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Category: Local History

Where Nuns Daily Trod | Then and Now

A 1930s woodcut by Shaftesbury’s High House Press features the L-shaped thatched cottages that formerly occupied the end of Laundry Lane. The cottages probably stood...

Hill View Dairies | Then & Now

The clue is in the street name but ‘Old Dairy’ appears to be the only on-site reminder of a corner of Okeford Fitzpaine that...

The grocer’s boy who won the VC | Looking Back

Only 1,358 Victoria Crosses have been awarded since the first one in 1857 and few have deserved it more than World War One hero...

The Two Ronnies in the Blackmore Vale

When it comes to vintage comedy, the Two Ronnies, are firm favourites in many households. Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett first broadcast their show...

‘Discovering the Vale of the White Hart’

Norman and early medieval kings had vast tracts of forest in Dorset. The Royal Forest of Blackmore was set aside for the king’s use,...

Deco Artist’s Poignant Masterpiece Tells Tragic Tale of Loss in Stur

The jewelled colours of St Elizabeth of Hungary sparkle in the late afternoon sunlight. Her flaming red hair and the sight of the Madonna...

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Seeing the flip side – Toots the groom

After a last-minute change of plans, eventer Toots Bartlett swapped boots this month – and found herself watching helplessly from the sidelines March turned out...

Princess Royal visits Dorset riding centre championing young people

A local equestrian centre that helps young people build confidence and life skills through horses has been praised by both the Princess Royal and...