Crossways is a young but expanding village, situated 6 miles to the east of Dorset's county town, Dorchester.  It occupies land between the B3390 Warmwell Road, and Dick o' th' Banks Road, which joins the D1322 to West Stafford and Dorchester.

In the early 1930's Crossways was a sleepy hamlet of scattered bungalows and cottages, and at that time the Air Ministry acquired local heath and farm land to build an airfield.  This airfield was completed in 1937 and was known as RAF Woodsford, although it was renamed RAF Warmwell a year later.  RAF Warmwell played an important part in World War II, being a major fighter base during the Battle of Britain, and offering fighter protection for Portland Naval Base and other important south coast areas.

During the following years, the runways and operational areas disappeared as a result of the extraction of valuable sand and gravel by mineral companies.  Several remnants of the airfield can still be seen however. The Village Hall, for example, used to have a multi-functional role, being used by the airmen for recreational use - cinema, gymnasium and NAFFI, but was used on occasions as a morgue.  It is in use constantly to this day.

Much of the present village of Crossways is built on the eastern part of the former airfield site.

In the early 1970's the Local Authority decided to build blocks of flats, houses and bungalows to provide much needed accommodation for displaced families in the area, and to fulfil a growing need for housing at the time.  This resulted in a very rapid expansion in the size of the community at Crossways but, sadly, community facilities were not provided to serve this expansion.  At the present date the village still does not have a school, church (a small Methodist Church does exist on the outskirts of the village), or pub, and yet is among the largest villages in West Dorset.  Happily, Crossways First School is planned to be built ready for intake in September 2005, thanks mainly to finance provided by the developers of a 140-house estate, and the willingness of the staff and governors of nearby Owermoigne School to relocate.  The Church of England also has moved the Rectory from Moreton to Crossways and has acquired a site to build a Church.