids loved the swing& trampoline .
Good firewood for sale& very reasonable price for this.
The facilities were eco friendly so felt that staying there was not harmful to the environment. The Manor House looked really nice and it was lovely to stay in such beautiful grounds. Only stayed one night as a stop over but will definitely go back for longer next time.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Good meadow camping

Overall	8/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	No rating
Facilities / Activities	No rating
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	No rating
Cleanliness	8
Wifi	No rating

Anonymous Aug 2024

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

Liked: Peaceful surroundings. Friendly staff . Dog friendly.

Disliked: Nothing really first encounter with composting toilet that was kept clean and tidy.

Recommend to friends Visit again

An amazing camp site, with Kelly being a very friendly camp manager!

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	10
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	10
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	10

Paul D. Aug 2024

Bell tent

Liked: Loved everything about this site, had a real feel of wild camping without being tent to tent with other campers, decent outdoor wash facilities and very clean compost toilets, we had a very peaceful 2 night stay, would definitely recommend and will definitely return!

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Beautiful setting loved the pit fire option have actually tried to book…

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	10
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	10
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	No rating

Becky J. Sept 2024

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

Liked: Beautiful setting loved the pit fire option have actually tried to book again but your too busy x

Recommend to friends Visit again

Perfect- good value, lovely peaceful site, friendly, good shower and clean toilets…

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	10
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	10
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	10

Sarah F. Aug 2024

Non-electric grass tent or trailer tent pitch

Liked: Perfect- good value, lovely peaceful site, friendly, good shower and clean toilets - perfect site to arrive to on our cycling trip and we’ll definitely be back. Just as I’d love all campsites to be

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very family friendly, very basic campsite with a back to nature feel.…

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	8
Facilities / Activities	10
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	10
Cleanliness	8
Wifi	No rating

Katie F. Aug 2024

Non-electric grass tent or trailer tent pitch

Liked: Very family friendly, very basic campsite with a back to nature feel. Composting toilets, open air hot showers and washing sinks are clean and lit at night.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Relaxing campsite, great amenities, friendly, beautiful setting…

Overall	10/10
Location	8
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	10
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	No rating
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	2

Anonymous Aug 2024

Non-electric grass campervan pitch

Liked: Relaxing campsite, great amenities, friendly, beautiful setting

Recommend to friends Visit again

Blissful site with friendly staff

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	8
Facilities / Activities	8
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	10
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	10

Anonymous Aug 2024

Non-electric grass tent or trailer tent pitch

Liked: Loved the peace and tranquility of the site. Hearing the sheep bleating and birds singing and had the added bonus of seeing a barn owl and bats flying around whilst sitting by the fire pit. This was then highlighted with a full moon and stars ✨
Unfortunately we had to cut our break short due to high winds and driving rain blowing our tent over which was set in for the night according to the forecast

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Pop-up campsite

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Car parking by pitch/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Budget/backpacker Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby

Type

Pop-up campsite Small (11-25 pitches)

