Blandford Town Museum

Friday Talk: The history and craft of Rushwork on the River Stour
2026-04-24 19:30 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | Blandford Parish Centre, The Tabernacle, Blandford Forum, DT11 7DW
In this illustrated talk, Anna Lewington will give an overview of the history of rush cutting and rushwork as practised historically on the River Stour in the vicinity of Marnhull. She will also describe the project ‘RushWorks’ she set up in 2006 in order to try and keep the local knowledge and practise of working with rushes alive, an activity still continued today with an annual rush harvest and workshops run from her home in Sturminster Newton.

Anna is an ethnobotanist and writer who has been researching and writing about importance of plants to people for many years. Her interest developed as an undergraduate student and led to her study of Amerindian languages and culture at St Andrews university, and her thesis on the importance of the root crop manioc to the Matsigenka Indians of the Peruvian Amazon. She is the author of two editions of ‘Plants For People’, a comprehensive study of the ways in which products from plants support our daily lives, first written at the invitation of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and subsequently described as ‘a complete inspiration to the Eden Project’. She has also co-authored ‘Ancient Trees: Trees that Live for Thousand Years’, studied the cultural importance of birch trees (‘Birch’ 2018) and written several educational books on rainforests and the importance of plants for children.
Anna’s interest in the history of rushwork began following involvement with a Kew project to evaluate the commercial importance of plant resources in Britain. Alongside much local research she has taken part in numerous basketry courses, been inspired by rush cutter and maker Felicity Irons and is a member of the Basketmakers’ Association.
Tea and coffee will be available from 7 pm, the talk will start at 7.30 pm and finish at around 9 pm.
Admission £8 (£5 for Museum members, free to Friends and Patrons)

We have a variety of talks about our history and heritage from a range of expert speakers lined up for Autumn 2025 and Spring 2026. These will take place on Fridays (usually, but not always, the last Friday of the month) at the Parish Centre in Blandford. Please visit our Calendar for information about future talks.

Cancelled: Archaeology Group Lecture
2026-04-23 19:30 - 21:00 | Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, The Plocks, Blandford Forum, DT11 7AA
Unfortunately our speaker for Thursday evening is unwell and is not able to come to Blandford to give our monthly lecture. He is very sorry and we will reschedule him for the Autumn.
We look forward to seeing you next month for our last lecture before the summer.
The Museum Archaeology Group lectures take place on the fourth Thursday of the month (usually), starting at 7:30. Tea and coffee are available to buy before the talks.
Admission to the talks is free for museum members (donations welcome), £3 for non-members.

Please see the Museum Events Calendar for the dates and details of all this year’s talks, and the Archaeology Group page for more information about our activities.

Friday Talk: Blandford's Corn Exchange Renvovation
2026-03-27 19:30 - 21:00 | Blandford Town Hall, The Corn Exchange, Market Place, DT11 7AG, Blandford Forum, United Kingdom
Linda Scott-Giles, Town Clerk to Blandford Forum Town Council, will deliver a talk on the Corn Exchange project and the works undertaken to this stunning Grade I listed building managed by the Town Council. Linda will present an overview of the scheme, outlining the rationale behind the project, the key objectives, and the outcomes achieved. The presentation will explain how the works have carefully restored and preserved original architectural features in keeping with the building’s historic significance, while also improving accessibility to ensure the space can be more widely used and enjoyed by the community. In addition, it will highlight the measures introduced to enhance environmental performance, creating a more energy-efficient and sustainable building without compromising its heritage value.
Please note that this event will take place in the Town Hall, on the first floor of the Corn Exchange – a venue befitting the subject of the talk!

Tea and coffee will be available from 7 pm, the talk will start at 7.30 pm and finish at around 9 pm.
Admission £8 (£5 for Museum members, free to Friends and Patrons)

We have a variety of talks about our history and heritage from a range of expert speakers lined up for Spring 2026. These will take place on Fridays (usually, but not always, the last Friday of the month) at the Parish Centre in Blandford. Please visit our Calendar for information about future talks.

