Gold Hill Museum - the history of Shaftesbury and Dorset
Source: https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk
Archived: 2026-04-23 15:30
Gold Hill Museum - the history of Shaftesbury and Dorset
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Welcome to Gold Hill Museum
S
haftesbury and District’s local history museum with an award-winning cottage
garden
and wonderful views over
Thomas Hardy’s Blackmore Vale
.
Previous
Next
Shaftesbury Remembers The Great War
Click here for more.
Opening Hours 2026
10.30a.m. to 4.30p.m. (Latest entry 4.10p.m.)
We are open every day from Saturday 28 March to Sunday 01 November inclusive
Our Library and Archives volunteers are happy to answer enquiries by email
Free Admission
Donations and New Volunteers Welcome
At the top of picturesque Gold Hill, well known for the
Hovis “Boy on a Bike”
advert, this
modern museum
is set in two historic buildings. One was once the priest’s house and still has a “squint” through the wall to St Peter’s church; the other provided basic lodgings for traders at the market on Gold Hill.
Eight galleries tell the story of rural and town life, starting even before Shaftesbury’s notional foundation by Alfred the Great. Highlights of the
collection
include the unique Byzant, carried during annual celebrations of the securing of the water supply, so vital to a hilltop town; Dorset’s oldest fire engine, dating from 1744; fine lacework and costumes; handmade
Dorset buttons;
and a mummified Dorset cat.
Gold Hill Museum is owned and managed by
volunteers
of
The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society
, a registered charity. You can read about the range of activities of The S&DHS in the
Diary of Events
,
Library,
and
Lectures & Speakers
pages, in the “About Us” and “Events” menus, and in our recent
News Blogs
and
Newsletters
.
The S&DHS
Thanks to the foresight of its founders, The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society owns Gold Hill Museum. The Society is an entirely voluntary organisation and in normal years receives no public funding towards the running costs of the Museum. Please
contact
us if you can help by becoming a
member
, a
volunteer
or a donor. Thank you.
News Blog Latest
12th February 2026
At 2.30p.m. on Tuesday 03 March at Gold Hill Museum, Professor…
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/921px-M_lowndes_Suffragette_poster_justice.jpg
554
921
Ian Kellett
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gold-hill-museum-header-90x380.png
Ian Kellett
2026-02-12 19:00:29
2026-02-13 16:17:03
Campaigning for Votes for Women in Dorset: Forgotten Stories
20th January 2026
On 30 September 1940 at the culmination of the Battle of Britain…
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1940-Sept-30-Civilian-casualties-web-large-2.jpg
412
572
Ian Kellett
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gold-hill-museum-header-90x380.png
Ian Kellett
2026-01-20 15:29:30
2026-02-13 16:30:57
Eighteen Killed in Sherborne Battle of Britain Air Raid
12th January 2026
Under the Antiquities Law devised by Iraq's newly appointed…
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/193386-lg.jpg
900
1600
Ian Kellett
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gold-hill-museum-header-90x380.png
Ian Kellett
2026-01-12 14:06:22
2026-01-18 16:16:49
Murder (and Theft) in Mesopotamia … continued from World’s Oldest Museum
7th January 2026
Twenty-one-year-old Max Mallowan arrived at Ur in southern Iraq…
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Ur-Nassiriyah.jpg
720
960
Ian Kellett
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gold-hill-museum-header-90x380.png
Ian Kellett
2026-01-07 14:31:24
2026-01-18 16:22:48
The World’s Oldest Museum Found By Shaftesbury Historical Society President
1st January 2026
"Harrison", the salmon-pink 1934 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Barker Sports…
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/79YG-at-Gorky-Maxim-Kartashev.jpg
1093
1600
Ian Kellett
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gold-hill-museum-header-90x380.png
Ian Kellett
2026-01-01 14:06:04
2026-01-02 16:19:09
Classic Car Enthusiast on the Rolls-Royce in Revolutionary Russia
Go to News Blog
Contact us
Address
Gold Hill Museum
Gold Hill
Shaftesbury
Dorset
SP7 8JW
Tel:
01747 852157
Email:
General enquiries:
enquiries@goldhillmuseum.org.uk
Research enquiries:
library@goldhillmuseum.org.uk
Registered Charity Number: 1156273
Find us
Blog Latest News
Campaigning for Votes for Women in Dorset: Forgotten Stories
12th February 2026 - 19:00
Eighteen Killed in Sherborne Battle of Britain Air Raid
20th January 2026 - 15:29
Murder (and Theft) in Mesopotamia … continued from World’s Oldest Museum
12th January 2026 - 14:06
The World’s Oldest Museum Found By Shaftesbury Historical Society President
7th January 2026 - 14:31
Opening Times
We are open every day from Saturday 28 March until Sunday 01 November
10.30 a.m. to 4.30p.m with last entry at 4.10p.m
For the comfort of all our visitors, please observe social distancing.
New Volunteers Welcome
Admission Free
(Donations very welcome)
Scroll to top
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.
