A whole week of activities are planned for Heritage Open Days in Dorchester from next weekend.

HOD2021 – A Taste of Dorchester will run from Sunday, 12th to Saturday, 18th September.

Heritage Open Days is England's largest festival of history and culture, and this year's theme is `Edible England' – a great chance to explore the past, present and future of our culinary heritage.

A full programme of events has been set out across Dorchester and Poundbury to include talks, tours, activities and open days. The event starts off with a full day of heritage around Top o' Town, High West Street, High East Street and Borough Gardens.

Keep Military Museum and Dorset Museum are having an open day with free entry, Shire Hall will have Victorian activities running all day with their exhibition 'A Slice of Victorian England'. The exhibition will be free, but entrance to the museum will be discounted at £5.

There will be Roman cooking demonstrations at the Roman Town House and free tours of Dorchester Prison and Brewery Tours starting from Copper Street Brewery in Brewery Square, bookable via Eventbrite.co.uk

A Mad Hatter's picnic will be in Borough Gardens with live music, Punch & Judy, a coconut shy and other activities. Alice and the Mad Hatter will organise games between 12noon and 3pm. Bring a picnic but the refreshment kiosk will be open.

Various tours and talks are taking place in the week, such as tours of Hollis Mead Organic Dairy, The Watercress Company and a talk at Poundbury Gardens by Olives et Al founder, Giles Henschel.

The week will round off with a History Village at Maumbury Rings on September 18, with demonstrations of ancient crafts, beekeeping, weaving and spinning, Roman gladiators and much more. Poundbury Community Farm will also be open all day for tours and demonstrations of apple pressing, beekeeping and scything.

Miranda Woodgate, event co-ordinator, said: "This is a great chance to come together to celebrate Dorchester's incredible heritage and 6,000-year history.

"Thanks must go to Dorchester Town Council, Dorchester BID, our headline sponsors Poundbury Gardens and Martin Green Interiors and everyone else that has supported the event financially and with their time.

"The event will help to raise the spirits after so many community events had to be cancelled last year."

A full programme is available and can be viewed online at http://lovedorch.com/HOD