Hotels Dorchester England Cheap Dorchester HotelsPeaceful and charming, Dorset's county capital is still recognisably the
town in which Thomas Hardy set his novel The Mayor of Casterbridge back in
1886. Its streets are a mix of the Georgian and the medieval, from its
cultured high street shops to its traditional bi-weekly market. While the
town was founded in AD 70 by the Romans, its surrounding attractions have a
history dating from even further back in time. Maiden Castle is Europe's
largest Iron Age hill fort, and was the focus of Roman invaders in these
parts before their subsequent construction of Durnovaria (Dorchester).
Maumbury Rings is another ancient site, beginning life as a Neolithic henge,
before later becoming an amphitheatre. Poundbury Camp was also adapted.
Initially another Iron Age fort, the grounds at the foot of its hill were
later believed to have been used as a Roman burial ground. The Athelhampton
House and Gardens (renowned as one of the finest manor houses in the
country), is also nearby and is as well-known for its fountains and
manicured lawns as it is for its 15th-century architecture. For fans of
Thomas Hardy, two of his past residences are open to the public. The first
is his childhood home, Hardy's Cottage (set amongst the scenic Puddletown
Forest), and the second is Max Gate, which was designed by him and lies
within Dorchester itself. Other attractions in town include the Dinosaur
Museum, which features computer-generated reconstructions of various species
and their worlds; it's Britain's only museum devoted purely dinosaurs.
Welcome to online reservations for hotels in Dorchester England.
|