Accept
Reject
Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
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Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Previous
Next
1
2
3
4
5
6
Welcome to Gold Hill Museum
S
haftesbury and District’s local history museum with an award-winning cottage
garden
and wonderful views over
Thomas Hardy’s Blackmore Vale
.
Previous
Next
Shaftesbury Remembers The Great War
Click here for more.
Opening Hours 2026
10.30a.m. to 4.30p.m. (Latest entry 4.10p.m.)
We are open every day from Saturday 28 March to Sunday 01 November inclusive
Our Library and Archives volunteers are happy to answer enquiries by email
Free Admission
Donations and New Volunteers Welcome
At the top of picturesque Gold Hill, well known for the
Hovis “Boy on a Bike”
advert, this
modern museum
is set in two historic buildings. One was once the priest’s house and still has a “squint” through the wall to St Peter’s church; the other provided basic lodgings for traders at the market on Gold Hill.
Eight galleries tell the story of rural and town life, starting even before Shaftesbury’s notional foundation by Alfred the Great. Highlights of the
collection
include the unique Byzant, carried during annual celebrations of the securing of the water supply, so vital to a hilltop town; Dorset’s oldest fire engine, dating from 1744; fine lacework and costumes; handmade
Dorset buttons;
and a mummified Dorset cat.
Gold Hill Museum is owned and managed by
volunteers
of
The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society
, a registered charity. You can read about the range of activities of The S&DHS in the
Diary of Events
,
Library,
and
Lectures & Speakers
pages, in the “About Us” and “Events” menus, and in our recent
News Blogs
and
Newsletters
.
The S&DHS
Thanks to the foresight of its founders, The Shaftesbury & District Historical Society owns Gold Hill Museum. The Society is an entirely voluntary organisation and in normal years receives no public funding towards the running costs of the Museum. Please
contact
us if you can help by becoming a
member
, a
volunteer
or a donor. Thank you.
News Blog Latest
12th February 2026
At 2.30p.m. on Tuesday 03 March at Gold Hill Museum, Professor…
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/921px-M_lowndes_Suffragette_poster_justice.jpg
554
921
Ian Kellett
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gold-hill-museum-header-90x380.png
Ian Kellett
2026-02-12 19:00:29
2026-02-13 16:17:03
Campaigning for Votes for Women in Dorset: Forgotten Stories
20th January 2026
On 30 September 1940 at the culmination of the Battle of Britain…
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1940-Sept-30-Civilian-casualties-web-large-2.jpg
412
572
Ian Kellett
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gold-hill-museum-header-90x380.png
Ian Kellett
2026-01-20 15:29:30
2026-02-13 16:30:57
Eighteen Killed in Sherborne Battle of Britain Air Raid
12th January 2026
Under the Antiquities Law devised by Iraq's newly appointed…
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/193386-lg.jpg
900
1600
Ian Kellett
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gold-hill-museum-header-90x380.png
Ian Kellett
2026-01-12 14:06:22
2026-01-18 16:16:49
Murder (and Theft) in Mesopotamia … continued from World’s Oldest Museum
7th January 2026
Twenty-one-year-old Max Mallowan arrived at Ur in southern Iraq…
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Ur-Nassiriyah.jpg
720
960
Ian Kellett
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gold-hill-museum-header-90x380.png
Ian Kellett
2026-01-07 14:31:24
2026-01-18 16:22:48
The World’s Oldest Museum Found By Shaftesbury Historical Society President
1st January 2026
"Harrison", the salmon-pink 1934 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Barker Sports…
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/79YG-at-Gorky-Maxim-Kartashev.jpg
1093
1600
Ian Kellett
https://goldhillmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gold-hill-museum-header-90x380.png
Ian Kellett
2026-01-01 14:06:04
2026-01-02 16:19:09
Classic Car Enthusiast on the Rolls-Royce in Revolutionary Russia
Go to News Blog
Contact us
Address
Gold Hill Museum
Gold Hill
Shaftesbury
Dorset
SP7 8JW
Tel:
01747 852157
Email:
General enquiries:
enquiries@goldhillmuseum.org.uk
Research enquiries:
library@goldhillmuseum.org.uk
Registered Charity Number: 1156273
Find us
Blog Latest News
Campaigning for Votes for Women in Dorset: Forgotten Stories
12th February 2026 - 19:00
Eighteen Killed in Sherborne Battle of Britain Air Raid
20th January 2026 - 15:29
Murder (and Theft) in Mesopotamia … continued from World’s Oldest Museum
12th January 2026 - 14:06
The World’s Oldest Museum Found By Shaftesbury Historical Society President
7th January 2026 - 14:31
Opening Times
We are open every day from Saturday 28 March until Sunday 01 November
10.30 a.m. to 4.30p.m with last entry at 4.10p.m
For the comfort of all our visitors, please observe social distancing.
New Volunteers Welcome
Admission Free
(Donations very welcome)
Scroll to top
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.
Accept
Reject
Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT