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The Dorset Shepherd

Friday, September 3rd, 2010
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Dorset Shepherd plack

Dorset Shepherd plack

Dorchester Dorset

Most local residents are familiar with the Thomas Hardy Statue set back from the road at the ‘Top of Town’ roundabout but there is also a less well know bronze sculpture of The Dorset Shepherd inspired by a William Barnes poem located in Durngate Street in the town of Dorchester.
Bronze sculpture inspired by Williams Barnes
The statuesque ‘The Dorset Shepherd’ sculpture was inspired by William Barnes’ poem, The Shepherd o’ the Farm. William Barnes was recognised and admired as a great poet by some of the foremost literary men of his time, including Thomas Hardy who regarded him as an equal. John Doubleday, made the sculpture in 2000 and sees it as a tribute to quiet heroism and wisdom and said “We look back at the values of a past age, to men who were intelligent, wise and interesting people. They were in harmony with the seasons and the natural world and probably had more to teach us than we could possibly teach them.”
Who was Williams Barnes?
The Dorset dialect poet was born in 1801 at Bagber near Sturminster Newton into a farming family. Even though his formal schooling finished at 13 he went on to work for Solicitor Thomas Coombs in 5 South Street, Dorchester, as an Engrossing Clerk until 1823, when he became a schoolmaster at Mere, Wiltshire. During this time he studied many subjects including sciences, history, archaeology, philology and languages. He was a gifted, intelligent and self educated man, who learned to play several musical instruments and mastered painting and engraving, as well as writing poetry in standard English and the Dorset dialect. In 1823 William Barnes opened a school at Mere in Wiltshire, and after his marriage to Julia Miles in 1827, the couple later moved to Dorchester and ran a boarding school – it closed early due to economic and rural poverty. William Barnes would have witnessed the unrest in the countryside with the Crown Court in Dorchester used as the setting for the 1834 trial of the “Tolpuddle Martyrs,” a group of 6 brave men from the nearby village of Tolpuddle who protested against pay cuts by wealthy landowners.
In 1835 the Barnes family set up a school in Durngate Street, Dorchester. The large property housed ten boarders, twenty five day students (boys) as well as the Barnes’ four children, two servants and a trainee schoolmaster. It was also during this time that he started studying for his Divinity Degree with St. John’s College, Cambridge. Studying mainly from home over a ten year period, he was awarded the degree in 1850. He was ordained in 1848 and was appointed curate at Whitcombe near Dorchester. Barnes died in 1886.
Poems of rural life
His first poem was published in the Dorset County Chronicle in 1834 with a full collection of poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect being published in book form in 1844. Barnes drew inspiration from rural life and was one of the founder members of the Dorset Field Club, which established the Dorset County Museum.
His wife’s death, in 1852, affected him deeply with many of his poems describing his love for her. He left, for our enjoyment, poems that paint a picture of the life and language of rural Dorset which had almost disappeared at the time he was writing. The Collection at Dorchester Reference Library contains most of his published works and is available for reference only.
With Barnes’ close association with Durngate Street, having lived and worked there, this area is a fitting location for ‘The Dorset Shepherd’ sculpture. This statue is a poignant reminder of Dorchester’s on-going role as a market town with strong historic links to sheep farming and the wool industry.
Sculpture Trail
When next in Dorchester why not follow the Sculpture Trail to discover more of Dorchester Town’s secrets and historical past. http://www.dorchesterdorset.com/secrets.php
Dorset Shepherd plack

Dorset Shepherd plaque

Most local residents are familiar with the Thomas Hardy Statue set back from the road at the ‘Top of Town’ roundabout but there is also a less well know bronze sculpture of The Dorset Shepherd inspired by a William Barnes poem located in Durngate Street in the town of Dorchester.

Bronze sculpture inspired by Williams Barnes

The statuesque ‘The Dorset Shepherd’ sculpture was inspired by William Barnes’ poem, The Shepherd o’ the Farm. William Barnes was recognised and admired as a great poet by some of the foremost literary men of his time, including Thomas Hardy who regarded him as an equal. John Doubleday, made the sculpture in 2000 and sees it as a tribute to quiet heroism and wisdom and said “We look back at the values of a past age, to men who were intelligent, wise and interesting people. They were in harmony with the seasons and the natural world and probably had more to teach us than we could possibly teach them.”

