S

o, you’ve shopped, you’ve eaten, you’ve checked out a museum or two – and now you’re after something different to do in Dorchester. Well, one way to spend the afternoon is by taking a self-guided walk around the more historical parts of town, delving into its Roman past.

Starting at the Town Pump (where else?), you’ll go back in time, following a path along the town’s old walls and defenses.

Things do tend to get a bit morbid from here; that lovely thatched cottage once belonged to the town executioner, and further down the road, you’ll see a nice patch of land where the condemned members of Dorchester gaol met their grisly end.

With all this cheery sightseeing, you’ll be practically skipping down the quiet Grey School Passage, before heading back to the present for a bit more shopping – where the only things hanging are the baskets. What a relief.