# Talk:Dorchester, Dorset

Dorchester also has a Roman Baths which they covered with sand and then built a shopping centre over the top of!!!!!! (unsigned) 21:24, 24 April 2005 User:62.252.192.12 (talk)

Don't think that Judge Jeffreys Lodgings is a mediaeval building -evidence, please?HeartofaDog 00:33, 6 November 2005 (UTC)

Dorchester,_Dorset
Dorchester,_Oxfordshire
Thank You.
Hopiakuta 04:13, 24 September 2006 (UTC)

Hello - there are two towns called Dorchester, in Britain. One is in the county of Oxfordshire and the other is the County Town of Dorset. I hope this helps. - Ballista 05:03, 24 September 2006 (UTC)
Incorrect. Dorchester-on-Thames is a village in Oxfordshire, not a town. Dorchester is a town in Dorset. As for their relationship or connection - I have no idea. For the record, I'd describe them as in England, rather than Britain! White43 15:25, 8 October 2006 (UTC)

I find it a little odd that this article begins with 'Roads', 'Railways' and then 'History'. Surely this should be the other way around.
There is no Anglo-Saxon history of which Dorchester was a very important part of, in fact the history section is very poor.
The Mediaeval section is laughable. Athelhampton House is in Puddletown if anywhere, not related to Dorchester. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were tried in Dorchester, and imprisoned. And Yes. Judge Jeffreys the now restaurant and former residence of the man should get a mention.
There's no mention of the Keep, Dorchester's Military history, the Roman wall at Top o' Town, Eldridge Pope Brewery(and subsequent developments), it's relationship with Fordington and The Dorchester Magpies Football Team!!
Any other ideas? I'd really like to improve this article. White43 22:42, 26 December 2006 (UTC)
"Prince charles designed the estate(of Poundbury)..."!!! Surely not, at most he helped guide the design which according to the Poundbury website (http://www.poundbury.info/) was designed for him (by architect Leon Krier) .195.75.83.25 (talk) 10:21, 14 May 2008 (UTC)

I've enlarged the early history of Dorchester, regarding varying names, the Durotribes, Romans and Anglo-Saxons. White43 14:13, 18 January 2007 (UTC)

Shame that appears as the header for 17th Century, when it's an 18th Century quote!!! Would be better moved somewhere else or put in an 18th Century section. White43 13:19, 19 January 2007 (UTC)

"Little evidence exists to suggest continued occupation after the withdrawal of the Roman administration from Britain."

Was the town left empty?
Where the Romans immediately replaced by Saxons?
Or where they first replaced by Celts?
Was it a part of Wessex directly after the first Saxons settled or only later?
Oh, and "little evidence" means that there exists evidence for continued Roman occupation, just not much. I don't think that was intended? If it was, what is it? Or do you mean that some Romans remained but most left? Or that no evidence exists? Please try to be more clear. 82.139.86.4 (talk) 19:10, 5 July 2009 (UTC)
Little evidence = the area seems to either have diminished significantly or might have turned into a noble estate, farm, whatever. It means we don't know and it's speculation for which pretty much nobody is able to state a definite "Durnac/Durnovacia was still a major romano-british or british city when the saxons conquered it" or inversely "they took off, left it empty and moved the capital of the durotriges to the Badbury rings", and no, the celts wouldn't have replaced the romans as most of the romans of Britain were britons. 70.55.56.156 (talk) 10:19, 26 October 2009 (UTC)

Recently I have been tackling the backlog of articles requiring assessment under the Dorset WikiProject. On the Project's assessment page "The Dinosaur Museum" is listed as one of the articles which is classed as a stub, but which lacks an 'importance' rating, so I clicked on its listing in order to update the assessment, but was instead taken to this page via a redirect. Obviously "The Dinosaur Museum" no longer exists as an article, but the assessment bot used by the Project doesn't seem to be aware of this fact. Any suggestions for correcting the anomaly? PaleCloudedWhite (talk) 14:11, 16 January 2012 (UTC)

