Fat hen, elderflower fritters and the most prized of finds

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18 July 2022

Why did we stop eating the Fat Hen, wonders expert Carl Mintern, who is celebrating the season for finding the jewel in the mushroom-foraging crown

One of the jewels in the mushroom foraging crown, the Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius)

July is here and we are in the full swing of summer, with the call of our gardens and the great outdoors as strong as ever. I find myself suggesting walks to my wife and children most evenings, exploring woodlands and footpaths, always with a glint of excitement at what I might find to bring home to use in the kitchen.

Eat the fat hen
One such exciting find to be on the lookout for at this time of year is fat hen (Chenopodium album), also known as wild spinach. This plant, both nutritious and prolific, was a staple food for thousands of years, used as a valuable food source dating back to prehistoric times. Like so many things today, it has fallen out of favour as a menu item simply by virtue of its accessibility – it grows everywhere, and who wants to entertain guests by serving something that everyone has growing in their garden?
Well, me, obviously.
Amazingly, this plant which most people will never try has leaves that taste similar to those of spinach and can be treated the same way in the kitchen. Gardeners throughout the country will be picking it and throwing it to the compost, rather than saving the tender leaves and lightly steaming or tossing in butter. It also makes a fabulous base for soups.
Fat hen has diamond-like, sometimes referred to as goose-foot-shaped leaves, with a coating of delicate white hairs covering them. You can find it masquerading as a garden weed, and on any footpath or waste ground. The fresh growth of leaves and flowers near the top are the choicest pickings for the kitchen.

Now considered a weed, fat hen was a staple food since prehistoric times

Elderflowers
Another July staple which we must all be passing every time we drive down a country lane is elderflowers, from the elder tree (Sambucus nigra). This plant is extremely important to the forager as we come to harvest from it three times throughout the year. First, in early summer for the flowers, which we use to make cordials and other surprisingly exciting treats, then later in the summer for elderberries to make pies and jellies. Finally we return in the depths of winter for a mushroom (the jelly ear – Auricularia auricula-judae) that is found almost exclusively on the elder’s branches.
Early July is usually the end of the window for collecting elderflowers, so set to it before it is too late.
Often used as a hedging plant, they adorn roadsides right across the Blackmore Vale. Since late May, collections of the tiny off-white flowers have been hanging in sprays the size of breakfast bowls, enriching my walks with their deliciously distinctive sweet smell. Many of us gather the flowers to make cordials by steeping them in water and adding sugar, but a lesser-known use is to batter them whole and fry them, making elderflower fritters as a showstopping accompaniment to your summer dining.
It is worth remembering that every part of the elder is mildly toxic raw and should always be cooked before consumption. Of course, I frequently hear anecdotal stories of people who have nibbled on the raw berries since childhood, but the mild toxicity is a scientific fact and one this forager cannot ignore when sharing his knowledge and passion, either here or on a guided walk.

The elderflower heads won’t last long into July

Simply the best
Finally, towards the end of this month we are hopeful we may find one of the jewels in the mushroom-foraging crown, the chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius). This bright yellow mushroom is one of the best looking, and tasting, mushrooms to hunt for full stop. Hopeful excursions for this mushroom can start now and continue right until the end of the year.
With its distinctive funnel shape and apricot smell, this mushroom can be found in many diverse woodland habitats. The chanterelle’s preferred growing spot is on the sides of mossy banks nestled into last autumn’s leaf litter. It is a firm mushroom that you can wash without fear of it becoming spongy. It can then can be used as you would any shop-bought mushroom – just with a far more satisfying feeling as you do so.
Beware the false chanterelle, which appears similar. There are three simple differences and even novices can learn to distinguish them:
When cut in half, the false chanterelle is all one colour, whereas the chanterelle hides white flesh beneath the striking yellow outer.
On close inspection, the true chanterelle does not have gills, but instead its flesh forms folds which give the gill-like appearance. The false chanterelle does, indeed, have true gills.
Finally there is that aroma of apricots associated only with the true chanterelle. If you tick these three boxes you are sure to have a safe foraging experience, and one that would make many jealous, knowing you have hunted down one of the most prized finds in the foraging calendar.

