A RARE tapestry dating from the 15th century, which usually hangs in the dining room at the National Trust’s Montacute House near Yeovil, is going to Belgium for a specialist clean. The Millefleurs tapestry, one of the few surviving from the late 15th century, was commissioned by the townspeople of Tournai in 1477 as a…
VISITORS to the Alexander Keiller Museum at Avebury this summer have a unique opportunity to take part in a research project looking into the development of immersive simulations of ancient heritage sites. This involves wearing a virtual reality headset and spending a few minutes moving through and exploring the Avebury henge and stone circles as…
GILLINGHAM Library has a new activity for summer – an opportunity to join the library’s artist in residence Julian Stocks to explore your idea of what Gillingham’s ancient forest might have looked like. Julian Stocks is a public artist who takes a collaborative approach to creating beautiful artworks. He is inviting young adults (13 years…
VISITORS to Dorchester have a chance to meet Roman re-enactors from Cohor I Durotriga and be guided round some of the historic sites of “Durnovaria,” including the Roman wall, the Roman town house – the only example of a fully exposed Roman town house in the country – ending at the museum where visitors can…
A NEW community radio station for Dorchester and the surrounding area, KeeP 106, has started broadcasting, on FM 106.3 and online. Aimed at a 50-plus audience it will reflect what the community says it wants to hear on the radio. There will be a wide range of music to cover most tastes, plus discussion and…
THE National Trust team at Stourhead House and Garden is looking for volunteers, including garden guides, raffle sellers, room guides and welcome assistants. Hannah Bester, a volunteering officer at Stourhead, describes volunteering for the National Trust as “a great opportunity to meet new people and learn new things while simultaneously giving back. The joy of…
ALT country hat-wearing icon Hank Wangford returns to Bridport with his Lost Cowboys, on Saturday 1st September to provide the musical icing on the titfer cake of Bridport’s Hat Festival weekend. The festival is one of the biggest (and most eccentric) days in the West Dorset calendar, with the main focus on “Haturday” – Saturday…
DO you have an interest in old photographs? Do you also like solving a mystery or two? The Community Heritage Access Centre (CHAC) recently hosted a Mystery Photo morning at Yeovil Library, an opportunity for anyone with local knowledge and a good eye for a location to help CHAC staff to unlock some of their…
LONGLEAT is spearheading an international breeding and awareness-building programme for Australia’s iconic and increasingly threatened koala. Later this year the Wiltshire estate, which opened the world’s first drive-through safari outside Africa in 1966, will receive a group of up to six southern koalas from Cleland Wildlife Park in Adelaide. After spending time in quarantine the…
A SPECIAL shuttle bus service is being provided from Dorchester’s new Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum to the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival on Saturday 21st July. The bus link will bring one of the most significant events in Dorset – and national – together, taking people to the home village of the pioneers of the trade…