Dorchester Dorset.com Blog

Dorchester - the UK's newest city?

Is Dorchester on the verge of becoming the UK’s newest city? As part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations this year, the Queen will be creating a new city, and Dorchester is among the 25 towns who have applied for the honour.

The tangible benefits of becoming a city don’t amount to much in economic or political terms, but if Dorchester were to win, the prestige of being the only city in Dorset would be considerable, and there would undoubtedly be a lot of publicity to mark the award.

So by what criteria is a town deemed worthy of city status? The old standard used to be the presence of a spired cathedral, without which no settlement could be counted a city, regardless of its size. However, this is no longer seen as a determining factor, and the current candidates will most likely be judged on their size, historical significance, and cultural and economic contributions to the UK as a whole.

The City of Dorchester?

We may not be the front-runner – Dorchester’s population of 18,280 looks very modest compared to Gateshead with 171,700, and Bolton with 266,500 – but we’re definitely in with a shot, particularly in terms of the history and cultural influence of the town.

With an Iron Age hill fort just minutes away from some of the best preserved roman ruins in the country, Dorchester speaks to Britain’s long distant past in a way few other places can. Let’s not forget that even the word city comes from the Latin ‘civitas’ – the Romans’ impact on us was tremendous, and nowhere is that more apparent than in Dorchester.

Add to that the fact that we can claim as our own one of Britain’s greatest ever authors, Thomas Hardy, whose novels continue to capture the imagination of millions of people around the world today.

With the 20th Thomas Hardy Conference and Festival being held in Dorchester later this year, the popularity and cultural significance of Hardy shows no sign of abating, and this will surely count in our favour when it comes to deciding which town deserves the honour of city status.

If you’re the betting type, Dorchester is currently a rank outsider at 25-1, while Reading is the strong favourite at 10-11, followed by Perth and Middlesborough at 10-1. What do you think, worth a flutter?

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Fans of local heritage and antiques have the opportunity to get their hands on a genuinely exciting piece of Dorset history next month, as a set of 100-150 year old Victorian brass bushel measures go under the hammer at Duke’s Auctioneers in Dorchester.

These rare and collectable items belong to Dorset County Council, and are one of seven lots up for sale at an auction in early February. Also included in the sale is a pair of checkpump petrol measures – a slightly more recent piece of Dorset history, expected to raise around £150.

The set of 10 imperial standard bushel measures date from 1858 to 1899, and were used to track and regulate crop production and sales in Dorset. Each piece has a date stamp and a label marking it as property of the County of Dorsetshire. They are estimated to sell for £2,000 at auction, so you better have deep pockets if you want to make a bid!

A key attraction of these pieces is that they come from one of the most fascinating periods in Dorset’s history. While much of the rest of Britain was in the throes of being transformed by the Industrial Revolution, Dorset kept its largely rural character in the late 19th century, with an economy that never lost its focus on traditional agriculture. This was the Dorset of Thomas Hardy novels – thatched cottages, milkmaids, harvest festivals and an altogether simpler existence than that being experienced by those dwelling in the cities.

The Victorian crop measures speak to that simpler time in Dorset history, with its farm economy and centuries old system of trade and bartering. They would a great buy for anyone with an interest in local history or a wider appreciation of antiques from the Victorian period.

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