See details and availability of Carl’s local foraging courses on his website SelfSufficientHub.com

This summer, discover our seaside superheroes

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Editorial team

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17 July 2022

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Some of Dorset’s coastal creatures play an important national role in our coastal biodiversity, explains Hazel Ormrod from Dorset Wildlife Trust

In Dorset we are lucky to have the most astonishing marine wildlife, from secretive seahorses and delightful dolphins to colour-changing cuttlefish and rock-licking limpets. The theme of this year’s Marine Weeks, from 23rd July to 7th August, is marine superheroes. Wildlife Trusts across the UK are shining a light on the extraordinary sea creatures and plants which are helping to fight climate change and water pollution, or have amazing superpowers. Dorset is a national hotspot for many sea creatures which have evolved special talents to help them survive. One such creature is the enigmatic seahorse, unique because it is the father that gives birth in a complete gender role reversal. In addition, seahorses have incredible camouflage skills and the ability to move each eye independently.
Another common sight in Dorset waters is the cuttlefish, whose greatest superpower is the ability to become practically invisible by instantly changing its colour and skin texture to blend in perfectly with its background.

Dorset’s marine events
To celebrate Marine Weeks, Dorset Wildlife Trust has planned a series of special events to get families and individuals involved in exploring the seashore and wider marine environment, to discover some of the bounty that these habitats have to offer.
At Kimmeridge Bay, there will be the opportunity to join a dolphin watching session on the cliff-top look-out, explore underwater marine life on the snorkel trail or take part in eco-friendly crabbing and rockpooling activities led by our expert wardens.
At the Wild Seas Centre, at Kimmeridge, a state-of-the-art underwater camera will broadcast live footage to a screen inside the centre showing Kimmeridge Bay beneath the waves. All without getting wet!
The centre staff will be getting the microscopes out on Plankton Day, when visitors can discover the amazing diversity of plankton found in water samples collected from Kimmeridge Bay and also learn about the vital role that these miniature organisms play in our oceans.
Over at Chesil Beach, there’s the chance to join the Strandline Detectives walk, to hunt for wildlife treasure washed in from the sea and to find out what lives in the deeper water. Or you can take a trip on the glass-bottomed Fleet Explorer boat, which makes regular trips around part of the spectacular Fleet Lagoon, to explore its incredible underwater wildlife.

To find out dates, details and costs of all the events in Dorset (and not just for Marine Weeks), go to dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/events.

Two big competitions for Team Bartlett, with lessons learned

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16 July 2022

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New boy Equador MW showed his Aston Martin tendencies but Freebie slowed to miss out on his second International win, says Toots Bartlett

Toots Bartlett celebrates with Freestyle R

Team Bartlett had a quieter month of competitions, but it still turned out to be an exciting few weeks.
After a couple of months of getting to learn the do’s and don’ts with Equador MW, the newest member of the team, we travelled to Aston Le Walls for our first event together in the UK. It was also Equador’s first event for a couple of years due to the Covid lockdown in New Zealand, where he has recently come from. We had a truly fabulous day and I was thrilled with the way he behaved and performed. He posted a 29 dressage score, and followed that up with a lovely double clear in the showjumping. Being a little too speedy around the cross country course – he’s the equivalent of an Aston Martin on four legs – we picked up some ‘too fast’ time faults which cost him the win. However, I hadn’t been sure that I could form a partnership with him this quickly, so I was thrilled that there’s every sign a good relationship will develop. We now look forward to taking him to Somerford Park CCI2* at the beginning of July.

So close
Freestyle R gave us a fantastic weekend at Nunney International Horse Trials near Frome.
Nunney is a local event which we always try to support, and we are hugely grateful for all the wonderful volunteers who tirelessly to assist the organisers to keep it on the International circuit.
Freebie finished the CCI3S dressage on a top score of 27.4, and after leading the two days of dressage, I did start to wonder whether the showjumping phase – historically our weakest together – would let us down. But he produced a lovely double clear, which was absolutely thrilling. My main aim for the competition was to gain my MER (minimum eligibility requirement) to enable us to move up to CCI4 together, rather than winning, so this did take a lot of pressure off me, and we were able to produce a solid clear round showjumping. I am fortunate that through my training on World Class, and having played nationally in several different sports, I have learned to try and utilise nerves effectively. I always try and turn them into excitement, to show what wonderful horses I have and how our training is being productive and beneficial.
Unfortunately some ‘too slow’ time penalties on the cross country stopped Freebie from gaining his second International win, but he still claimed a very exciting fifth place.
Homework for me is to get him a bit fitter and do some hill work. If you have prepared properly at home, then all that is left at competition is to try your best, safe in the knowledge that you have given your horses every opportunity you can to show what they can do. We definitely learn the most from the days we don’t get the results we want rather than from the days of success.