P.S. Interestingly, if you search directly for Talk:The Dinosaur Museum, that brings you to The Dinosaur Museum's own talk page, although if you then click on the 'Article' tab, it redirects you to Dorchester, so it's currently a talk page without an article. PaleCloudedWhite (talk) 14:15, 16 January 2012 (UTC)
I don't know if you're aware of this but you can still access the article and its history here [1]. It was possibly an oversight by the admin who redirected the article so I've changed the rating to "class=Redirect". Barret (talk) 17:30, 16 January 2012 (UTC)
Thanks for attending to this. I notice that The Dinosaur Museum's talk page still exists, albeit in a semi-mothballed state; is this normal after a redirect has been executed (excuse my ignorance)? PaleCloudedWhite (talk) 17:46, 16 January 2012 (UTC)

I don't think there is any official policy regarding talk pages of redirected articles. I used to redirect talk pages together with the article but Wikipedia:Redirect doesn't say much apart from the bottom bullet point in this section. Barret (talk) 18:31, 16 January 2012 (UTC)

One use of the Duchy owned land to the west of Dorchester (not mentioned) was for the construction of one of Guglielmo Marconi's "Beam Wireless" stations. This was, at the time it was built, a high tech piece of modern electronics, very new to rural Dorset in 1928. During its early years, in 1929, it changed ownership from Marconi to Cable & Wireless and then to the GPO in 1950. 
The station was part of a world wide network of stations providing communications to the USA, South America, the far east and many other locations. Its modern technology kept it in the fore front of international telecommuincations until satellite communications commenced in the 1960's. Transferring its operations to long distance ship to shore communications, it stayed in business until 1979.
It had a number of important visitors in the 1930's including Marconi himself and other radio "pioneers". The distinctive Beam antennas could be seen for many miles around and several were built and renewed in its 50 year lifetime. During WW2 the station was covered in camouflage netting to hide it, at least until a large snow fall wrecked it. During that time a second transmitting station, 'B' station, with 5 extra transmitters was built in the field to the south of the station. The winter of 1947 damaged many of the antenna wires with huge ice loadings. 
The station employed many local people at all skill levels and provided apprenticeships to young lads. 
88.111.13.122 (talk) 21:04, 23 January 2012 (UTC) Paul Hawkins

I don't understand the rationale for removing the recent addition of an entry for the novelist John Cowper Powys. Can the someone explain, please?  The inclusion of a writer, whose father was a clergyman in Dorchester when he was a child, and wrote a novel set in Dorchester, seems totally appropriate. Rwood128 (talk) 19:43, 1 August 2012 (UTC)
Were two novels by Hardy set in Dorchester?   Rwood128 (talk) 16:43, 10 August 2012 (UTC)

I don't think Tess of the d'Urbervilles is set in Dorchester.  Rwood128 (talk) 22:36, 1 August 2012 (UTC)

I think you're right. I've removed the statement in the article. PaleCloudedWhite (talk) 23:04, 1 August 2012 (UTC)
It's "set" all over - Bere Regis, Marnhull, Bournemouth, Stonehenge and finally (and tragically) Winchester. But note: "Hardy himself chose Gertrude Bugler, a Dorchester girl from the original Hardy Players - an amateur group from Dorchester who re-enacted Hardy’s novels - to play Tess in the first theatrical adaptation of his novel." Not sure if this is noteworthy here? Martinevans123 (talk) 23:15, 1 August 2012 (UTC)
I would have thought perhaps not, though perhaps I'm just meaner than you are Martin...
Actually you could have added a few more places to the list of settings - Pentridge, Beaminster, Cranborne, the Frome Valley, Maiden Newton, Evershot, the Downs... am I right in thinking Dorchester/Casterbridge is one of the few places in Dorset not really featured? PaleCloudedWhite (talk) 23:48, 1 August 2012 (UTC)
You could have been right. Meanwhile, a snippet from last year (100th anniversary)-: [2]. I do hope it was good. However, sorry to disappoint, but: "The capital city of Wessex, Casterbridge, mentioned several times in Tess of the D’Urbervilles, is Hardy’s version of Dorchester." [3]! Martinevans123 (talk) 19:50, 3 August 2012 (UTC)
No disappointment here! Though of course, being mentioned is one thing....
I'm sure I've read that info about the resurrection of the Hardy Players before, though can't remember where. There must be an article somewhere that could accommodate those facts. I wonder if they have genuine Dorset accents? I admit that would add to the performance, though there's something about the phrase "amateur thespians" that conjures an unflattering image in my head (Miss Mountshaft and all that....). As an aside, I've often wondered if the Stereophonics used a Hardy reference in their song Have a Nice Day (as in the line that sounds to my ears like "He asked where we're from/We told him Marlott")? PaleCloudedWhite (talk) 22:11, 3 August 2012 (UTC)

