Discover Dorset's wonderful heritage on walks and at other events with archaeologists from Dorset Council and other archaeologists working in the county.
Badbury Rings 4,000 BC to 1945 - temple, barrows and hillfort
Saturday 4 October 2025, 2pm to 4pm
Explore the archaeology of the Kingston Lacy Estate as seen from Badbury Rings and High Wood with Martin Papworth. This walk takes around 2 hours, and there are some easy slopes. Sensible clothing and footwear are recommended.
Booking is required as numbers are limited and in case of any last-minute changes. There is a charge of £5 (adults) for this walk, to be paid to the walk leader on the day. Children go free but must be accompanied by an adult.
Meeting point
Meet at the National Trust car park at Badbury Rings where there is free parking for National Trust members but a charge for non members. DT11 9JL, grid reference ST 965 030
To find the meeting point on the What3Words website use: ///choppers.allowable.sends
To book your place and for more information
Email claire.pinder@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk or contact us by telephone on 01305 224921. If you email or leave us a voicemail message, please remember to include your name and contact details and tell us which event you are interested in.
Burton Bradstock from prehistory to World War 2
Saturday 11 October 2025, 2pm to 4.30pm
Learn about the archaeology around Hive Beach on a walk with Mike Trevarthen of RMA Trevarthen Archaeological Services. This walk will take 2 to 2½ hours, and there are some slopes. Sensible clothing and footwear are recommended.
Booking is required as numbers are limited and in case of any last-minute changes. Children must be accompanied by an adult. This walk is FREE to attend but if you enjoy your walk, please give a donation to the walk leader on the day.
Meeting point
Meet on the beach side of the National Trust car park at Hive Beach, Burton Bradstock (DT6 4RF, SY 491 888). There is a charge for parking in this car park (free to National Trust members).
To find the meeting point on the What3Words website use: ///newsprint.spite.gown
To book your place and for more information
Email claire.pinder@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk or contact us by telephone on 01305 224921. If you email or leave us a voicemail message, please remember to include your name and contact details and tell us which event you are interested in.
Finds identification: Beaminster Museum, Saturday 12 July 2025, 11am to 2pm
Drop in to show your finds to the Finds Liaison Officer, Portable Antiquities Scheme. Archaeological objects will be on display for you to see and handle.
Venue
Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Road, Beaminster DT8 3NG
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///sniff.provider.buildings
Museum of East Dorset, Wimborne Minster, Tuesday 25 March 2025, 10am to 1pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Museum of East Dorset, 23-29 High Street, Wimborne Minster BH21 1HR
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///cover.fallen.reference
Blandford Town Museum, Thursday 27 March 2025, 10am to 1pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Blandford Town Museum, Bere's Yard, Blandford Forum DT11 7HQ
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///release.viewer.vipers
Dorset History Centre, Saturday 5 April 2025, 10am to 12.30pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Dorset History Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester DT1 1RP
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///hindering.perfume.beards
Poole Central Library, Tuesday 27 May 2025, 10am to 1pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Poole Central Library, Dolphin Centre, Poole BH15 1QE
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///vibrate.occurs.react
Sturminster Newton Museum, Thursday 29 May 2025, 10am to 1pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Sturminster Newton Museum, 1 Old Market Cross House, Market Cross, Sturminster Newton DT10 1AN
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///wing.elsewhere.blemishes
Beaminster Museum, Saturday 12 July 2025, 11am to 2pm
Drop in to show your finds to the Finds Liaison Officer (FLO), Portable Antiquities Scheme. Archaeological objects will be on display for you to see and handle.
Venue
Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Road, Beaminster DT8 3NG
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///sniff.provider.buildings
Museum of East Dorset, Wimborne Minster, Tuesday 29 July 2025, 10am to 1pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Museum of East Dorset, 23-29 High Street, Wimborne Minster BH21 1HR
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///cover.fallen.reference
Blandford Town Museum, Thursday 31 July 2025, 10am to 1pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Blandford Town Museum, Bere's Yard, Blandford Forum DT11 7HQ
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///release.viewer.vipers
Dorset History Centre, Saturday 2 August 2025, 10am to 12.30pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Dorset History Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester DT1 1RP
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///hindering.perfume.beards
Dorset History Centre, Saturday 13 September 2025, 10am to 12.30pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Dorset History Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester DT1 1RP
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///hindering.perfume.beards
Poole Central Library, Tuesday 23 September 2025, 10am to 1pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Poole Central Library, Dolphin Centre, Poole BH15 1QE
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///vibrate.occurs.react
Sturminster Newton Museum, Thursday 25 September 2025, 10am to 1pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Sturminster Newton Museum, 1 Old Market Cross House, Market Cross, Sturminster Newton DT10 1AN
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///wing.elsewhere.blemishes
Museum of East Dorset, Wimborne Minster, Tuesday 25 November 2025, 10am to 1pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Museum of East Dorset, 23-29 High Street, Wimborne Minster BH21 1HR
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///cover.fallen.reference
Blandford Town Museum, Thursday 27 November 2025, 10am to 1pm
Claire Pinder, Dorset Council's Senior Archaeologist, and Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen, Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset, will be available to answer your questions about Dorset's historic environment and identify your finds.
To make an appointment please email finds@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Regular contacts please note that the Finds Liaison Officer is taking up to 15 finds per person per visit.
Venue
Blandford Town Museum, Bere's Yard, Blandford Forum DT11 7HQ
To find the venue on the What3Words website use: ///release.viewer.vipers
Dorchester Association talk: An archaeological medley, Thursday 27 February 2025 2.30pm
Dr Clare Randall describes episodes from her work on recent excavations across South West England.
Organised by the Dorchester Association for Research into Local History and Archaeology This talk is free to attend but donations are requested from non-members.
Venue
The Dorford Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester DT1 1RR
To find the venue on the What3Words website use ///issues.chum.support
Female Foundations: the Lives and Legacies of Women in Earth Sciences, Saturday 8 March 2025
On International Women's Day 2025, a day of talks on the contribution of women to our understanding of the past. Academics and authors talk about notable women such as archaeologists Peggy Piggott, Tony Cyriax, and Susann Palmer. Award-winning author Tracy Chevalier will be talking about her work on Mary Anning.
Organised by REACH Equality CIC and Past Participate CIC and hosted by the Dorchester Association for Research into Local History and Archaeology at the Dorford Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester DT1 1RR.
A date for your diary: Recent work in Dorset Archaeology, Saturday 17 May 2025
A day-school looking at recent work in Dorset. Venue: Dorchester
A date for your diary: Maiden Castle, Saturday 1 November 2025
A day-school celebrating the 40th anniversary of Professor Niall Sharples excavations at Maiden Castle. Organised in partnership with the Dorchester Association for Research into Local History and Archaeology. Venue: Dorchester
Give feedback on events
If you have been to one of our events recently, we would like to know what you think. Help us improve and develop new events by completing our short survey.