Archaeology Group Lecture: Social and genetic transformation in southern England, 2500 BC
2026-03-26 19:30 - 21:00 | Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, The Plocks, Blandford Forum, DT11 7AA
In this talk, Edrys Lupprian of the Blandford Museum Archaeology Group presents a biosocial model arising from her research into the arrival of Beaker-using peoples and metal technology between 2500-2200 BC.
Around 2500BC Britain moved out of the Stone Age with the appearance of metal technology, Beaker style pottery and a change in lifeway. Genetic evidence shows that the Late Neolithic lifeway and genome was replaced by that of people carrying Steppe Ancestry. Edrys will explore how and why this social and genetic might have taken place, using information from Cranborne Chase and Stonehenge.
The lectures take place on the fourth Thursday of the month (usually), starting at 7:30. Tea and coffee are available to buy before the talks.
Admission to the talks is free for museum members (donations welcome), £3 for non-members.

Please see the Museum Events Calendar for the dates and details of all this year’s talks, and the Archaeology Group page for more information about our activities.

"Blandford in Stitches" meeting
2026-03-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Museum Annex meeting room, Bere's Yard, Blandford Forum, DT11 7HQ
After completing the Stour Valley Sampler, a huge embroidery telling the story of medieval women on the Stour Valley, the Museum’s Blandford in Stitches group is now turning its attention to the Great Fire of Blandford in 1731. With the 300th anniversary approaching, the group are planning a Georgian dress embroidered with scenes of the fire and the rebuilding of Blandford. In this meeting we will be discussing fabrics and thread for Fire Dress, and looking at patterns for making a toile of the dress.
For more information, please see our recent blog post or contact Elaine Lofthouse on 07779732233.
Participation in Museum Groups is open to all members of the Museum. If you would like to be involved, but are not yet a member, please visit our Membership page.

East Street Research Project meeting
2026-03-02 14:00 - 16:00 | Museum Annex meeting room, Bere's Yard, Blandford Forum, DT11 7HQ
Members of the Blandford Museum Research team are documenting the history of East Street, using information from published records, local museums and archives as well as personal recollections. As the Project is nearing conclusion, this meeting will focus on discussion on possible publications and presentations. Please click here for more information about the project.

Friday Talk: The Voyages of Molly
2026-02-27 19:30 - 21:00 | Blandford Parish Centre, The Tabernacle, Blandford Forum, DT11 7DW
London, Liverpool and Bristol are well known for their involvement in the trading of enslaved people, but many smaller British ports were also engaged in this trade. Some of Dorset’s ports saw slaving voyages, with one such voyage taking place in 1758 by a ship called Molly sailing from Poole. This voyage lasted for more than half a year, delivering a number of slaves to a port in America, and then returning to Britain with a cargo of valuable commodities. Molly made several voyages over the decade of the 1750s and using Lloyd’s Lists for the period it is possible to piece together some of Molly’s journeys. But Molly was just one ship making a handful of voyages out of a total of more than 12,000 voyages by British flagged ships. What was Molly’s fate, how was it procured and how did Molly’s voyages fit into the wider “triangular trade?”

The talk will be given by Steve Richardson, who has taught Geography in Skipton, Vancouver, Lyme Regis, Bristol and Blandford, and more recently has been researching Dorset’s maritime heritage. His previous talk: “A Ship, a Gate, and a Country Estate” opened a window into some of Dorset’s imperial connections.
Tea and coffee will be available from 7 pm, the talk will start at 7.30 pm and finish at around 9 pm.
Admission £8 (£5 for Museum members, free to Friends and Patrons)

We have a variety of talks about our history and heritage from a range of expert speakers lined up for Spring and Autumn 2026. These will take place on Fridays (usually, but not always, the last Friday of the month) at the Parish Centre in Blandford. Please visit our Calendar for information about future talks.

Archaeology Group Lecture: In the Shadow of the Church
2026-02-26 19:30 - 21:00 | Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, The Plocks, Blandford Forum, DT11 7AA
In the summer of 2025, Context One Heritage & Archaeology excavated over 80 burials a short distance from St Mary’s Church in Iwerne Minster. The remains form part of an extensive Anglo-Saxon cemetery that may have been in use for over 400 years and likely relate to a minster that it is believed to have been founded in the late 7th century. In this talk, Context One director Richard McConnell presents the initial findings of the excavation and proposes some thoughts on what they might mean.
The lectures take place on the fourth Thursday of the month (usually), starting at 7:30. Tea and coffee are available to buy before the talks.
Admission to the talks is free for museum members (donations welcome), £3 for non-members.