Little is so far mentioned of the commercial activities of Dorchester over the past centuries.
As the county town of Dorset, Dorchester has always been an important commercial centre for the town and surrounding villages.
Important commercial activities have included and in some cases continue:

The brewery of Eldridge Pope (mentioned in a separate Wiki page entry). The Eldridge Pope site is now the town's major development known as Brewery Square, comprising apartments, a square, shops and resturants. In the development plan is a 400 seat theatre, The Maltings, and a hotel.
Eddisons of Fordington, agricultural contractors and in the late 1800s/early 1900's had a large fleet of Steam Traction engines used for ploughing and threshing etc.
Lott & Walne Ltd of Fordington who, in their early years, manufactured agricultural machinery, and also had a foundry where casting were produced and many of Dorchester's drain covers were cast.
The market, which attracted people and agricultural products to the town for many years. It is now popular for more modern market traders. Once public transport had commenced, many of the outlying villages had bus services that ran on Wednesdays only, for the market.
The radio station, an important telecommuniations business set up by Marconi and mentioned elsewhere on this page.
Channons the automobile company, one of the first in the county to sell cars from their showrooms in High East Street.
The retail shopping area in South Street and surrounds, which has/had long established stores, some still in business some not. Also the street traders of South St who established a trading right many years ago, which is perhaps under threat in the future? The retail commerce of the town has always been very dynamic reflecting the continued growth and life of the town.
The commercial service sector. Builders, plummers, electricians, car repairs, domestic appliances etc. This had a large growth in the late 20th century with many small industrial trading units on the outskirts of the town.
The banks, essential for any economy.

There are probably other businesses worth a mention, perhaps someone else could add to this topic...................?
Paul Hawkins 8/12/12 79.77.226.146 (talk) 19:15, 8 December 2012 (UTC)

The Arts Centre was relocated to the Corn Exchange in 2015.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.139.218.189 (talk) 16:27, 30 May 2015 (UTC) 

Would you like to win up to £250 in Amazon vouchers for participating in The West Country Challenge?
The The West Country Challenge will take place from 8 to 28 August 2016. The idea is to create and improve articles about Bristol, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, like this one.
The format will be based on Wales's successful Awaken the Dragon which saw over 1000 article improvements and creations and 65 GAs/FAs. As with the Dragon contest, the focus is more on improving core articles and breathing new life into those older stale articles and stubs which might otherwise not get edited in years. All contributions, including new articles, are welcome though.
Work on any of the items at:

Core articles
Missing article hotlist
Missing photograph hotlist
or other articles relating to the area.
There will be sub contests focusing on particular areas:

Bristol (Day 1-3)
Cornwall and Scilly (Day 4-6)
Devon (Day 7-9)
Dorset (Day 10-12)
Gloucestershire (Day 13-15)
Somerset (Day 16-18)
Wiltshire (Day 19-21)
To sign up or get more information visit the contest pages at Wikipedia:WikiProject England/The West Country Challenge.— Rod talk 16:04, 18 July 2016 (UTC)

This review is transcluded from Talk:Dorchester, Dorset/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.
Reviewer: HJ Mitchell (talk · contribs) 15:47, 2 October 2016 (UTC)

Hello, I'll review this. I'll probably add comments piecemeal over the course of the week. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts?  15:47, 2 October 2016 (UTC)
I don't generally go in for templates and tickboxes; I'll just note anything here that stand out as I read through:

The Romans built an 8-mile (13 km) aqueduct to supply the town with water Where did the water come from?
Added. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:47, 2 October 2016 (UTC)
In the later medieval period however the town prospered This use of "however" used to be frowned upon at FAC; I don't know if it still is (and it makes perfect sense to me, but something to consider)
Rephrased. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:47, 2 October 2016 (UTC)
In the time of Edward III, [...] in the time of James I the years of the monarchs' reigns might be helpful here
Done. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:47, 2 October 2016 (UTC)
Do we know how many residents left for Massachusettes?
Added more information. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:47, 2 October 2016 (UTC)
The coverage of the English Civil War seems thinner than I might have expected
Added a bit, but the Google book I found had various pages unavailable. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:47, 2 October 2016 (UTC)
That's as far as the "Government" section for now; I'll make some more progress tomorrow or Tuesday hopefully. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts?  17:06, 2 October 2016 (UTC)