The vet’s story and cuddles with Trevor

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Editorial team

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15 July 2022

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Last month one curious foal stole our hearts with her naughty leap inside a small pen after a ruptured bladder operation – Lucy shares the story

Summertime, and the living is easy for the TGS residents in the meadow
Image: Lindsay Swalwell

Last month we told readers about how, during foaling, one of our foals suffered a bladder rupture which required medical stabilisation and surgical repair at an equine hospital. The vets at Western Counties Equine Hospital, our closest surgical facility, have since used the case on their website and have given permission for us to adapt their transcript for our readers this month, so we hope you find this interesting.

The vet’s view
Clinical signs of bladder ruptures which have occurred during foaling are typically seen in one-to-three-day-old foals; they become lethargic, may appear bloated, show mild colic signs and can sometimes be seen straining unproductively to urinate.
These cases are medical emergencies, as the electrolyte disturbances can cause heart rhythm irregularities – and ultimately cardiac arrest.
First urination should normally occur around six hours for colts, and 11 hours for fillies. An average sized Thoroughbred foal should produce around 7.5 litres of urine a day, which equates to a good stream roughly every two hours after nursing. If a foal is straining unproductively, a meconium impaction (blocked colon) is far more common. However, a ruptured bladder should always be considered.

Vet Eefje preps the foal for surgery
Image: Western Counties Equine Hospital

Observing urination doesn’t necessarily rule out a ruptured bladder, as the most common site of rupture is the top of the bladder – therefore a foal may appear to urinate normally, even while urine is leaking into the abdomen.
Studies have shown that the condition is more prevalent in colts than fillies, but it is observed in both. ‘Uroperitoneum’ describes urine in the abdominal cavity – this build-up of urine causes electrolyte disturbances, the most critical of which is high potassium. A high blood potassium concentration can cause heart irregularities and cardiac arrest.
A foal with this condition is stabilised with intravenous fluids, the abdomen is drained, and the foal’s blood parameters are carefully monitored. Once the condition is stabilised, the anaesthetic risk is reduced, and the foal can then undergo surgical repair of the bladder under general anaesthesia.

Last month’s sick foal is now out in the field with her gang
Image: Lindsay Swalwell

Happy endings
Hospital vet Eefje, who has a post-graduate certificate in medicine, stabilised the foal and can be seen in the photo (bottom, opposite) administering and monitoring the anaesthetic, ready for the surgeon, Nic, to repair the bladder.
These cases are a team effort, with lots of intensive nursing care and monitoring, before and after surgery. As long as the foal presents with no other conditions, the prognosis for a ruptured bladder is favourable, with an 80 to 90 per cent survival rate.
And happily, our foal, after post-surgery weeks in a small turn-out pen as readers will remember from last month, is now enjoying life with the rest of the gang of younger foals, stretching her legs to the full while galloping around in a large field.

Trevor is his groom Holly’s favourite in the yard
Image: Holly Chaston

News of Trevor
We always track the racing progress of horses we have bred and sold on, but it is extra special to either see them in the flesh at a race meeting or to hear from an owner or groom. So it was lovely to have been contacted recently by the groom of Triple Trade, a six-year-old Norse Dancer gelding out of Doubly Guest, bred here at TGS and sold at the sales as a three-year old store. Now in training with the Tizzards near Milborne Port, he has won one race and been placed several times last season. His groom Holly sent us several lovely photos, including this one (bottom right) of him having a cuddle in the stable.
Holly told us how Trevor is such a big, kind horse and is very much her yard favourite. We hope that he and all our other TGS-bred offspring get many more cuddles like this.

Is this the ultimate pony?

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14 July 2022

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Is the Connemara simply the best pony? Local breeder Kate Walters explains their appeal and introduces a couple of Connemara superstars

The Connemara is a breed of native pony originating from the wild and rugged region of the same name in County Galway, Ireland. Prized for their hardiness, agility, extraordinary jumping ability and not least for their temperament, Connemaras are understandably popular with children and adults alike.
The British Connemara Pony Society’s breed description is ‘a well-balanced riding type with good depth and substance and good heart room, standing on short legs, covering a lot of ground.’
The height specification for a Connemara pony is 12.2hh to 14.2hh but the overheight Connemara is probably everyone’s ideal first horse!
They have a gentle disposition, are deeply inquisitive and love human affection, making them very easy to handle. The Connemara pony is a safe and sensible breed, which makes them a fantastic choice for all ages and stages of riding.

