Sturminster Newton History Week

01/10/2025

As reported recently in the Dorset Echo

It’s not every day a polar bear shares a shed with a pony in a Dorset market town, but according to local legend, that’s exactly what happened…

29/09/2025

Huge thanks to the folk who brought you this week long programme of events and to all of you who supported it.

26/09/2025

A late addition to the week due to demand. We like this The Stur of the Moment

25/09/2025

✨ Coming soon for kids! ✨
Join us for a fun History Day at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton on Saturday 27th September — and it’s all FREE! 🎉

Here’s what you can do:
Dress up in history costumes 👗🛡️
Get creative with colouring 🎨
Pretend to be a prisoner (just for fun!) 🔒
Watch a short animated film 🎥
Meet real soldier re-enactors from The Keep 🪖
Explore cool treasures found by local archaeologists 🏺

Hosted by the Somerset & Dorset Family History Society


North Dorset Locality Shepton Mallet Prison Dorsetmums Home-Start UK Sturminster Newton Heritage Trust

25/09/2025

Learn about prison life at Shepton Mallet Prison from these characters pictured below . They will be at the Somerset & Dorset Family History Society event at The Exchange on Saturday 27th September.

16/09/2025

Book your place for this free event at 1855 Sturminster Newton

12/09/2025

80 years ago this week, Anthony Beale, whose parents Reginald & Ethel Beale lived at 22 Rixton, was liberated from the POW Dock Camp in Saigon. Captured in Singapore on 15th February 1942 he spent 1300 days in captivity.

12/09/2025

History Week Feature – Sturminster Newton, 1855
This week marks 170 years since construction began on the new National Provincial Bank in Sturminster Newton in 1855. As part of our History Week display in 1855 Sturminster Newton, we're highlighting not only this significant milestone, but also the earlier banking history of the town.
Before the new bank was built, the old National Provincial Bank operated from one of the offices shown in the image below. Prior to that, from 1805 to 1834, the original Sturminster Newton Bank served the community from this very location.
Join in the celebration this weekend 13-14 September with delicious brownies.

11/09/2025

As featured in the latest issue of Who Do You Think You Are magazine. Whoop! Whoop!

09/09/2025

This is how Stur rocked in 1749. Three days of C**k Fighting followed by a bit of Sword & Dagger... possibly included John Newman of Hammoon.
Extract from Henry Kaines diary
17th May 1820 Mr John Newman of Hammoon died aged 88 years. He was well known in Dorset & Somerset as champion of all in the ….. Of Cudgel players or Sword or Dagger, and he would play any man in all England for any Sum. He for many years was so much dreaded and feared that the Somersetshire Men would not attend to play in these parts and so he was prohibited from playing, consequently he was at most places what they called Cried down. He was a powerful, athletic Man, upwards of Six feet high, of a cool disposition by which he often said the advantage of his antaganist …. was known to use any foul play or improper language and was much respected altho’ he delighted in such exercise. Mr Newman died of a Dropsy and was latterly heard to say that he never felt any thing of the very hard and heavy blows he frequently succumbed from those he had to contend with, which as necessary of the first … to endeavour to cut him out of his play and dear earned championship. No man was ever known to break as many heads in one day ………

08/09/2025

As featured in the latest issue of the The BV magazine

01/09/2025

This guided walk offers fascinating insights into the town’s past, including the once-thriving Sturminster Market, its important railway heritage, and historic places of worship. You’ll explore the town’s industrial and trading roots, sites of pleasure and leisure, and discover surprising literary connections—including links
to Thomas Hardy—as well as unexpected ties to Newfoundland, all of which bring the stories of this charming Dorset town vividly to life.