Thank you for taking on the review. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:47, 2 October 2016 (UTC)
I don't know how it looks on other screen resolutions but it might be worth a {{clear}} at the bottom of the history section; the map forces the "Government" heading over to the right on my screen, though it might look better at other resolutions.
It looked OK on my smallish screen, but I have added it anyway. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:17, 5 October 2016 (UTC)
The unemployment rate in July 2014 was 0.9% of residents aged 16–64 Is that easy to compare to national average or perhaps the average for Dorset or the south west?
I could compare the 2012 figures but they vary considerably from year to year and it seems pointless to change to older statistics. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:17, 5 October 2016 (UTC)
Any details on the sorts of businesses occupying the industrial estates?
Added a little. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:17, 5 October 2016 (UTC)
How does the ONS differentiate between a dwelling and a household? Might be worth including very brief definitions in parentheses.
Added. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:17, 5 October 2016 (UTC)
I did add it, but it was promptly reverted. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:21, 5 October 2016 (UTC)
I removed the parenthetical definitions as they were incorrect. A household is a social concept whereas a dwelling is an architectural one, and the definitions added muddled this. PaleCloudedWhite (talk) 19:24, 5 October 2016 (UTC)
Dorchester has a private school, (worth naming?) thirteen first schools, three middle schools and an upper school Since first-middle-upper isn't the standard pattern for English schools these days, is it worth specifying the age ranges these schools cater for?
Hmm, added the name of the private school but the age ranges is not in the source given, which in other ways is a veritable gold mine. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:17, 5 October 2016 (UTC)
None of these are fundamental issues and even if they went unaddressed here, the article would still be easily up to scratch for a GA. I presume you're aiming for FAC so I've tried to provide more detailed commentary. FAC reviewers might want a little more detail on the history, but then they might be satisfied with the summary as it is. I'd be surprised if this came completely unstuck there. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts?  11:59, 3 October 2016 (UTC)

I'm not intending to take this to FAC, it was improved as part of the West Country Challenge. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 18:22, 5 October 2016 (UTC)
Oh, and please do double-check the handful of edits I made and the edit summaries. Hopefully I haven't cocked anything up! HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts?  12:01, 3 October 2016 (UTC)
Your edits are fine thank you. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:17, 5 October 2016 (UTC)
If I were in your shoes I'd be thinking about FAC, but it's up to you. It easily meets the GA criteria though so passing. HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts?  20:21, 8 October 2016 (UTC)
Thank you for the review. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 10:42, 9 October 2016 (UTC)

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Is there any evidence of the linked coat of arms existing? As a someone born and raised in the town, I have never seen this coat in shield form before. The town's seal, as depicted around the town, has always been in circular form - as referenced by the Town Council's page  [4]https://www.dorchester-tc.gov.uk/About+Us/Civic+History/The+Town+Seal] Dorsetpete123 (talk) 14:14, 7 June 2023 (UTC)

You could well be right. If you click through to the image page on Commons you can see that this image is "Based on the town seal from [5] and [6]." Neither of which supports the form shown. Would be better to get a new version drawn in round form. MichaelMaggs (talk) 15:14, 7 June 2023 (UTC)
The original poster @Dorsetpete123is correct. The Coat of Arms for the town has historically been with a red background. Although the town was never formally presented with offical coat of arms by the Earl Marshal, there are numerous examples of said arms being associated with the town in ancient maps. [7]https://www.opcdorset.org/fordingtondorset/Files/DorchesterMap1611.html & [8]https://www.wellandantiquemaps.co.uk/product/dorsetshyre-with-the-shyre-town-dorchester-described-by-john-speed-c-1662-1676 being two examples.
The clearest example I can find on Wikipedia (and on which I have adapted this version) is on [The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway] where Somerset is represented by the Arms of  Bath, and Dorset by the Arms of Dorchester.
I have updated the Arms with a more historically accurate version. Cameronmrtt (talk) 12:30, 21 January 2025 (UTC)