Shaftesbury is one of the finest picturesque market towns of Wessex. The hilltop setting that we admire today has provided an important location for those who have lived here through the ages.

The heritage of the town goes back to 880 when King Alfred founded Shaftesbury as a fortified settlement c.880. Eight years later he established a Benedictine nunnery here which flourished and dominated the town and countryside, bringing wealth and prestige.

Shaftesbury served as a bustling market for farms in the surrounding country and this activity continued long after the demise of the Abbey in 1539. With increasing travel between London and the West Country, the town thrived as a staging point on the route.

Today, Shaftesbury has retained its essence and remains a vibrant market town rooted in tradition. This project will enable us to tell the story of this ancient town in an historic building.

The Project

Over the past five years results from a number of opinion group surveys and visitor surveys have establishes areas that need improving.

This project will enable us to implement these findings by improving accessibility and tell the story of Shaftesbury and the area to residents and visitors in a much enhanced setting.  Better structure, enlarged area and layout of artifacts from our collection will be complemented by imaginative exhibitions and improved interpretation.

Accessibility to the Grade II listed buildings of the museum and the first floor of Sun & Moon Cottage will be improved by the new extension and, other than maintenance work, no major rework is proposed for the interior.  A glass construction with slate roof in the current courtyard will house the staircase, create access to the first floor of the cottage and increase display space.

The new two storey extension on the east of the building - with a roof designed so as not to obstruct light into the St Peter’s Church behind - will house the object store, library, office, lift and toilets. It will extend into the garden with a single story semicircular for education and functional use, seating 45. This new build will:

• Increase object storage capacity by 20%
• Improve library facilities and create work/study space for two people
• Create an office, learning space and function room with a kitchenette for events.

An archaeological evaluation of the site was carried out in 2008. The methodology for this was the archaeological excavation of three trial pits (rather than trenches because of the limitations of the site) - the courtyard north of the museum shop, the garden area in the north-east corner of the site, and the area to the south-east of the building.
See the report by clicking on the image below (PDF file 743KB)

The proposed building works have been designed by Phillip Proctor Associates here in Shaftesbury. They have developed the project up to RIBA stage D, including obtaining listed building and Planning consents. 
See the proposed plans by clicking on the image below (PDF file 790KB)

The museum's permanent exhibition will be improved
See the proposed gallery designs by clicking on the image below (PDF file 754KB)

For further details about this project please email
Anna McDowell or write to the address below.
If you wish to make a contribution, please send your cheque payable to the Shaftesbury & District Historical Society to:

Gold Hill Museum Project
Gold Hill Museum & Garden
Gold Hill
Shaftesbury
Dorset
SP7 8JW

To pay by Gift Aid please download this form. We thank you in anticipation for your support.