Dorset's county town of Dorchester is famous for its association with
the writer Thomas Hardy but its history contains much more that has
often been overlooked. Secret Dorchester and Around delves deep into the
town's lost, forgotten and hidden histories, recounting some remarkable
stories. The area was an important Iron Age stronghold, the huge hill
fort of Maiden Castle outside today's town being taken over by the
Romans in the first century AD. The Romans left an extensive legacy in
Dorchester including an amphitheatre at Maumbury Rings which was later
used as an execution site for 80 rebels from the Monmouth Rebellion
condemned to death by Judge Jeffreys at the Bloody Assizes held in the
town. Two centuries later, the Tolpuddle Martyrs were sentenced in
Dorchester to penal servitude in Australia following their attempts to
set up a trade union of agricultural workers in the nearby village of
Tolpuddle. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and
tucked away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret
Dorchester and Around will appeal to all those with an interest in the
history of this town in Dorset.