Marion Mould with Stroller, the only pony to compete at the Olympics in Showjumping

Working roots
Traditionally, Connemaras were bred to be the backbone of small farms, where they lived as part of the family. They worked from dawn to dusk doing whatever task was asked of them; ploughing, pulling carts of turf, rocks and seaweed, and of course, on Sundays they were the mode of transport carrying the family to Mass … Not to mention hunting, racing and local shows.
They have a natural jumping ability, with a rectangular frame which also makes them suitable for dressage. Their natural athleticism and versatility allows them to excel in all disciplines and makes great all-rounder ponies. In fact, the Connemara pony can be seen competing in all rings – showjumping, eventing, dressage, driving, working hunter, showing, hunting, side saddle … They make fantastic competition ponies and are completely safe riding ponies for children.
Many of today’s Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) showjumping and eventing pony teams, representing most of the European countries, are made up of Connemaras and partbred Connemaras.
Connemara ponies have long been crossed with Thoroughbreds to produce the ultimate competition horse, with a couple of noteable showstoppers.

Tommy Wade on Irish Connemara showjumper Dundrum

Stroller
Marion Mould’s Stroller was the only pony to compete at the Olympics in showjumping. He was just 14.1 hh (but clearly absolutely believed he was a horse). A bay gelding with a star on his forehead, he was a Thoroughbred cross Connemara and was owned and ridden by New Forest-born Marion (nee Coakes).
She is very well known in riding circles across the New Forest and Dorset.
Representing Britain, they competed in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, and despite Stroller suffering with a tooth infection they won the silver individual medal and achieved one of only two clear rounds at the Olympics. At Olympia that same year, Stroller cleared a puissance wall of 6’ 10”.

Dundrum
Tommy Wade’s Connemara gelding Dundrum was supreme champion at the 1961 Wembley Horse of the Year Show, where he set a puissance record of 7’ 2”. Dundrum was 15.1 hh – 61 inches tall at the withers. A 7’2” puissance wall is 86 inches high – more than two feet higher than the horse. And Dundrum was carrying a rider and a saddle.
In 1961, Dundrum and Wade won a total of five major competitions and a Sports Star of the Year award. Connemara societies around the world frequently refer to Dundrum as the best Connemara that ever lived. But he was simply one of the world’s all-time great jumpers, and he beat the best of every breed.
Kate Walters runs Holnest Connemaras, near Sherborne, where she breeds competition, showing and hunting ponies.

Moody Kathleen

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14 July 2022

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Kathleen Moody (Kath)

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother who passed away peacefully on July 9th at Dorchester Hospital. Kath will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Service of thanksgiving to take place in August.

DARKE, BETSI

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Editorial team

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14 July 2022

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On the 4th July, peacefully after a long illness.

Much loved Mum to Michael, Helen and Gillian and Mamgu to Malcolm, Hannah, Matthew and Cecilia. Cherished by many.

No flowers, donations if desired for research and education on Vascular Parkinson’s c/o Colin Close funeral, Blandford.

The alchemy of the glassblower

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Editorial team

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13 July 2022

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The Venetian art of glassblowing is little changed in 800 years. Edwina Baines visited Emsie Sharp’s studio to interview the Murano-trained artisan

Artisan glassblower Emsie Sharp and her ‘servente’, Anne
All images: Edwina Baines

At her studio in a converted cowshed at Gold Hill Farm, Child Okeford, Emsie Sharp pursues the art of glassblowing. Invented by Syrian craftsmen in first century BC, blown vessels for everyday use were produced and exported to all parts of the Roman Empire. By the Middle Ages, Venice had become a major centre for glass making – and, for fear of fire in the city, production moved to the island of Murano. Venetian glassmakers developed secret recipes and methods for making glass and at one time the craftsmen were not allowed to leave the island in the Venetian lagoon for fear their methods would be lost. Revealing their trade secrets was punishable by death.
Thankfully, no such rules apply now in Emsie’s studio! She was happy to demonstrate the techniques which have remained basically the same to the present day. Following a degree in glass from Farnham Art College, Emsie moved to London to work with both Adam Aaronson Designs and Columbia Glassworks. Three years later she left to work on Murano, the ‘Mecca of the glassblowing world’. The Maestro (or Gaffer) was the chief glassblower and Emsie was the only woman apprentice under his tutelage. Initially she spoke no Italian and had to learn Venetian (a separate language from Italian: “They use different words. It’s like learning English, then hearing Geordie!”).
Glassblowing takes years of practice and dedication to the Maestro, as well as specialised tools and equipment, and a Maestro’s two assistants were known as the servente and serventino. Emsie learnt her trade as the latter: “I would call it ‘the slave’!
“There were long days of tiring, repetitive work” said Emsie. “In Italy they are very traditional, very Venetian. They work on a high level of accuracy. Items have to match perfectly. But I don’t want all my pieces to be the same. In Murano the glass is made for show, something you would put on display in a cabinet. I want mine to be functional. Useful. I want people to feel the craft in each piece.”

