A Day Out in Roman Dorchester
We’ve partnered up with Great Western Railway to promote Dorchester. It’s easy to get to Dorchester from the surrounding areas, just hop on the Great Western Railway line for an quick journey and a fun day out!
Dorchester was founded by the Romans around 60AD under the name Durnovaria. We’ve still got tons of fabulous Roman history dotted around our town, and in our museums, for everybody to see.
Here’s some inspiration for a full Day Out in Roman Dorchester…
Hop on a train to Dorchester with Great Western Railway
Whether you’re coming from further away or just down the road, Great Western Railway has you covered.
The journey from Bristol to Dorchester takes around 2 hours. Leave at 8, by 10 you can be here for the whole day.
The 1 hour and 45 minutes from Bath is an easy length for a fun journey to Dorchester.
From Weymouth to Dorchester, the journey takes just 11 minutes – what could be easier!
Book your tickets at www.gwr.com.
Explore the Roman Mosaics at Dorset Museum
Did you know more Roman mosaics have been found in Dorchester than any other Roman town in Britain?
See a fantastic selection of these mosaics and others at Dorset Museum. The museum’s Victorian Hall is a jaw-dropper, with mosaics all over the walls and floors. Two of the beautiful patterns sit front and centre in the Victorian Hall – the Durngate street and Olga Road mosaics. These cover the main part of the floor and you can walk over them just as the Romans would have!
Discover countless Roman items from Durnovaria at Dorset Museum.
Discover our fully-exposed Roman Town House
Next up on your Roman day Out itinerary, explore Dorchester’s rich Roman history with the only example of a fully exposed Roman Town House in the country!
A delightful, immersive example of our history in Durnovaria. The Town House is just a five-minute walk from the town centre, and is free to visit, with a range of tours offered. You’ll learn about the excavation and conservation of the Roman Town House and how life was there for a Roman.
Enjoy a picnic lunch at Maumbury rings
For your lunch, head to Dorchester’s historic Maumbury Rings?
A free place to visit in Dorchester, Maumbury Rings was excavated in 1908-13. Celtic henge? Roman amphitheatre? Civil War army camp? The prehistoric henge has seen it all! When the Romans built Durnovaria in around 60 AD, they re-modelled the henge to build an entirely new amphitheatre.
Now you can sit in the fantastic natural arena where hordes of Roman soldiers would have practiced their army skills.
Take a journey through time with Dorchester Roman Tours
Guided by resident Roman soldiers, Dorchester Roman Tours show you through the town and give an educational insight to how our ancestors lived here 2000 years ago. Learn and see how the Roman army dominated and built it’s Empire!
Their West Gate Tour will visit the Roman wall and Roman Town House while exploring Dorchester’s rich Roman heritage. Explore the ancient customs of our Roman Pagan ancestors at a Roman Religion workshop. Learn about the Customs of the Durotriges and the Romans of Durnovaria. Witness ancient rites performed or, for special events, suggest a offering to a specific Deity. Join a Roman cookery workshop to learn how to make roman meals!
There’s a world of Durnovarian history to discover with these interactive experiences.
Walk the tree-lined Roman walls
Like most Roman towns in Britain, Durnovaria was walled! Over the years, Dorchester has outgrown the original wall size of 75 acres.
A fragment of surviving walling, located just south of the Top ‘o Town roundabout, has been incorporated into a garden wall since the early 19th century. This wall was given to the town in 1886 by Lucia Stone.
You can still see the original line of the Roman walls. They have been lined with beautiful trees so you can finish your Day Out in Roman Dorchester with a leisurely stroll around the centre of town! Follow the tree-lined walks as Spring blossoms, the perfect way to spend your afternoon discovering Durnovaria.
Got a little extra time? Learn all of Dorchester’s illustrious history right back to Roman times and take in all the sights along the way with the Historical Dorchester walk. The hour long route takes you along footpaths around the town centre.