News Blog

Stunning Photographs On Display In Shaftesbury Camera Club Exhibition
Gold Hill Museum welcomes back the talented photographers of…

Buddhist Monks Create Religious Artwork for Shaftesbury Fringe Weekend
You’ll be able to watch Buddhist monks create beautiful patterns…

S&DHS Members Snap Up Signed Copies of Shaftesbury Through Time
At the official launch party held at Gold Hill Museum on 28 March,…

BV Dairy Sponsors New Gold Hill Museum Exhibitions
Gold Hill Museum opens for the season on Saturday 24th March…

New Photo History Book: Cameras Capture Decades of Shaftesbury Development
Shaftesbury Through Time is published on 15 March by Amberley…

Veteran Diplomat Talks On His Ancestor Mabel Giffard
Mabel Giffard was elected Abbess of Shaftesbury in 1291. She…

Make Your Own Snowdrop Dragon on Thursday 15 February
Tickets for the Shaftesbury Snowdrop Festival event at Gold Hill…

Leading Academic Returns Home to North Dorset for Guildhall History Talk
An expert in Britain's historic guildhalls is crediting her Child…

Taking a New and Critical Look at Our Statues
On Tuesday 02 January 2018 at 2.30p.m. at Gold Hill Museum Dave…

Loss of Last Link with Founders of Gold Hill Museum
Members and Trustees of The Shaftesbury & District Historical…

'The two Beckfords of Fonthill' Podcast
Thanks to Keri Jones for creating, and former Lord Mayor of London…

Wealth, Power and a Sex Scandal in the next Gold Hill Museum talk
A former Lord Mayor of London will present his research into…

'Shaftesbury Remembers The Great War' Podcast
Shaftesbury & District Historical Society member Keri Jones…

'Shaftesbury Remembers' Website Launched on Armistice Day
It was standing room only in the Anna McDowell Garden Room at…

My Family And Other Smugglers by Roger Guttridge
Roger Guttridge is a direct descendant of North Dorset's most…

Half-term Autumn Crafts Day Wednesday 25 October 10.30a.m.- 3.30p.m.
An all-age Autumn Crafts Day at Gold Hill Museum on Wednesday…

King Alfred: Man and Myth - the facts at Shaftesbury Town Hall Tuesday 03 October 7.30p.m.
One of two English kings named "The Great"; saviour of Anglo-Saxon…

TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for Gold Hill Museum
Travel website TripAdvisor has awarded its Certificate of Excellence…

Lord Mayor and Diplomat Feature in New Season of History Lectures
Contributors to the 2017-18 programme of Shaftesbury & District…

Centenary of Passchendaele Remembered
Researcher Chris Stupples has listed 31 men from Shaftesbury…

Great Houses near Shaftesbury and their Owners
Local History Librarian and Archivist Ray Simpson has created…

Alfred the Great comes third in BBC History Magazine Hot 100 List
Readers of BBC History Magazine have voted King Alfred, founder…

Decapitated Statue - but where and of whom?
The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society is shortly…

King Alfred backs Trustees
At the July AGM of The Shaftesbury & District Historical…

Bee Hotels in ideal spot says Brigit Strawbridge
Renowned wild bee advocate Brigit Strawbridge has expressed her…


In the footsteps of William Beckford
The 06 June summer outing of The Shaftesbury & District Historical…


Tisbury Tithe Barn and Fonthill Old Abbey
On the afternoon of Tuesday 06 June members of The Shaftesbury…

Sensation at The Sun and Moon November 1906
Hanging once again outside Gold Hill Museum, above the passageway…

19 Lodgers at No.1 Gold Hill in 1911
Members of The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society…

Gold Hill Museum Opens For The 2017 Season
From Saturday 01 April to Tuesday 31 October Gold Hill Museum…

Do You Know These Men?
A photograph recently acquired by the Heritage Lottery Funded…

"I do not think any two boards remained together."
Dorchester author Philip Browne gave a graphic account of The…

Turn of the Year Exacts Heavy Toll
A few winter weeks have seen the passing of three strong supporters…

The other "Great" English King, apart from Alfred
A full house at December's Shaftesbury & District Historical…

Honour for Shaftesbury Museums Volunteer
At the AGM of the Dorset Museums Association held on 24 November…

A Commemoration in Words, Music and Images of the Great War
A moving commemorative event organised on Saturday 12 November…

Smith and Jones Design The Cabinet of Curiosities
Chris Jones of Smith and Jones Design Consultants popped into…

Walter Bagehot - A Voice of Sanity
On Tuesday 01 November at 2.30p.m. in the Garden Room at Gold…

Bumper Audience for "The Beckfords at Fonthill"
Ninety-plus Shaftesbury & District Historical Society members…

