Shire Hall, Dorchester

Name: Shire Hall
Address: Shire Hall, High West Street, Dorchester, DT1 1UY, United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 1305 261849

#16 among attractions in Dorchester

Historical place, History museum, Museum, City hall

Gallery (1)

Map

Facts and practical information

Shire Hall is an 18th-century courthouse in Dorchester, Dorset. The building was the centre of law, order and government, and served as the county hall for Dorset until 1955. It has been Grade I listed since 1950. In 2018, the hall opened as the Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum. ()

Completed: 1797 (227 years ago)Built: 1797 (227 years ago)Coordinates: 50°42'55"N, 2°26'21"W

Address

Shire Hall, High West StreetDorchester DT1 1UY United Kingdom

Contact

+44 1305 261849

Website

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Dorchester

Day trips

Shire Hall – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Dorset County Museum, The Keep, Max Gate, Dorset Teddy Bear Museum.

~420 ftE
Museum, History museum, Natural history museum
Dorset County Museum, Dorchester
3 min walk • The Dorset County Museum is located in Dorchester, Dorset, England. Founded in 1846, the museum covers the county of Dorset's history and environment. The current building was built in 1881 on the former site of the George Inn. The building was designed specifically to house the museum's collection and is in the neo-Gothic style.
~1070 ftW
Museum, Military museum
The Keep, Dorchester
6 min walk • The Keep, Dorchester is part of the former county barracks of the 39th Regiment of Foot and the 75th Regiment of Foot. The barracks were built in about 1880 and housed various regiments as units were amalgamated.
1 miSE
Museum, Architecture, Historical place
Max Gate, Dorchester
25 min walk • Max Gate is the former home of Thomas Hardy and is located on the outskirts of Dorchester, Dorset, England. It was designed and built by Thomas Hardy for his own use in 1885 and he lived there until his death in 1928. In 1940 it was bequeathed to the National Trust by Hardy's sister and is now open to the public.
~1430 ftE
Museum, Specialty museum
Dorset Teddy Bear Museum, Dorchester
7 min walk • The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum is a teddy bear museum in Dorchester, Dorset, southern England. The museum includes Teddy Bear House and displays antique and other teddy bears. Bears on display include Paddington Bear, Rupert Bear, and Winnie the Pooh. The earliest bear dates from 1906 and there are also life-sized bears.
0.5 miS
Archaeological site
Maumbury Rings, Dorchester
14 min walk • Maumbury Rings is a Neolithic henge in the south of Dorchester town in Dorset, England. It is a large circular earthwork, 85 metres in diameter, with a single bank and an entrance to the north east.
~570 ftW
Monuments and statues
Thomas Hardy Statue, Dorchester
3 min walk • Thomas Hardy Statue is a statue of Thomas Hardy, located at Dorchester, Dorset, England. It was funded by public subscription to commemorate Hardy's life and works, three years after his death.
~1980 ftSE
Monuments and statues
Dorset Martyrs Memorial, Dorchester
10 min walk • The Dorset Martyrs Memorial is a grade II listed sculpture by Elisabeth Frink in Dorchester, Dorset, England. It was unveiled in 1986 on the site of the gallows where Catholic martyrs were hanged in the 16th and 17th centuries.
0.6 miNW
Forts and castles
Poundbury Hill, Dorchester
15 min walk • Poundbury Hill is the site of a scheduled Prehistoric and Roman archaeological remains and includes evidence of a Neolithic settlement, a substantial Bronze Age occupation site and an Iron Age hillfort.
~600 ftE
City hall
Municipal Buildings, Dorchester
3 min walk • The Municipal Buildings are based on the north side of High East Street in Dorchester, Dorset, England. The structure, which was the headquarters of Dorchester Borough Council, is a Grade II* listed building.
~1160 ftE
Museum, Science museum, Specialty museum
Dinosaur Museum, Dorchester
6 min walk • The Dinosaur Museum is a museum presenting dinosaurs in Dorchester, the county town of Dorset, in southern England. The Dinosaur Museum is the only museum in mainland Britain dedicated purely to dinosaurs. The museum is not far from the Jurassic Coast to the south, a World Heritage Site.
~1060 ftSW
50°42'46"N • 2°26'29"W
The Borough Gardens, Dorchester
6 min walk • Garden, Park

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When is Shire Hall open?

Shire Hall is open:

Monday 10 am - 5 pm
Tuesday 10 am - 5 pm
Wednesday 10 am - 5 pm
Thursday 10 am - 5 pm
Friday 10 am - 5 pm
Saturday 10 am - 5 pm
Sunday 10 am - 5 pm

Which popular attractions are close to Shire Hall?

Nearby attractions include The Tutankhamun Exhibition, Dorchester (1 min walk), Dorset County Museum, Dorchester (3 min walk), Thomas Hardy Statue, Dorchester (3 min walk), Municipal Buildings, Dorchester (3 min walk).

How to get to Shire Hall by public transport?

The nearest stations to Shire Hall:

Train

Dorchester West (9 min walk)
Dorchester South (12 min walk)