Dorchester’s Heritage Open Day on Sunday, 18th September is the final day of the 3-day event.
HOD22-Discover Dorchester celebrates the 400th anniversary of the Dorchester Brewhouse set up in September 1622 to provide a welfare system via a tax on beer and Dorchester’s 21st century Brewhouse & Kitchen have created a special “Heritage” beer to mark the occasion.
Visit St Peter’s church to find out about Rev John White, the “Patriarch of Dorchester”, who set up the Brewhouse and the Massachusetts Bay Company to settle America, and William Barnes, local polymath and dialect poet. Visit the Shire Hall Museum to hear about the Tolpuddle Martyrs who inspired the trade union movement and Keep Military Museum to explore innovation through military history and enjoy displays from Nothe Fort Garrison.
Demonstrations of flint knapping, pottery, tin casting, and jewellery-making by the Ancient Wessex Network and bring your artefacts and finds to the Portable Antique Scheme at the Roman Town House. Visit the Corn Exchange to see “Galpin’s Folly” and find out about Martha Brown at Dorchester Prison.
Where did Sir Frederick Treves, developer of the appendectomy live? Who invented the first composting toilet? Answers can be found at Dorset Museum, on the guided tours of the town, or from the living history displays in Nappers Mite. Visit KeeP 106 at the town pump to send morse code messages, pick up an activity sheet and decipher the naval flags on display around the town.
FREE EVENT – All welcome
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Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture, taking place in September each year. There are always new stories to tell and new places to open. It’s a chance for communities nationwide to come together to learn, explore and have fun by sharing the treasures on their doorstep.
Dorchester’s contribution this year is HOD22 – Discover Dorchester, taking place from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th September. The programme of events across Dorchester, Fordington and Poundbury includes talks, tours and activities, ending with a family fun day in Dorchester.
This year’s theme is `Astounding Inventions’ – a great chance to explore the past, present and future of Dorchester’s creativity and the many innovations sparked by local people.