Please see the Museum Events Calendar for the dates and details of all this year’s talks, and the Archaeology Group page for more information about our activities.

Folklore, legends & Myths
2026-02-07 14:15 - 15:45 | Blandford Library, The Tabernacle, Blandford Forum, DT11 7DW
Discover the world of Folklore, Legends & Myths! This free, family‑friendly event is organised by Blandford Library in partnership with Blandford Town Museum.

2:45pm: Introduction
2:30 – 3pm: Folklore, Legends & Myths talk and slideshow
3:15 – 3:45pm: Creative crafts

There will also be snacks and drinks, a book display, a library Folklore trail, and a fun quiz with small prizes.
Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information, please email blandfordlibrary@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk or phone 01258 452075.

New Year Quiz
2026-01-30 18:30 - 21:30 | Blandford Parish Centre, The Tabernacle, Blandford Forum, DT11 7DW
We’re pleased to announce the return of our popular New Year Quiz, to help raise funds for the Museum and to have some fun in the dark days of winter.

Enter as a whole team (6 people) or individual/couple to be allocated to a team
£10 per head entry, including a light supper of sandwiches and cakes
Drinks will be available to buy, and there will be a raffle.

Doors open at 6:30, and the quiz starts at 7:00.
Numbers will be limited, so to avoid disappointment you will need to reserve your place(s). Please fill in our on-line form or contact Clara on 07975 797790 (text or WhatsApp) or 01258 450639. Payments in advance, please, preferably by BACS transfer to Blandford Forum Museum, Heritage & Arts Trust, Sort Code 30-98-97, Account Number 20009262, reference <surname>-QUIZ, or call Clara for other payment options.
*** Note added 18/1/26: there are only a few places left in the quiz now. Please wait until you have received confirmation of your reservation before sending payment. Thank you.

Archaeology Group Lecture: Waddon Hill: A Roman Fort in West Dorset
2026-01-22 19:30 - 21:00 | Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, The Plocks, Blandford Forum, DT11 7AA
Our first lecture of 2026 will be given by Dr Jon Milward, Bournemouth University’s Archaeology Project Officer.
Waddon Hill, west Dorset, has a Roman fort sited on the Ridgeway. Does it represent a hostile and violent conquest by the Romans? Did it supplant an Iron Age hill fort? What were the military actually doing in the roughly 10 years they occupied it and how does it relate to other near by forts?

The Archaeology Group presents lectures on a range of facinating archaeological topics by local experts and academics. Everyone is welcome!
The lectures take place on the fourth Thursday of the month (usually), starting at 7:30. Tea and coffee are available to buy before the talks.
Admission to the talks is free for museum members (donations welcome), £3 for non-members.

Please see the Museum Events Calendar for the dates and details of all this year’s talks, and the Archaeology Group page for more information about our activities.

Christmas Craft Day
2025-12-13 11:00 - 15:00 | Blandford Town Museum, Beres Yard, Blandford Forum, DT11 7HQ
Join us at the Museum for a Christmas craft day. Design and make your own individual wreaths, cards, tree decorations etc.
We supply the materials, you have the fun!
Refreshments available
Entry is free, but donations are welcome.

Archaeology Group Social Event
2025-12-10 19:30 - 22:00 | Stour Inn, 5 Dorchester Hill, Blandford St Mary, DT11 9LH

Yuletide Festival
2025-12-05 18:00 - 22:00 | Blandford Town Museum, Beres Yard, Blandford Forum, DT11 7HQ
The Museum will once again be open for the Yuletide Festival. This year, we’ll be making use the gravel area near the garden, giving us more space for stalls and people. There will be festive hot drinks and sweet or savoury snacks for sale, and fire pits to warm your hands by! Our decorated Museum will also be open for visitors, with Christmas Gifts in our shop.
We’ll be welcoming the West Gallery Carollers at around 6:45 and 7:45 pm, and the Bourne Valley Morris Dancers at 7:15 and 8:15 pm.
For more information about the Yuletide Festival, please visit the Blandford Yuletide Festival website.

