Travel back in time more than 65 million years, and watch history unfold before your eyes! (Dorchester in general)

Member Name: nicola21

Product:	Dorchester in general
Date:	20/03/01 (55 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A beautiful town steeped in history dating back to the pre-historic ages.

Disadvantages: None

Situated in the south-west of Dorset, seven miles from the coast, the county town of Dorchester is a gold-mine of history going back as far in time to the Iron Age. It is a beautiful area to escape to if you live in an urban chaos.

Surrounded by miles of countryside, this town is a haven for those wanting to get away from it all. There are many friendly pubs and restaurants that offer good food and wine. The brewery chain Eldridge Pope have a brewery in the town and local fine ales can be sampled. They have their own shop with all their own produce, which is excellent for gifts from your visit.
There is a small local chocolate factory too which produces exquisite goodies, that you'll want to stock up on! The town centre has reasonable shopping facilities, although not that extensive, but suitable for everyones needs. There are plenty of local gift shops too.

The history of this town is phenominal. Just outside the town is Maiden Castle, an Iron-Age hillfort. Archeological digs in the past have revealed all sorts of relics that are displayed in the county museum in the high street. You can walk all over the fort, and occassionally, at night, local guides take you on a ghost walk, as the fort is said to be haunted by the ghosts of soldiers. Other parts of the town are also associated with ghost folklore, but you'll have to visit the town to find out more about that!

Dorchester is really an old Roman town, originally known as "Durnovaria". Remains of the old town wall still stand today and you can see them as you walk around. There is a special site, still under excavation too which visitors can see. Remains of old buildings and mosaics give the area a rich archeological heritage. However, the town is home to history all through the centuries up to modern day.

Most famously, Dorchester is the birth place of Thomas Hardy, the 19th century poet and novelist. His works are studied by students all over t
he world. Many visit the area solely for this reason. The house in which Hardy was born is owned by the National Trust and open to the public. Everything is exactly how it was over a century ago. His home, Max Gate, where he wrote most of his novels is also open to public viewing.

Dorchester and surrounding coastal areas have rich paleontological history as well, and there is a dinosaur museum in the town with excellent displays that children and adults alike will enjoy. Local fossils, artifacts, relics and replicas make up a good display of prehistoric life in the area.

Strangly, there is a museum about the ancient Egyptian Pharoah, Tutankhamun. It is a fascinating, if somewhat misplaced museum, but still gives an interesting afternoon out. The County Museum I mentioned before gives a complete history of the town, everything I have talked about here, and more.

The local Tourist Information centre is a good place to start if you decide to visit, but I'm sure that if you do ever visit, even if just for a long weekend break, you will fall in love with Dorchester's romantic heritage, and more than likely want to return again one day.

Summary: