In and around
4000 years ago there was a settlement 1 mile southwest of what we now know as Dorchester. Over the following 2000 years invaders came and the settlement was gradually fortified, growing in size all the while. By the time Vespasian stormed it in AD44, Maiden Castle, from Mai-Dun, (‘hill of strength’), covered 115 acres and was surrounded by triple ramparts.
The Romans settled in Maiden Castle, but soon established a new town, Durnovaria, which became Dorchester. Many relics of these times remain within the old town walls; in the grounds of County Hall is a Roman townhouse, with tessellated pavements and a mosaic. Maumbury Rings was an amphitheatre where all sorts of sporting ‘and other entertainment’ took place including well-attended public executions until 1705.
Situated in Dorchester - the gateway to the Jurassic Coast - Britain’s original Dinosaur Museum brings together actual fossils, skeletons,
and life-size dinosaur reconstructions with hands on, interactive and cinematic displays. Featured dinosaurs include T rex, Megalosaurus and Deinonychus. There are fun sheets for children and special events most Bank Holiday weekends.
If Ancient Egypt and Tutankhamun is your thing then a visit to the Tutankhamun Exhibition is a must. The world renowned exhibition accurately recreates Tutankhamun’s tomb, treasures and mummy, through sight, sound and smell. It’s like stepping back in time to 1922 and the moment of the discovery.
Two of Dorchester’s other museums are housed within the same building. The Teddy Bear Museum is a unique and enchanting museum. Enter the delightful world of the teddy bear in this wonderful family museum. The Terracotta Warriors Museum is dedicated to the eighth wonder of the ancient world and has superb museum replicas of the warriors, armour and costumes. Make a day of it and visit more than one of these museums and save money as well.
In its past, the town has had its share of famous and infamous men. Thomas Hardy is probably the best-known and Dorchester (Casterbridge) basks in his reflected glory. In stark contrast, the drunken, blaspheming Judge Jeffreys arrived in Dorchester in September 1685 to serve justice on all those suspected of being linked with the failed rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth. The Bloody Assizes were held in the Oak Room of the Antelope Hotel and Judge Jeffreys, who had been instructed to show no mercy, had 74 rebels executed, many of whom had the slenderest of connections with the rebellion.
Jeffrey’s lodging in the High Street is now a restaurant, and is in fact one of the few medieval buildings left in Dorchester; like many similar towns, Dorchester had a series of disastrous fires in the 16th and 17th centuries which destroyed most of the buildings.
Close by, Dorset County Museum is, in effect, the Museum of Dorset. Inside you will find displays of Dorset history from the earliest times, wildlife, archaeology, geology and famous figures from the past. The Victorian Hall is the central gallery of the Museum; here you can experience Dorset history in a fascinating array of objects from the Roman period to the present day. These include beautiful Roman mosaic pavements you can really walk on, medieval jewellery and fine art. Upstairs, the Dorchester Gallery follows the 6,000 year time-line of Dorchester.
The Jurassic Coast Gallery tells the story of the Jurassic Coast and houses real fossils including giant sea reptiles, dinosaur footprints and armoured fish. The Dorset Writers’ Gallery explores the lives and works of Dorset writers from Anglo-Saxon times to the present day and includes the
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The Tourist Handbook Wessex 2011
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