Who was Williams Barnes?

The Dorset dialect poet was born in 1801 at Bagber near Sturminster Newton into a farming family. Even though his formal schooling finished at 13 he went on to work for Solicitor Thomas Coombs in 5 South Street, Dorchester, as an Engrossing Clerk until 1823, when he became a schoolmaster at Mere, Wiltshire. During this time he studied many subjects including sciences, history, archaeology, philology and languages. He was a gifted, intelligent and self educated man, who learned to play several musical instruments and mastered painting and engraving, as well as writing poetry in standard English and the Dorset dialect. In 1823 William Barnes opened a school at Mere in Wiltshire, and after his marriage to Julia Miles in 1827, the couple later moved to Dorchester and ran a boarding school – it closed early due to economic and rural poverty. William Barnes would have witnessed the unrest in the countryside with the Crown Court in Dorchester used as the setting for the 1834 trial of the “Tolpuddle Martyrs,” a group of 6 brave men from the nearby village of Tolpuddle who protested against pay cuts by wealthy landowners.

Dorset Shepherd Statue

Dorset Shepherd Statue

In 1835 the Barnes family set up a school in Durngate Street, Dorchester. The large property housed ten boarders, twenty five day students (boys) as well as the Barnes’ four children, two servants and a trainee schoolmaster. It was also during this time that he started studying for his Divinity Degree with St. John’s College, Cambridge. Studying mainly from home over a ten year period, he was awarded the degree in 1850. He was ordained in 1848 and was appointed curate at Whitcombe near Dorchester. Barnes died in 1886.

Poems of rural life

His first poem was published in the Dorset County Chronicle in 1834 with a full collection of poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect being published in book form in 1844. Barnes drew inspiration from rural life and was one of the founder members of the Dorset Field Club, which established the Dorset County Museum.

His wife’s death, in 1852, affected him deeply with many of his poems describing his love for her. He left, for our enjoyment, poems that paint a picture of the life and language of rural Dorset which had almost disappeared at the time he was writing. The Collection at Dorchester Reference Library contains most of his published works and is available for reference only.

With Barnes’ close association with Durngate Street, having lived and worked there, this area is a fitting location for ‘The Dorset Shepherd’ sculpture. This statue is a poignant reminder of Dorchester’s on-going role as a market town with strong historic links to sheep farming and the wool industry.

Sculpture Trail

When next in Dorchester why not follow the Sculpture Trail to discover more of Dorchester Town’s secrets and historical past.

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French Market in Dorchester

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
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Dorchester will come across all Francais this weekend.  The French market is coming to Dorchester.
The event is hugely successful, with large numbers of visitors coming to the town during the weekend.  Local French produce included breads, cheeses, sausages, leather goods, crepes, chocolate, sweets, and lots more .
AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND – FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY – 27TH, 28TH & 29TH AUGUST 2010
Dorchester French Market

Dorchester French Market

Dorchester will come across all Francais this weekend.  The French market is coming to Dorchester.

The event is hugely successful, with large numbers of visitors coming to the town during the weekend.  Local French produce included breads, cheeses, sausages, leather goods, crepes, chocolate, sweets, and lots more .

AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND – FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY – 27TH, 28TH & 29TH AUGUST 2010

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8 reasons to visit Dorchester

Thursday, July 15th, 2010
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Tutankhamun Museum