Accessibility

Disabled facilities

Location

Benville Manor Camping

Benville Lane

Dorchester

Dorset

England

DT2 0NW

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

50.83162°N
-2.66231°W

Nearest transport

Coach

7.8 mi Yeovil Bus Station

8.1 mi Coach Station

10.3 mi Greenhill

Rail

4.6 mi Chetnole Rail Station

5.4 mi Maiden Newton Rail Station

5.8 mi Crewkerne Rail Station

Ferry

18.1 mi Weymouth Ferry Terminal

25.9 mi Bridgwater Ferry Terminal

Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

If you're drawn to this place because of the historical connections, you might want to step back in time off-site at nearby Mapperton House and Gardens (10 minutes' drive), another Tudor manor house built in gorgeous sandstone. For some even older entertainment, line yourself up trips to the chalk Cerne Abbas Giant (20 minutes) or the scenic ruins of Corfe Castle (an hour). Have you packed your towel? At Benville Manor Camping, you're also well-placed to get some sea and sand at classic Jurassic Coast resorts like Lyme Regis (30 minutes) and Charmouth (30 minutes). There's also Bridport Harbour (20 minutes), an attractive spot at the end of mighty Chesil Beach. As any keen geography student will tell you, this isn't actually a beach at all, but an 18-mile shingle spit (great for saltwater fishing, less so for bathing). Other noteworthy spots include Abbotsbury (30 minutes), a well-preserved village where a colony of swans has made its home on the sheltered side of Chesil Beach. There's also an 18th-century botanical garden here with an impressive collection of blooming plants that appreciate the area's warmer than average microclimate, plus an avian-themed adventure playground to keep the kids on side.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name	Distance	Type	2020	2019	2018	2017
West Bay (West)	9.5 mi	Sea	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Eypemouth	9.6 mi	Sea	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Hive	9.7 mi	Sea	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Seatown	10.4 mi	Sea	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Charmouth West	12.6 mi	Sea	N/A	Excellent	Excellent	Good

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Mapperton House & Gardens 3.2 mi

Montacute House 8.6 mi

Abbotsbury Swannery 12.2 mi

Fleet Air Arm Museum 12.7 mi

Hardy's Birthplace 13.8 mi

National Trust

Montacute House 8.6 mi

Tintinhull Garden 10.1 mi

Barrington Court 12.5 mi

Max Gate 13.5 mi

Hardy's Cottage 13.8 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

MELBURY PARK 3 mi

BEAMINSTER MANOR 3.2 mi

MAPPERTON HOUSE 3.3 mi

CHANTMARLE 3.6 mi

PARNHAM 4.2 mi

Local events

Dorset County Show (Saturday 6 September 2025 – Saturday 6 September 2025)
Dorchester, Dorset 12.8 mi
Glastonbury Festival (Wednesday 25 June 2025 – Wednesday 25 June 2025)
Glastonbury, Somerset 22.9 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Policies

Booking terms and conditions

Admission

Admission is only permitted after registering at reception.
Unsupervised minors must have a letter of authorisation from their parents or legal guardian.

Arrivals and departures

Late arrivals must notify the park as soon as possible. Your booking will be held for 24 hours. After this period the management reserves the right to relet your unit.
No refunds/discounts for inclement weather, late arrivals or early departures.
Please pick any available pitch on arrival.

Dogs

Dogs are not allowed if you are staying in the accommodation units.
Dogs are prohibited from main facilities and amenities.
Dogs must be kept on leads and supervised at all times.
Guide dogs are allowed on site free of charge.
The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).

Extras

Motorbike(s) can be brought instead of the car(s) included.

General

In the event of a complaint, please speak to reception immediately. Complaints which are not brought to the management's attention during your stay cannot be dealt with once you have left the site.
Quiet hours must be respected between 11 p.m. and 9 a.m..
Radio, music and TV players must be kept at a low volume. Car doors and boots must be closed quietly.

Occupancy

Group bookings of 12 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
Single-sex bookings of 5 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.

Reception

Reception is closed from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.. No arrivals are permitted between these times.
Reception is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. between 24/05 and 27/05 and between 19/07 and 01/09.

Safety

Barbecues are permitted but must be raised off the ground and attended by an adult at all times.
Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the site are unlit.

Vehicles

No vehicle movement between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m..
Only one car is to be parked by the pitch. Extra vehicles must be parked in the designated area.

Visitors

Visitors must leave the premises by 10 p.m..

Payment terms

Offers

Conditions apply - see pitch type section for details

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Frequently asked questions

Does Benville Manor Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
Is Benville Manor Camping dog friendly? Yes View all features
What attractions are near Benville Manor Camping? If you're drawn to this place because of the historical connections, you might want to step back in time off-site at nearby Mapperton House and Gardens (10 minutes' drive), another Tudor manor … Read more