There are more than 70 places, walks and talks you can visit, take and listen to this DAHW. Here's our pick of the best.
1. Star of this year’s show will be Silk Hay, the elegantly-named Stalbridge house whose renovation story is one of the most extraordinary in the county. It doesn’t look too jaw-dropping from the outside. But inside – thanks to its devoted owner Hilary Townsend – it is a veritable architectural treasure-trove, comprising a Medieval Hall House (Hilary helped discover this addition to her Tudor property), a Crusader stone (part of the structure she believes was pinched by a Tudor builder from elsewhere), and an amazing wall-painting. Because of its size the house can only take ten visitors at a time and, like many of the events taking place, is bookable.
2. If churches are your thing you’re in luck there too because St Peter & St Paul’s Church in Blandford is offering bookable tours. The Grade I listed church was rebuilt following the Great Fire of Blandford in 1731 and received a grant in 2013 to launch a £3.5 million restoration project.
3. Over in Lyme Regis they’re opening up the Cemetery Chapel for the first time. Opposite Lyme Regis football club, the highly decorated Church of England Cemetery Chapel, originally built in 1856, contains a fine example of a Victorian bier or coffin stand. Visitors can also visit the nearby grave of the crew of HMS Formidable, the first battleship to be sunk in World War I, 100 years ago.
4. In the east, the Bournemouth and Poole areas have been blessed with a number of new walks in the DAHW programme. The Wild West Howe Guided Walk will take you back to the days when West Howe was one of the hamlets on the edge of the heath south of Kinson Village. Despite the housing estate, this walk will show you some of the rural landscape that has survived and even some ancient and forgotten lanes, now barely recognisable.
5. For those who’d rather sit and listen (although there is a short walk in Westbourne involved), Tiles and Terracotta is a new event that looks at the wide range of ceramic features in the Bournemouth built environment, many of which were made locally, and includes historic images as well as contemporary photos.
6. There will be a similar event in Poole given by self-styled ‘Tile Lady’ Jo Amey, looking at the town’s rich architectural ceramic heritage, including Carter’s Pottery tiles, terracotta from South Western Pottery and examples of modern ceramic decoration. There will also be walks in Moordown and Pokesdown.
7. In Wimborne, the United Reformed Church in Chapel Lane will be throwing open its doors. There has been continuous Christian worship on this site since 1672, although the present building dates from the 1840s and still retains many of its original features. Organisers say there will be a number of historic items on display.
8. However, for true snooper’s bragging rights you’ll need to sign up to visit Rufus Castle, the surviving fragment of Portland’s medieval castle and one of the earliest defensive structures to have been built with gun ports. Not usually open to the public, the building is privately owned, and includes the ruins of St. Andrew’s Church.
•Dorset Architectural Heritage Week takes place from Wednesday 9 to Thursday 17 September edht.org.uk/
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