Friday Talk: Echoes of Christmas Past
2025-11-28 19:30 - 21:00 | Blandford Parish Centre, The Tabernacle, Blandford Forum, DT11 7DW
Join us to kick off the festive season with a look back at the customs and entertainments of Christmasses past in Blandford and around. There will be short talks and readings, traditional West Gallery carols, and a display of Christmas-related items and pictures from the museum.
Festive drinks and light refreshments will be available from 7 pm, and the talks will start at 7.30 pm and finish at around 9 pm.
Admission £6 (free to Friends and Patrons of the Museum)

We have a variety of talks about our history and heritage from a range of expert speakers lined up for Autumn 2025 and Spring 2026. These will take place on Fridays (usually, but not always, the last Friday of the month) at the Parish Centre in Blandford. Please visit our Calendar for information about future talks.

Archaeology Group Lecture: Big Pits and Big Game
2025-11-27 19:30 - 21:00 | Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, The Plocks, Blandford Forum, DT11 7AA
Professor Josh Pollard from Southampton University will talk about pitfall traps and the hunting of large animals in prehistoric Britain. More details to follow soon…

The Archaeology Group presents lectures on a range of facinating archaeological topics by local experts and academics. Everyone is welcome!
The lectures take place on the fourth Thursday of the month (usually), starting at 7:30. Tea and coffee are available to buy before the talks.
Admission to the talks is free for museum members (donations welcome), £3 for non-members.

Please see the Museum Events Calendar for the dates and details of all this year’s talks, and the Archaeology Group page for more information about our activities.

"Fire Dress Project" launch
2025-11-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, The Plocks, Blandford Forum, DT11 7AA
In their new Community Textile Project, the “Blandford in Stitches” Group is creating the Fire Dress. In the style worn by an upper-class Englishwoman in the 1730’s, the dress will be embroidered to depict the impact of the Great Fire on the Blandford townscape. For more information, please see our recent blog post.
This open meeting will introduce the project and decide when and where future meetings will be held.
Participation in Museum Groups is open to all members of the Museum. If you would like to be involved, but are not yet a member, please visit our Membership page.

An Evening of Music and Poetry
2025-11-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Blandford Corn Exchange
A relaxed evening of music and poetry, featuring some very good friends of the museum.
C.W. Blackburn
Nic Hosking
Gerald Killingworth
Sam Ryall
Victoria Starr
Melanie Ann Vance
Doors open 6:30, entry £10 to include one free refreshment; bar available.
Tickets can be bought on line from the Eventbrite website.
For more details, and a full programme of events, please visit the Blandford Literary Festival website.

Blandford Literary Festival Talks
2025-11-14 - 2025-11-15
The museum is very pleased to host three talks as part of the Blandford Literary Festival 2025.
Friday 14 November
3:30-4:30 pm at the Museum:
“Unearthing Local History for your Writing” by Jane Adams.
Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, local history can be a powerful source of inspiration. Entry £6.00
5-6 pm in the Corn Exchange:
“Alfred Stevens: Master of Design” by Teresa Sladen.
Teresa will be speaking about her extensive study of the life and work of Alfred Stevens, who was born in Blandford Forum. Entry £8.00
Saturday 15 November
12:30-1:30 pm at the Museum:
“111 Things to Do in Dorset” by Karen Heaney.
Think you know Dorset? Think again! Entry £6.00
For more details, and a full programme of events, please visit the Blandford Literary Festival website.
Tickets can be bought on line from the Eventbrite website.

Halloween Spooktacular
2025-10-31 18:00 - 21:00 | Angus Wood, St Leonards Avenue, Blandford Forum, DT11 7PJ
Will there be a Halloween Spooktacular in Angus Wood this year? You BET!
With Food, Drinks, Wine and Beer (for adults), music and an amazingly scary Woodland.
£2 per person, or £5 for a family
Children must be accompanied by an Adult Ghoul!
For more information, follow us on Facebook: Blandford Environmental Trust
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP KEEP THIS WONDERFUL EVENT GOING!
If you can spare a few hours to help with decorating Angus Wood and running the event, please let us know by ringing 07701090227.

