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Blackmore Vale Group

Sweet Sheep’s Nose and Buttery Door: The history of our lost orchards

Posted on 13th January 2026

In Thomas Hardy's novel, The Woodlanders (1887), he describes the local landscape of North Dorset as filled with orchards and the smell of apples An iconic image depicts the hero, GilesWinterborne, standing with his specimen apple tree in the midst of the town of Sherborne Elisabeth explores the little-known history of cider-making in the local area, using her own research and oral histories she has collected from residents of several villages Speaker: Elisabeth... more

A Forger in the Family

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When Rachel discovered a forger in the family, her research uncovered lots more about the crime and other C18th lawbreakers: the schoolmaster pressed into the Royal Navy who became a forger on discharge; the exciseman who found himself out of pocket when whisky production was regulated; the architect who was transported to Australia for forgery and ended up on a (legal) bank note Speaker: Rachel... more

The Tolpuddle Martyrs: We will, we will, we will be free

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The Georgian courtroom in Shire Hall was the scene of many famous and infamous trials, the most famous being that of the six agricultural labourers known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs This talk looks at the background to their story, the punishment they endured and the changes these ordinary Dorset working men made to their local area and to society as a whole Speaker: Anne... more

Iron Age Dynasties of Dorset

Posted on 5th October 2025

The talk will discuss recent radiocarbon dating and DNA studies of later Iron age burials from Dorset, which have overturned the believed wisdom regarding the structure of Iron Age society in Dorset The work has proven Iron Age Durotrigian society to be a female line (matrilocal) society and that the complex societal organisation revealed by what was considered the single event Maiden Castle 'war cemetery' was nothing to do with the Roman invasion Speaker: Paul Cheetham The group meets... more

Digging and Dusting – Women’s Work in Service

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To enter into service on an estate was often the only option available to working class women Valerie has been investigating the Kingston Lacy estate wages ledger which presents a snapshot of a rural workforce and fascinating case-studies of working women Speaker: Valerie... more