Tutankhamun Museum

10 Reasons to visit Dorchester

With the summer holidays nearly upon us many families are considering where to travel on holiday or perhaps a weekend visit.  Dorchester has an incredibly rich history dating back to pre-historic times.  Ideally situated in the center of the county, Dorchester, is an ideal spot to base yourself to access the rest of the Dorset.
The History of Dorchester
Dorchester’s roots can be traced back to prehistoric times.
Once considered one of the most influential settlements in pre-roman Britain, Maiden Castle (Hill Fort) was the site of the early settlements.
Roman features can still be spotted in the town today.  These include part of the town walls and the remains of a town house near the County Hall. There is also Maumbury Rings, a Roman amphitheatre and Poundbury Hill, another fort.
Dorchester Today
Even if the children will not sit still long enough to learn about this market-town, there are many reasons why you should visit Dorchester.  Here are 10 reasons why you should visit Dorchester.
1)
Maumbury Rings
Maumbury Rings, just off the Weymouth Road, was originally a Neolithic Henge monument from around 2500 BC. It was the Romans who lowered the central area and built up the banks to create an amphitheatre capable of holding 10,000 people.It was used as a cannon emplacement during the Civil War, guarding the town’s southern approaches. Mary Channing was executed here in 1705 for poisoning her husband. She was strangled and burnt.
It seems so peaceful now when the only disturbance is the occasional concert or performance but its long bloody history fascinated Thomas Hardy who witnessed excavations on this site when he was in his sixties. The site is mentioned in his novel, The Mayor of Casterbridge
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Maumbury+Rings.&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=19.805845,34.277344&ie=UTF8&hq=Maumbury+Rings.&hnear=&ll=50.708057,-2.440263&spn=0.002497,0.006228&t=h&z=18

With the summer holidays nearly upon us many families are considering where to travel on holiday or perhaps a weekend visit.  Dorchester has an incredibly rich history dating back to pre-historic times.

Ideally situated in the center of the county, Dorchester, is an ideal spot to base yourself to access the rest of the Dorset.

The History of Dorchester

Dorchester’s roots can be traced back to prehistoric times.   Once considered one of the most influential settlements in pre-roman Britain, Maiden Castle (Hill Fort) was the site of the early settlements.

Roman features can still be spotted in the town today.  These include part of the town walls and the remains of a town house near the County Hall. There is also Maumbury Rings, a Roman amphitheatre and Poundbury Hill, another fort.

Dorchester Today

Even if the children will not sit still long enough to learn about this market-town, there are many reasons why you should visit Dorchester.  Here are 8 reasons why you should visit Dorchester.

View around Maumbury Rings

View around Maumbury Rings

1) Maumbury Rings

Maumbury Rings, just off the Weymouth Road, was originally a Neolithic Henge monument from around 2500 BC. It was the Romans who lowered the central area and built up the banks to create an amphitheatre capable of holding 10,000 people.It was used as a cannon emplacement during the Civil War, guarding the town’s southern approaches. Mary Channing was executed here in 1705 for poisoning her husband. She was strangled and burnt.

It seems so peaceful now when the only disturbance is the occasional concert or performance but its long bloody history fascinated Thomas Hardy who witnessed excavations on this site when he was in his sixties. The site is mentioned in his novel, The Mayor of Casterbridge.  An arial view of the Rings.

2) Terracotta Warriors

The figures Terracotta Warriors Museum, in Dorchester are in all respects identical to the originals having been made near the Emperor’s tomb from the same clay and fired in the same way as the originals.

Tutankhamun Museum

Tutankhamun Museum

3) The Tutankhamun Exhibition

What could be more unexpected in an English county town than to discover an exhibition dedicated to the Ancient Egyptian boy king, Tutankhamun!

4) The Keep, Military Museum

Literally, this is the most spectacular military museum in the South.
The Keep Military museum features computer and digital presentation, realistic battle environments, together with exhibitions and the tales of courage, humour and sacrifice spread over 300 years. A vast array of campaigns is represented and put into a historical context in the video introduction in the bunker. Curios on exhibition include Hitler’s desk!

5) River walk

The river walk can be followed out towards Kingston Maurward by crossing the road at the bottom of High East Street. On the outskirts of Dorchester there are a number of riverside footpaths.

The Dinosaur Museum

The Dinosaur Museum

6) The Dinosaur Museum

Children from a very early age seem fascinated by Dinosaurs. The Dinosaur Museum is a family museum and has frequently appeared on television, usually in children’s programmes such as Blue Peter, the Tweenies and many others.

