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THE COUNTY town is at a time of exciting change in terms of probable developments of the former Eldridge Pope brewery site and the Charles Street area, while Poundbury continues to expand in its second of three stages of mixed commercial and housing development with more new landmark buildings opening this year.

Dorchester's national champion town crier Alistair Chisholm said: "The wealth of treasures we have here is overwhelming. Dorchester is quite simply an archaeological, historical and architectural gem."

He is a Blue Badge Guide who conducts fascinating walks around the town covering subjects and people ranging from pre-history to Bronze Age burial mounds, Roman Durnovaria (aqueduct, tesselated pavements, baths, walls, town house), the Puritans, the hanging judge Judge Jeffery, Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar to the Tolpuddle Martyrs,Dorchester's famous writers Hardy and Barnes and near-neighbours the Powys brothers and Lawrence of Arabia. Throw into this historical elixir Maiden Castle, Maumbury Rings, Chinese warriors, Tutankhamun, the Greeks, ghosts, Dorchester’s royal connections and its natural history and the River Frome which winds its way round the town and we share Alistair’s conclusion that, "Dorchester has a crown full of jewels."

Dorchester has its usual feast of events such as Carnival Day and ‘The World Comes to Town’ festival on the last weekend in May. There’s the reopening of the borough gardens after their major refurbishment making way once again for Parties In The Park, the re-opening of the Roman Town House after repairs and improvements to access and the town’s fifth community play A Time To Keep being performed in November. Don't forget to look at our What's on Guide for more events happening in the area.