[1] The Cottages date back to the late 19th Century when they were built by Lord Wimborne to house specialist workers from his Estate.

The houses at the bottom of Merley Ways have access to the River Stour and many families own rowing boats and canoes.

Originally a private Public House, the Willett as it is referred to by locals, served travellers on the Wimborne to Poole road, as well as the Southampton and Dorchester Railway.

Once the Railway line was closed the pub became less popular until the community in Merley was built and Oakley and Canford Magna began to grow.

The railway line was converted into the Castleman Trailway and the Pub now serves the community, tourists, cyclists and walkers.

A small, mental health hospital for older people, Oakley House sits surrounded by fields used by a local dairy herd.

The community is home to mainly middle- and upper-middle-class families with a proportion of the adults being employed by Cobham plc in the field of Defence, Avionics and Surveillance Systems, and in occupations such as teaching.

Merley, a large suburb and housing estate was built alongside Oakley and Canford Magna in the 1970s.

The residents of Oakley frequently use the amenities in Merley, which include a butcher's shop, a post office, a doctor's surgery, a pharmacy, a Chinese takeaway and a convenience store.