7) Shopping

With over 400 shops and businesses in the centre of Dorchester there is something to satisfy everyone’s shopping needs. When shopping in Dorchester, you can find a great selection of high street regulars, Dorchester has its own speciality shops that attract people from all over the south west.

8 ) Visit Dorset

Why not Discover our Secrets in Dorchester.  It is a great place to base yourself and ideally located as a hoping off point the rest of the County.  Here are some things that do to and see in Dorset. Remember to book a place to stay in Dorchester.
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Museums at Night

Thursday, May 6th, 2010
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Museums at night

Museums at night

Just like Ben Stiller and Ricky Gervais now’s your chance to have “A night at the Museum” as Dorchester’s curators open their doors for you to enjoy an evening exploring these fine and varied facilities. Museums at Night 2010 is a special initiative, organised by Culture24 and takes place during the weekend of Friday to Sunday 14-16th May. The event is part of European wide celebrations of International Museums Day and is funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA)

Everything comes to life

‘Museums at Night’ is coming to Dorchester in a big way on Saturday 15th May. The historic county town of Dorset boasts no fewer than five superb museums and this initiative will see all five open to visitors from 5pm to 9pm.

Dorchester is blessed with a wealth of top quality museums covering a fantastic range of topics and themes. There is sure to be something to surprise and educate be it  Roman Britain; Tutankhamun; Teddy bears; Thomas Hardy; Dorset’s military history; Dinosaurs, or simply Dorchester’s rich history. Museums at Night promises to be a very special night offering families and individuals an unrivalled opportunity to explore and discover.

‘Museums at Night’ venues

Dorchester County Museum

Dorset’s award winning County Museum located on High West Street, Dorchester is a fantastic base for exploring the history of Dorchester and the surrounding area. The family friendly Museum has fascinating modern galleries, dealing with a wide range of subjects including archaeology, farming history, Dorset wildlife, art, history and literature with special emphasis on the history of Thomas Hardy and the Jurassic Coast.

Dinosaur Museum

For dinosaur lovers, Dorset has the Dinosaur Museum, most recently chosen as one of Britain’s Ten Best Child-Friendly Museums. Located on Icen Way in the centre of Dorchester, the museum is a real treat for children and it combines life-sized reconstructions of dinosaurs with fossils and skeletons to create an exciting hands-on experience.

Teddy Bear Museum

The Teddy Bear Museum houses a large display of teddy bears from throughout the last century starting from the earliest examples right up to today’s TV favourites.  Located on the corner of High East Street and Salisbury Street, Dorchester, the wonderful and varied displays offer sheer enjoyment for the young, and for the not so young, with a fascinating and nostalgic look at this much loved toy,

The Keep Military Museum

The Keep Military Museum is sited in an impressive prominent historical building located at the top of the town in Dorchester, Dorset. It houses the splendid archive collection of the participating regiments that make up the Military Museum of Devon and Dorset. People of all ages can experience realistic battle environments, together with exhibitions and tales of courage, humour and sacrifice spread over 300 years.

Tutankhamun

The Tutankhamun Exhibition holds a spectacular recreation of Tutankhamun’s tomb and treasures. The Tutankhamun Exhibition opened in 1987 and houses the most comprehensive exhibition on the boy pharaoh outside of Egypt.

Bovington Tank Museum

Away from the town centre, but most certainly not to be overlooked, the Royal Tank Regiment Museum located at Bovington is also joining in this special event. On the evening of May 15th, you can experience how the Army and tank crews have operated in darkness, from World War One to the present day in an extra special night at The Tank Museum. For this special evening you will be able to experience a torchlight tour of The Museum, try out state of the art night vision equipment with the Export Support Team, watch a night time vehicle exercise by the Army and discover what it’s like to crew a vehicle in the dark.

Special admission ticket

There is a special ticket available for the evening of 15th May only, giving you admission to all six museums. Advance family tickets can be purchased for £6 from any of the ‘Museums at Night’ participating museums or from the Dorchester Tourist Information Centre. Special tickets purchased on the night will be £10. Five of the museums are within a short walk of each other and Culture 24 have produced a Google map listing all the participating ‘Museums at Night’ venues and their locations in Dorchester.