It starts with cullet
Today, even on a cool morning, the studio is hot. Each piece starts life as molten glass in the furnace at around 1100ºC. With the price of gas rising all the time, keeping the furnace at this constant temperature is a considerable and increasing cost. The furnace is fed with 24 per cent lead crystal cullet (excess or broken crystal from the previous week’s production) purchased from Dartington Glass in Devon. “It’s a form of recycling” was how Emsie termed it.

Emsie Sharp is curently working on a series of bowls representing sea urchins

I watched Emsie and her assistant Anne making several glasses which were part of a larger commission of wine glasses, decanters and candle holders. The molten glass is ‘gathered’ on the end of a hollow tube/blowing iron and inflated with a bubble. The vessel is shaped and formed by rolling on a smooth surface often consisting of pads of damp newspaper or an applewood block. The block is a wooden tool used to smooth and shape the molten glass into a spherical shape. The blocks are kept soaked in water before use, creating a layer of steam as the glass is shaped.
Emsie may also swing the iron and use gravity to make a longer shape if required. The stems and ‘spun’ foot are each attached separately, with Anne helping to apply a separate ‘fetch’ or bit of molten glass each time. A paddle is used to squeeze the foot between two apple wood boards so that it is even. A ‘punty’ or small metal rod is then attached to the bottom of the glass so that the other end can be fashioned. This leaves a small mark on the bottom of the glass which demonstrates that the item has been handmade.
Tools of the trade

Emsie Sharp in her studio The Cowshed on
Goldhill Organic Farm in Child Okeford

The tools of the glassblower are many and varied, each with specific names. Callipers are used to measure each glass for uniformity; a soffietta (a metal tube attached to a conical nozzle) is used to cool the glass before the next process. After the vessel has been removed from the blowpipe, the cone can be placed into the opening and used to further inflate it. Many of the tools originate from Venice; Emsie said hers “will last a lifetime.”
It was fascinating to watch the two women working together, in a seemingly effortless dance of adding, shaping, cutting and moulding.
Emsie also makes decanters, exciting sculptures and lamp bases. She says: “I don’t plan things out completely. I have an idea of the colours and shapes but I like the excitement of not knowing what’s going to happen. All the colours behave in different ways. In around 40 seconds, even though it’s still around 800ºC, the glass will cool down so much that you can’t work with it. The longer you let it cool, the longer it will take to heat back up.”

Cracks appear
The traditional process does not always go to plan and sometimes a crack appears when the article is removed from the rod. Often this can be removed when re-heated in a second furnace (called the ’glory hole’) where the rod is supported on a ‘yoke’ – but sometimes the glass shatters and all is lost. If all goes well, a final furnace or ‘annealer’ is used to cool the glass slowly, which keeps it from cracking. It was with a sense of satisfaction that I saw the beautiful finished article placed in the annealer and we all heaved a sigh of relief.
Emsie said: “I absolutely love what I do. Although it’s been a tough journey and I’m not going to be rich, I feel very privileged to be able to do it. I would like to pass on my knowledge to the next generation. There are technical skills which need to be taught.
“I want my work to be both useful and functional; I want people to feel the craft in each piece. The process is like alchemy – or an intricate dance.”
Hand-blown glass is generally thought to be more graceful than machine-made glass. This is preferable when drinking wine, not only for the way the glass balances in your hand – but because the glass enhances the wine, especially at the rim or lip. A thin, smooth edge where your lips meet the glass is best while taking a sip.
Seems like a good enough reason to keep this ancient art alive!

You can see Emsie’s work on www.sharpglass.co.uk – she is open for commissions, and has items for sale on her website.