Friday Talk: Railways in Blandford
2025-10-24 19:30 - 21:00 | Blandford Parish Centre, The Tabernacle, Blandford Forum, DT11 7DW
In the first Friday talk of our Autumn 2025 season, we are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the first passenger railway service in the world with audio and video memories of our local railways. There will also be readings of railway poetry.

October’s talk will not be on the last Friday of the month to avoid clashing with the Hallowe’en Spooktacular event at Angus Wood.
Refreshments will be available from 7 pm, and the talk will start at 7.30 pm and finish at around 9 pm.
Admission £6 (free to Friends and Patrons of the Museum)

We have a variety of talks about our history and heritage from a range of expert speakers lined up for Autumn 2025 and Spring 2026. These will take place on Fridays (usually, but not always, the last Friday of the month) at the Parish Centre in Blandford. Please visit our Calendar for information about future talks.

Archaeology Group Lecture: Ripples in the Gene Pool that made us who are we
2025-10-23 19:30 - 21:00 | Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, The Plocks, Blandford Forum, DT11 7AA
We are delighted to welcome back the archaeologist and TV presenter Julian Richards for this month’s lecture.
What do we expect when we send off a DNA test that offers to trace our distant ancestry? The reality is that the majority of us are an amazing, but perhaps un-surprising mixture. In this talk archaeologist Julian Richards will explore the genetic history of the British Isles from hunter gatherers to Huguenots and beyond. And, alongside the results of genetic studies, Julian will also explore the evidence for invaders and settlers provided by archaeology. Together they provide fascinating windows into our shared past.

The Archaeology Group presents lectures on a range of facinating archaeological topics by local experts and academics. Everyone is welcome!
The lectures take place on the fourth Thursday of the month (usually), starting at 7:30. Tea and coffee are available to buy before the talks.
Admission to the talks is free for museum members (donations welcome), £3 for non-members.

Please see the Museum Events Calendar for the dates and details of all this year’s talks, and the Archaeology Group page for more information about our activities.

Clean Up Blandford! Litter pick
2025-10-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Blue Bridge, Marsh and Ham, Blandford Forum
Blandford War on Waste/Clean Up Blandford Campaign organise regular litter picks around the town. Everyone is welcome to join in and help to make a difference in the town.
All equipment is supplied, and tea, coffee and biscuits are available for litter pickers.
Meet by the Blue Bridge, Marsh and Ham, from 10 am to noon.
Please visit the Facebook Page for more information.

Plant Sale
2025-10-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Blandford Town Museum, Beres Yard, Blandford Forum, DT11 7HQ
Unfortunately, a shortage of helpers means that we are unable to hold our usual coffee morning this month. However, the Garden Club will still be holding their Plant Sale and this is a good opportunity to stock up on interesting plants, at very reasonable prices.

BFG Talk: "Maple trees, beautiful and versatile"
2025-09-27 14:00 - 16:00 | The Victorian Garden, Blandford Town Museum, Beres Yard, Blandford Forum
This talk to the Blandford Forum Gardeners’ Group will be given by Mike Walker. More details to follow later…
Entrance to the talk is £3, this includes a coffee or tea and a piece of cake. Everyone is welcome.

"Last Friday" in the Victorian Garden
2025-09-26 18:00 - 19:30 | Blandford Town Museum, Beres Yard, Blandford Forum, DT11 7HQ
Come and join us for the last of 2025’s Summer evenings in the Museum’s Victorian Garden. Wine, beer, soft drinks and delicious homemade food are available to buy, and we are able to take cash or card payments. There may also be entertainment from our resident musicians, Clara and Colin.
Our food theme for September is “Hot Stuff” – some spicy, some just warming for a cool autumn evening. As the nights are drawing in, we will be starting at the slightly earlier time of 6 pm. Wrap up warm for this farewell to Summer!