Venue for The Beckfords at Fonthill
The subject of the 2016 Teulon Porter Lecture for The Shaftesbury…

Reminisce about Plants and Gardening Tuesday 30 August 2.30p.m.
The next Shaftesbury and the Great War Community Project Reminiscence…

The Beckfords at Fonthill
The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society's season of…

A Cabinet of Curiosities Briefly Opened
On 02 August professional photographer Paul McCabe of Southampton…

Memorial to the Fallen
According to Australian historians Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson…

Sand Mandala Attracts Record Number of Visitors
During the penultimate day of their residency at Gold Hill Museum,…

A Remarkable Work of Art Takes Shape in the Garden Room
From Monday 27 June Tibetan monks from the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery…

Meet the Team on Saturday 25 June 11a.m. - 3p.m.
Each day of the season at Gold Hill Museum six volunteer stewards…

Remembering the Great Battles of 1916
Fourteen British ships were sunk, and over 6000 Royal Navy personnel…

Summer Outing Catches the Midwinter Sun
On 14 June eighteen members of The Shaftesbury & District…

Make and Flavour Soft Cheese with Hedgerow and Garden Herbs
Local herbalist Kate Scott returns to the Garden Room at Gold…

What Our Visitors Say
Recent entries in our Visitors' Book:
23 April 2016 A really…

Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War
Claire Ryley (left) and Ann Symons are staging a "Shaftesbury…

Medieval Feast Sunday 15 May 1 - 3 p.m.
As part of the Shaftesbury Food and Drink Festival on Sunday…

Old Wives' Tales or Old Wise Tales?
Kate Scott returns to Gold Hill Museum on Friday 13 May with…

Five Temporary Exhibitions to see this week
448 visitors came through the door of Gold Hill Museum during…


Childhood Theme to Reminiscence Afternoon Tuesday 26 April 2.30 - 3.30p.m.
The focus for the next Reminiscence Afternoon at Shaftesbury…

Tea and Talks at Gold Hill Museum
The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society concluded their…

Tibetan Monks to Create Sand Mandala at Gold Hill Museum
Visitors to Gold Hill Museum from Monday 27 June are promised…

Hands-on Activities for Younger Visitors
Cup and ball, yo-yo, kaleidoscope, slate and chalk: all these…

Shaftesbury Camera Club Exhibition at Gold Hill Museum
Following last year's successful Photographic Exhibition held…

Reminiscence Afternoon 2.30 - 3.30 Tuesday 29 March at Shaftesbury Library
Ann Symons and Claire Ryley are holding a further Reminiscence…

Life in Shaftesbury and Tisbury Workhouses
A new exhibition for 2016 created by Librarian and Archivist…

34035 "Shaftesbury" arrives at Gold Hill Museum
"Shaftesbury" was one of the Southern Railway Company's "West…

The Language of the Fan at Gold Hill Museum
Gold Hill Museum re-opens on Saturday 19 March with many new…

New Face in the Garden at Gold Hill Museum
Biffo the Gargoyle has taken up residence in the Museum Garden.…

Dorset Mayors Visit Gold Hill Museum
Over 30 Dorset Mayors and their consorts visited Gold Hill Museum…

Ancestry Afternoon Friday 26 February Fully Booked
The opportunity to uncover Family History with the help of experienced…

Reminiscence Afternoon Tuesday 23 February 2.30 - 3.30p.m.
In conjunction with Shaftesbury Library, Claire Ryley and Ann…

Gold Hill Museum Open for the Snowdrop Festival
Take refuge from February's biting winds in the light and warmth…

Finding Pitt-Rivers at Gold Hill Museum
Jane Ellis-Schon brought a tiny sample of the 15,000 objects…

Celebrate the Snowdrop at Gold Hill Museum
Anna McDowell, seen here [left] with her cousin Catherine Erskine…

BBC Radio Solent Visit Gold Hill Museum
Steve Harris, "Breakfast in Dorset" radio presenter based in…

News Blog Connected to Facebook
The Gold Hill Museum News Blog is now connected to both Facebook…

Standing Room Only For Julian Richards
TV archaeologist and Shaftesbury resident Julian Richards attracted…

Operation Warhorse by Julian Richards
The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society's January lecturer…

Dickensians meet Alfred The Great
Visitors to Gold Hill Museum's late-night Christmas shopping…

Dorset Clay Pipes
December's lecturer, Robert Lancaster, brought an array of examples…

Christmas Fun
Christmas Fun at Gold Hill Museum
Sunday 6th December 2015 -…

November News
Gold Hill Museum closed its doors at the end of the regular season…

Teulon Porter Memorial Lecture
New President of The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society,…