Jordan Hill

Jordan Hill rises just east of Weymouth, a modest 50-metre rise topped by the remains of a square Romano-Celtic temple from the 4th century. The hill sits between Preston village and the coast, with Furzy Cliff to the south and Bowleaze Cove to the east. From its summit visitors can look north to the chalk figure of the Osmington White Horse carved into the hillside above the village of Osmington. The South West Coastal Path passes close by, making the hill an easy detour for walkers. The hill is listed as a tump in the Database of British and Irish Hills, a modest but recognised landmark. In 1816–17 the artist John Constable painted Weymouth Bay from Bowleaze Cove, capturing the view west towards Jordan Hill during his honeymoon. That painting now hangs in the National Gallery in London. The temple remains, protected by English Heritage, stand within a fenced area that visitors may enter. Paths lead across the hill and down to the nearby coves, offering views across Bowleaze Cove and along the coast. The temple site is quiet, with only the wind and distant waves breaking the stillness. From the hill the chalk horse gleams white against the green hillside, a striking contrast on clear days.