Welcome to Gold Hill Museum

Shaftesbury and District’s local history museum with an award-winning cottage garden and wonderful views over Thomas Hardy’s Blackmore Vale.

Opening Hours 2024

10.30a.m. to 4.30p.m. (Last Entry at 4.10p.m.)

Open every day from Saturday 23 March

TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS 2024

The theme of our main temporary exhibition is Made in Shaftesbury

Please contact us if you have an interesting example of an item made locally

email: enquiries@goldhillmuseum.org.uk or phone 01747 852157

Free Admission

Donations and New Volunteers Welcome

At the top of picturesque Gold Hill, well known for the Hovis “Boy on a Bike” advert, this modern museum is set in two historic buildings. One was once the priest’s house and still has a “squint” through the wall to St Peter’s church; the other provided basic lodgings for traders at the market on Gold Hill.

Eight galleries tell the story of rural and town life, starting even before Shaftesbury’s notional foundation by Alfred the Great. Highlights of the collection include the unique Byzant, carried during annual celebrations of the securing of the water supply, so vital to a hilltop town; Dorset’s oldest fire engine, dating from 1744; fine lacework and costumes; handmade Dorset buttons; and a mummified Dorset cat.

Gold Hill Museum is owned and managed by volunteers of The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society, a registered charity. You can read about the range of activities of The S&DHS in the Diary of Events, Library, and Lectures & Speakers pages, in the “About Us” and “Events” menus, and in our recent News Blogs and Newsletters.

The S&DHS

Thanks to the foresight of its founders, The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society owns Gold Hill Museum. The Society is an entirely voluntary organisation and in normal years receives no public funding towards the running costs of the Museum. Please contact us if you can help by becoming a member, a volunteer or a donor. Thank you.

News Blog Latest

Snowdrops Gold Hill Museum Garden

Make Your Own Snowdrop Dragon on Thursday 15 February

Tickets for the Shaftesbury Snowdrop Festival event at Gold Hill…
Dr Kate Giles of York University

Leading Academic Returns Home to North Dorset for Guildhall History Talk

An expert in Britain's historic guildhalls is crediting her Child…
Pen knife

Taking a New and Critical Look at Our Statues

On Tuesday 02 January 2018 at 2.30p.m. at Gold Hill Museum Dave…
Jo-Rutter-blog

Loss of Last Link with Founders of Gold Hill Museum

Members and Trustees of The Shaftesbury & District Historical…
Beckford-2 - blog

‘The two Beckfords of Fonthill’ Podcast

Thanks to Keri Jones for creating, and former Lord Mayor of London…