Many of the high quality restaurants, cafes and pubs in the centre of Dorchester, Dorset are linking in with ‘Museums at Night’ with special offers for those on the museum trail. The town will be sure to have a special vibrant atmosphere on the night so come along and enjoy a really great evening out.

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Terracotta Warriors Museum

Friday, February 26th, 2010
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Unarmoured Terracotta Warrior

Unarmoured Terracotta Warrior

Dorchester the historic county town of Dorset, has a marvellous collection of specialist museums to delight and educate visitors, including the Dinosaur Museum, Mummies Museum, Dorset County Museum and Teddy Bear Museum.

To add to this list is a particular favourite of mine, the Terracotta Warriors Museum situated in the centre of Dorchester, at the lower end of High East Street. This small but inspiring exhibition focuses on the Terracotta Warriors of the First Emperor of China and explores the remarkable discovery of these amazing treasures of ancient China – now regarded as the 8th Wonder of the Ancient World.

Discovering the Terracotta Warriors

The discovery of the Terracotta Warriors in 1974 by local farmers digging a well, has gripped the imagination of people around the world.

The Terracotta Warriors were created by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi who conquered and united China to become its First Emperor. He built the Great Wall of China and amassed great works of art. The Emperor was obsessed with immortality, and 70,000 workers built his tomb and installed 8000 fantastic life-size clay warriors to protect it. The warriors stand up to 2 metres tall and weigh up to 300 kilograms.

If you have been fortunate to make the journey to the site at Xian in Shaanxi Province you will never forget the experience. Closer to home, adults and children of all ages can enjoy the Terracotta Warriors Museum in Dorchester, Dorset, one of the few museums outside China exclusively dedicated to the amazing Terracotta Warriors.

The Terracotta Warrior Displays

The Terracotta Warriors Museum displays are in 9 sections and tell the story of the discovery and excavation of the tomb. Displays include exact replicas of the life-size Terracotta Warriors and their armour. Dramatic audio and multi-media presentations will entertain and educate, and bring the whole experience stunningly to life. You can also experience a journey through Chinese history illustrated with antiquities covering two millennia. Children can meet General Meng Tian and Qin Shi Huangdi with their fabulous costumes and the Royal Guard uniformed officers.

All the Terracotta Warriors displayed in the museum have been specially made for the exhibition by the technicians of the Lintong Museum Cultural Relic Workshop, Xian, China, as well as workshops of the China National Arts & Crafts Corporation, Xian. The figures with their astounding detail are in all respects identical to the original terracotta warriors having been made near the Emperor’s tomb in the same clay and fired in the same way as the originals. The hands and the heads of the Terracotta Warriors were made separately, and each head is reputed to be different and individual.

Own your very own Terracotta Warrior

Own your very own Terracotta Warrior from the Museum Shop

The Terracotta Warriors featured in the display comprise various types, including crossbowmen, kneeling bowmen, a charioteer, an officer and a general. The entire exhibit is extremely impressive and is accompanied by audio programmes which help bring the discovery to life.

The Terracotta Warriors Museum is open all year round, Monday to Sunday, April to October 10.00am to 5.00pm and in November to March 10.00am to 4:30pm.

Admission is £5.75 per adult, Children £4.00 (under 5 years free), Seniors/Students £5.00 and a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) is £18.00.

On the Terracotta Warriors Museum website you can print a voucher entitling you to a 50p discount on entry tickets.

The specialist shop within the Terracotta Museum, offers authentic Terracotta army figurines recreated by Chinese craftsmen, as well as pottery, postcards and general Exhibition gifts. Most items are also available on the Terracotta Museum online shop.

If you are visiting Dorchester for the day don’t forget there are plenty of cafes and places to grab a bite to eat just a few minutes walk away from the Museum.

