Dorchester Guide History Maps Hotels

Dorchester Guide

The Keep Military Museum, Dorchester, Dorset, UK. — The Keep Military Museum, Dorchester, Dorset, UK

Dorchester is the county town of Dorset with a population of around 20,000. Dorchester is particularly well-known for its associations with the author Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), who was born at Higher Bockhampton, a little east of the town, and lived for much of his life in Dorchester, where he worked in an architect's office.

Dorchester appears as Casterbridge in Hardy's novels and he evokes much of the superb countryside of the surrounding areas.

Dorchester is located on the River Frome and is a pleasant base to explore the many nearby attractions including Sherborne and Weymouth.

Hardys Cottage, Dorchester, Dorset, UK. — Hardy's Cottage, Dorchester, Dorset, UK

Dorchester History

Dorchester as a city dates back to Roman period when the town was founded in AD 70 as Durnovaria. Little of the Roman times remains in Dorchester, however, as the original walls were replaced with tree-lined "Walks" in the 18th century. However Maumbury Rings are the remains of a Roman amphitheatre built over a Neolithic henge.

Maiden Castle is another Neolithic site south of Dorchester and is the largest Iron Age fort in Britain. Maiden Castle was built over what was once a Neolithic settlement dating from at least 4,000 years BC. In 43 AD the fort was either abandoned by its inhabitants in response to the coming of the Roman Legions or less likely besieged and overrun by the invading Roman army.

Dorchester has associations with the infamous Judge Jeffreys, who held his so-called "Bloody Assizes" in the Oak Room of the Antelope Hotel on Cornhill after the unsuccessful rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth in 1685. 74 men were eventually hung, drawn and quartered.

Dorchester's Shire Hall witnessed the sentencing of the six Tolpuddle Martyrs to transportation in 1834. The men were eventually pardoned after a public outcry and became an inspiration to the founding of trade unions in Britain. The village of Tolpuddle is 8 miles east of Dorchester and there is a small museum, the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Museum, detailing the men's story.

Maiden Castle, Dorchester, Dorset, UK. — Maiden Castle, Dorchester, Dorset, UK

Dorchester Attractions

Dorchester's main attractions include the excellent Dorset County Museum, which has exhibits from Celtic and Roman times including Maiden Castle as well as a re-creation of Hardy's study including the great writer's pen's inscribed with the books he wrote with them. Other exhibits focus on the nearby Jurassic Coast, photography of Dorchester and Dorset and costume and textiles.

The Keep Military Museum is dedicated to the history of the Dorset and Devonshire Regiments that were raised in the region over the centuries. Other museums in Dorchester include the Teddy Bear Museum with antique teddy bears, The Dinosaur Museum dedicated to the dinosaur fossils found on the Jurassic Coast with dinosaur skeletons and life-size reproductions of dinosaurs and the Tutankhamun Exhibition, which contains exact replicas of many of the artifacts found in Tutankhamun's burial chamber. The Terracotta Warriors Museum close to the Teddy Bear Museum has reproductions of the famous Terracotta Warriors from Xian in China.

For Thomas Hardy fan's first port of call should be his birthplace in Higher Bockhampton, now known as "Hardy's Cottage." Hardy was born in 1840 in this small thatched house with a pleasant English garden and lived here until the age of 34. Hardy's statue is at the intersection of High West Street and The Grove on your right. The literary inspiration for the Mayor of Casterbridge's house is now a bank on south Street.

The literary inspiration for the Mayor of Casterbridge's house is now a bank. — The literary inspiration for the Mayor of Casterbridge's house is now a bank

When Hardy eventually became a rich and famous writer he moved to Max Gate (Tel: 01305 262 538), a residence he designed himself 2km east of Dorchester and where the author lived from 1885 until his death in 1928. It was at Max Gate that Hardy wrote two of his classic Wessex novels: Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure.

Hardy's heart is buried at Stinsford Churchyard, north of Dorchester along with his first wife (Emma nee Gifford) and second wife (Florence Emily nee Dugdale). Hardy's ashes are placed at Poet's Corner in Westminter Abbey in London.

Dorchester's Tourist Office (Tel: 01305 267 992) is on Antelope Walk and has some excellent information on Hardy and Hardy-themed strolls around town.

Dorchester makes for an excellent base to visit the nearby Cerne Giant, just outside the village of Cerne Abbas, Weymouth, Portland, Chesil Beach, Shaftesbury, Lyme Regis and Sherborne.

Poundbury

Poundbury's development was strongly influenced by the architectural principles of the present King Charles III when he was Prince of Wales. He advocated for traditional and sustainable architectural designs that emphasize human-scale, mixed-use development, and a sense of community.

The master plan for Poundbury was created by the architect Léon Krier, who aimed to create a "traditional" English village with a modern twist. The plan includes a mix of residential, commercial, and retail spaces, as well as green areas and public spaces.

One of the distinctive features of Poundbury is its traditional and eclectic architecture. Buildings in the development feature a range of architectural styles, from Georgian and Victorian to more contemporary designs. They are often built with locally sourced materials and are intended to blend with the surrounding Dorset landscape.

Poundbury architecture. — Construction at Poundbury began in 1993 and will be fully complete by 2025

Dorchester Shopping

Dorchester has the usual collection of Britain's high street favourites: M&S, Waterstones, Waitrose, Topshop, Argos, Next etc along with a number of recommended specialist book shops and art and craft stores.

Max Gate designed by Thomas Hardy himself, Dorset, England, UK. — Max Gate designed by Thomas Hardy himself

Dorchester Hotels

Dorchester's hotels are spread around town. Recommended are the 3-star Premier Inn Dorchester, near Dorchester South Station, the Beggar's Knap Guest House, housed in a building dating from 1891 and Westwood House on High Street West near the museums.

Dorchester Access - Getting To Dorchester

Dorchester has two stations: Dorchester South Station and Dorchester West Station. Dorchester South has trains to London Waterloo, Bournemouth, Southampton and Weymouth. Dorchester West has trains to Gloucester, Bath and Bristol.

The A35 runs in a loop south of Dorchester. The A354 runs south to Weymouth. Buses connect Dorchester to Sherborne on weekdays. There are also buses to the pretty town of Beaminster.