Understanding the rich heritage of Dorchester

Dorchester-on-Thames is a key site in British history. It was an important ceremonial centre in the Neolithic and Bronze Age, and is very unusual in having important Iron Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon towns in a single place that has suffered remarkable little damage from development.

Excavations at Dorchester are giving us a much better understanding of three of the key transition points in English history: the move away from tribal society with the growth of urbanisation in the late Iron Age, subsequent incorporation into the Roman Empire and the rise of early Medievel society and the confused situation arising from the withdrawal of the Roman legions in AD410.

Dorchester archaeology loan boxes

‘Romans in Dorchester’, ‘Roman Pottery Detective’ and ‘Anglo-Saxons in Dorchester’ loans boxes have been built by the Project’s Education Officer, and contain carefully selected original artefacts, replicas and teaching resources. They are designed to support elements of the National Curriculum, particularly the Key Stage 2 Roman topic in History. The boxes are available free of charge, to be borrowed for up to two weeks. They can be collected and returned by the school to Dorchester Abbey Museum.

• Read more in our leaflet

NEW! School INSET session

Early in 2012 there will be an after school INSET session in the Abbey Guest House, when there will be a practical demonstration of the boxes, discussing a variety of approaches on how contents could be used within classes, with additional background on the dig, providing links to the Museum and what it has to offer in terms of potential future school visits.

To book a place on the INSET training or borrow any of the loans boxes, email museum@dorchester-abbey.co.uk or education@dorchester-abbey.co.uk