A Right Religious Rackett (pt. 2)

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12 July 2022

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From the ‘fat old woman at the toll-bridge’ to coins of ancient Dorset, the Thomas Rackett Papers have them all – Roger Guttridge reports

Have you heard the one about the ‘fat old woman at the toll-bridge’?
Not my words but those of Mrs E Pulteney when describing the impact of a major storm which swept across southern England in March 1818.
Writing from Lymington to Miss Dorothea Rackett, daughter of the Rector of Spetisbury and Charlton Marshall, Mrs Pulteney speaks of the ‘late tremendous weather’ and complains that ‘our house has been partly blown down, though without any serious injury to the inhabitants’.
She then tells the comical tale of ‘the fat old woman at the toll-bridge’, who found herself knee-deep in flood water and unable to walk to safety.
The woman’s son tried to carry her to a neighbour’s house but when the task proved too challenging, he ‘set her down in the water to get assistance’.
It appears the ‘fat old woman’ survived but was not the only one in trouble.
‘They had six pigs in the house, which in the darkness they could not attempt to rescue,’ Mrs Pulteney adds, ‘But in the morning, great was their surprise in finding them all alive and floating in the water.’

Spetisbury Church as drawn by Thomas Rackett for the second edition of Hutchings’ History of Dorset

Irreplaceable fire loss
Mrs Pulteney’s letter is among more than 50 years’ worth of correspondence in the Thomas Rackett Papers, first published by the Dorset Record Society in 1965 and now reprinted, with additions, in hardback.
Other topics referred to in the letters range from Dorset land and grain prices to the freezing winter of 1829-30, from an 1833 flu epidemic at Blandford and Charlton Marshall to – perhaps most curiously – a ‘terrible depreciation’ in the value of books in 1830 and the related sale of many private libraries.
In 1808, the Rev Thomas Rackett wrote to a friend describing a disastrous fire at John Nichols’ Fleet Street printing office and warehouses which destroyed, among other things, the proofs for most of the second edition of Hutchins’ History of Dorset as well as ‘the whole impression’ of Nichols’ own four-volume History of Leicestershire.
Nichols was only insured for a small amount so his loss was ‘very considerable’.

A Roman Road
Many letters reflect Rackett’s lifelong passions for all things historical and scientific.
In 1815-16, Stourhead owner Sir Richard Hoare kept Rackett informed on his charting of ancient sites in Dorset and south Wiltshire.
In one letter he announced his plans to ‘trace the Roman road’ from Sarum to Woodyates and thence to Badbury Rings, where he intended to ‘examine the camp to see if our survey is correct’.
At Badbury Rings, he saw ‘two diverging causeways’, one heading for Dorchester, the other appearing to head towards Wareham.
This puzzled him as there was no evidence of a Roman road reaching Wareham.
He also noted a ‘great portion of another via’ leading from Hamworthy towards Vindogladia (by which he probably meant Wimborne or Badbury Rings) and on to Gussage Cow Down.
Sir Richard was on the money with this speculation. We now know that the Romans built a road from their port at Hamworthy to Lake Gates, Wimborne, where they set up their 40-acre base camp for the conquest of South West England.
Another road led from Lake Gates to Badbury Rings, where it split into three routes, one leading to Dorchester [the Roman Durnovaria], another into North Dorset and a third to Old Sarum.

Thomas Rackett and Tiberius Cavallo’s drawing showing the bearings of objects found at Badbury Rings

Coins of kings
Being a wealthy antiquarian, Sir Richard employed his own surveyor, Mr Crocker, to record details of Badbury Rings, Hambledon Hill, Hod Hill, Maiden Castle and other sites.
He described Hambledon – which he called ‘Hamilton’ – as ‘one of the grandest earthworks I ever beheld’.
In 1832, a parishioner’s discovery of ancient Greek coins in a field at Charlton Marshall prompted Rackett to make further inquiries in the general area.
Within six months he had collected more than 100 coins from the kings of ‘Syria, Macedon, Bythinia, Syrmium and Egypt’ and from ‘states and colonies of Antioch, Carthage, Cos, Mamertini, Rhegium, Syracuse, Neapolis etc’.
Rackett also refers to 70 to 80 silver coins found at Okeford Fitzpaine some years earlier.
In a report to Henry Ellis, secretary of the Society of Antiquities, he says coins plus the glass beads and gold ornaments found in Dorset barrows suggested ‘commercial intercourse’ between the local Britons and people from the East, and perhaps even that ‘a colony was formed in this part of the Island’.

Copies of the Thomas Rackett Papers are available by post from the Hon General Secretary, Dorset History Centre, Dorchester DT1 1RP (£14.95 + £2 p&p – cheques only) or in person from the Dorset History Centre.