Archaeology Group Lecture: New Light on the "Dark Ages" in South East Dorset
2025-09-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, The Plocks, Blandford Forum, DT11 7AA
This month’s lecture will be given by Lilian Ladle, OBE
Recent work looking at ancient DNA has provided family links and some surprising lineages for the group of 26 people buried at Worth Matravers between 605 and 652 CE. This period is little understood, and there are very few sites of this date in Dorset. Worth is compared other Post-Roman sites at Ulwell, Wareham, Bestwall, Worgret, Puddletown and Druce, illuminating burial rites, beliefs, settlement and industry.

The Archaeology Group presents lectures on a range of facinating archaeological topics by local experts and academics. Everyone is welcome!
The lectures take place on the fourth Thursday of the month (usually), starting at 7:30. Tea and coffee are available to buy before the talks.
Admission to the talks is free for museum members (donations welcome), £3 for non-members.

Please see the Museum Events Calendar for the dates and details of all this year’s talks, and the Archaeology Group page for more information about our activities.

Open Meeting: Progress on the New Build
2025-09-20 10:00 - 17:00 | Blandford Town Museum, Beres Yard, Blandford Forum, DT11 7HQ
We are delighted to invite you to the upcoming progress meeting regarding the future vision for our museum, in particular the plans for a new building on for the gravel area between the Museum and the garden.
At this open meeting, we will share our exciting plans for the future with you, and will very much welcome your questions and feedback.
There will be two dedicated presentation slots, at 11 AM and 2 PM. Our proposed new building plans will be on display in the garden (weather permitting!) from 10 AM to 5 PM, and refreshments will be available.

Dino Day! Featuring the Iguanodon Restaurant
2025-09-06 11:00 - 16:00 | Blandford Town Museum, Beres Yard, Blandford Forum, DT11 7HQ
Join us at the Museum for a family-friendly day of dinosaur- and fossil-centred activities. The Museum is delighted to welcome Arts company Emerald Ant to present The Iguanodon Restaurant, a wonderfully quirky piece of free street theatre. A furious romp through 50 years of ground-breaking scientific discoveries that changed how we see the world, ‘Iggy’ the Iguanodon provides family fun for Dino lovers of all ages.
It’s New Year’s Eve, 1853, and in Crystal Palace Park a group of eminent professors and geologists are holding a sumptuous banquet in an unusual venue – inside the concrete cast of an Iguanodon. Fossil-fuelled fun ensues as the dinner guests in the Iguanodon Restaurant, famous dinosaur hunters William Buckland, Gideon Mantell, Mary Anning and Richard Owen wrangle over their amazing fossil finds.
Is it a bird? A giant fish? An ancient crocodile? They debate questions around extinction and evolution – how come dinosaurs no longer exist? What does the stone beneath our feet tell us about the world? And what’s really in that blancmange? Find out in this highly visual, funny and peculiar performance.
This family-friendly event is suitable for all, and with BSL interpretation it offers a great opportunity for those who are deaf or hard of hearing to enjoy a piece of theatre to maximum effect.
Performance times: 12:30 and 2:30 pm.
The Iggy performances will be accompanied on the Dino Day by a drop-in workshop – children (age 4 to 104!) can learn more about fossils, dinosaurs and of course about their local museum. Roll your sleeves up and get creative, maybe create a badge to take home.
Light refreshments will be available; you are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy in the Museum’s Victorian Garden.
There is no charge for admission, but donations to the museum would be very welcome. Please contact us to reserve your place and avoid disappointment!

For more information about Emerald Ant, please visit their website: www.emeraldant.com/

Blandford Perimeter Walk
2025-08-24 11:00 | In front of Greyhound House, 2 Market Place, Blandford Forum, DT11 7EB, United Kingdom
Discover some of the history of our unique Georgian town with town guides from the Blandford Civic Society.
Perimeter walks show how Blandford has developed since it was rebuilt following the Great Fire.
The Walk starts at 11 am and lasts approximately two hours. There is no charge, but donations are welcome!
There’s no need to book, but for more details contact Nicci Brown (details below).
For more information about the activities of the Civic Society, please visit their Group page.
