FORDINGTON SLUMS, FILTH AND CHOLERA

NEW HERITAGE INFORMATION BOARD: Dorchester Town Council is preparing a heritage information board to be erected in front of the Old Malthouse in Fordington. As well as signalling that part of the 18th century building later became the Noah’s Ark pub, it will also show...

PUBLIC OPEN-AIR SCULPTURES IN DORCHESTER

THE DORSET MARTYRS’ MEMORIAL was created in 1983 by the world-renowned sculptress Dame Elizabeth Frink (1930-1993) and installed in 1986 on Gallows Hill, to one side of Salisbury Fields, the site of public executions in Dorchester in the 16th and 17th centuries. It...

TERRACED HOUSING IN DORCHESTER

When one thinks of 18th century terraced houses in the south-west one’s thoughts turn naturally to those in Bath. The most fashionable terrace of all was built on the Circus to make holidaying aristocrats feel that they were living in a palatial country house (see...

ASSEMBLY ROOMS, THEATRES AND CINEMAS IN DORCHESTER

IAN GOSLING 17.7.2023 During the reign of Elizabeth 1 bands of strolling players performed in Dorchester. In 1607, four years after the succession of James 1, a group of players “Lord Berkeley’s Men” came to town to put on plays. The Town Corporation, which was...

THOMAS HARDY VICTORIAN FAIR

On Sunday 4th June the Civic Society provided a stand and a guided walk at this year’s Thomas Hardy Victorian Fair. Dressing-up in Victorian garb, the Chair and Vice Chair presented materials illustrating the contribution of Victorian architecture to the development...