TRANSATLANTIC friendships were forged as the Dorset County Museum celebrated USA style.

The Dorchester museum hosted a Thanksgiving Party this evening to mark the historic connection between the county town of Dorset and its namesake in Massachusetts, America.

There was a live link with the United States whilst the evening also included a screening of a new film about Dorset’s heritage presented by Lord and Lady Fellowes of West Stafford.

Later on in the evening there was entertainment from The Hardy Players, who performed their Mummers Play, and traditional folk music from Jerry Bird.

Refreshments included a spectacular giant cake specially made for the occasion by Angel Cakes at Poundbury.

Funds from the night will go towards a major refurbishment of John White’s Rectory in Colliton Street, which forms part of the museum’s development appeal for the building of a new Collections Discovery Centre.

The £13.5 million project will see the museum expanded and allow it to put more of its collection of over four million artefacts on display to the public.

Director of the museum Dr Jon Murden said the museum was in the process of finalising a Heritage Lottery Fund bid for the scheme.

He said: “I’m very proud of our collections and I know the people of Dorchester are very proud of the museum.

“So what we need to do is build a museum for the twenty first century that we can all be proud of.”

The museum has been keen to establish links with organisations and people who are interested in the history of those who went to America from Dorchester under the guidance of Revd White in the seventeenth century.

Lord Fellowes said he was full of admiration for the pioneers who set out from the county town all those years ago to form their own community across the seas.

He said: “My admiration for those men and women is just unbounded.”

The Downton Abbey creator said it was important to celebrate the link between our Dorchester and the Dorchester in America.

He said: “I love the idea of making contact with the other Dorchester.”

Dr Murden said that the museum gets people from America coming over to Dorchester in Dorset to trace their family history and many want to see Revd White’s rectory.

It is not currently open to the public but the development project will see it opened up as a learning space for children.

For more information about the development appeal visit dorsetcountymuseum.org