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Dorchester Teddy Bear Museum

Friday, February 19th, 2010
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Dorchester Teddy Bear Museum

Dorchester Teddy Bear Museum

From a very young age we have been fascinated with Teddy Bear and there cannot be many of us who did not receive one as a child, or have given one as a present. We name them, use them as comforters, and create characters that become great bedtime stories for young children. Iconic Teddy Bear characters include Paddington, the first to appear on TV, Winnie-the-Pooh made by J.K. Farnell and bought for Christopher Robin in 1921, Rupert Bear, and Pudsey Bear the ‘Children in Need’ mascot. You can now re-live an enchanting time from your own childhood, and give a real thrill to today’s children, by visiting the Dorchester Teddy Bear Museum.

The Teddy Bear Museum is easy to find and is located in Eastgate Centre, on the corner of High East Street and Salisbury Street, Dorchester, a short walk from the Dinosaur Museum. The Museum is set in the ‘house’ of Edward Bear a human sized teddy bear who, along with his family, is an avid bear collector.  The unique teddy bear Edwardian style house with life-sized bears is a must for both family and collector alike. The wonderful and varied display offers sheer enjoyment for the young, and a fascinating and nostalgic look at this much loved toy, for the not so young. It houses a large display of teddy bears from throughout the last century starting from the earliest examples right up to today’s TV favourites. The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum’s oldest bear is Michael dating from 1906 who is based on the original teddy bear design and pattern.

History of the Teddy Bear

Edward Bear waiting to meet you

Edward Bear waiting to meet you

The history of the teddy bear, you may be surprised to learn, dates back to only 1902, with 2002 marking the 100th birthday of the teddy bear.  It was invented almost simultaneously in the United States and Germany but it was the US that gave it its name.

It all began with President Theodore Roosevelt on a hunting trip in Mississippi, he refused to shoot a bear captured and tethered by his hunting party. The incident was immortalized in the Washington Post with a ‘Spare The Bear’ cartoon by Clifford Berryman. This cartoon is believed to have triggered the teddy bear craze in the U.S.

In Brooklyn, New York, shopkeepers Morris & Rose Michtom on seeing the cartoon made a plush toy bear which was placed in the window of their stationary shop calling it “Teddy’s Bear”. The Michtom’s formed the Ideal Novelty and Toy Corporation and became the first company to produce teddy bears.

At about the same time in Germany, Richard Steiff, the nephew of Margarete Steiff, designed a teddy bear based on the bears he had seen at the local zoo. The Steiff Company of Giengen produced its first jointed stuffed bears and the Steiff teddy bears were put on show at the 1903 Leipzig Fair – an American buyer saw them and ordered 3,000 for shipment to the US. Between 1903 and the First World War the Steiff Company sold literally millions of bears, with their trademark button in the left ear, to the United States, Germany and Britain, as the teddy bear became the latest toy craze.

Bear Collection

Bear Collection

The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum houses examples from the earliest antique teddy bears right up to today’s TV favourites and they are all waiting to greet you in this enchanting Teddy Bear Museum. School children will enjoy the experience – my son visited for the second time at the beginning of February and loved exploring the rooms and managed to find Edward Bear, Sleepy Granddad and mummy bear picking flowers. He still cherishes ‘Milo the Milkman’ teddy bear bought in the gift shop on his first outing to the museum.

Visiting the Teddy Bear Museum

The Teddy Bear Museum is open all year round, Monday to Sunday, April to October 10.00am to 5.00pm and in November to March 10.00am to 4:30pm. Closed 25th and 26th December. Admission is £5.75 per adult, Children £4.00 (under 4 years free), Seniors/Students £5.00 and a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) is £18.00. Please contact the museum for special rates for groups and schools.

On the Teddy Bear Museum website you can print a voucher entitling you to a 50p discount on entry tickets and also sign up for their regular newsletter giving details on special events.

The museum’s charming period teddy bear shop is probably the best in the south! The museum’s shop stocks top brands: Steiff Teddy Bear, Merrythought, Dean’s, Gund and many more, to tempt you and is ideal for Teddy bear collectors and all those who love teddy bears. You can also purchase these teddy bears via the museums’ online shop.

The Teddy Bear Museum is a great place for both young and old and should be on your list of things to do when you visit Dorchester.

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