Hidden Patterns in the South Dorset Landscape | Jonathan Harwood
29 July 2022, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
The positions of churches in the South Dorset Landscape, when connected together by straight lines (drawn from church symbol to church symbol on a map at a scale of 1:25,000) reveal deliberate and meaningful patterns.
Jonathan began to explore these patterns in 1997 and, over the years, has carefully considered whether these arrangements of churches in the landscape could be the result of chance. This would be the most obvious explanation since, apart from anything else, it seems out of the question that surveying techniques in Antiquity would have been up to the job. We have a strong tendency, however, to underestimate the capabilities of our ancestors.
In this talk, Jonathan explores his hypothesis that one particularly remarkable pattern encapsulates the, to us, very curious beliefs and practices of Gnostic Christians who were present amongst the villa-owning elite in Dorset during the Roman period.
In the 17th century, a group of puritans in Dorchester pursued a project to transform the town into the ‘New Jerusalem’. More than a thousand years before it seems that another group was motivated to imprint a scaled-up version of the floor plan of the Holy of Holies of the Temple of Solomon onto the Dorset landscape.
Important Announcement
The lift in the Museum is currently out of action.
We hope to resolve this very soon and apologies for the inconvenience.
-
Opening hours:
Dorset Museum & Art Gallery
Daily: 10.00am - 5.00pm
TASTE Café
Daily: 9.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday: 10:00am - 4:00pm
-
-
What's On
4 July – 6 September 2024
Fashioning our World
This exhibition special display showcases a project with local young people working alongside Dorset Museum & Art Gallery team as part of Fashioning our World with Salisbury Museum.
Find out more10 July - 26 September 2024.
Sensing the Past
"Sensing the Past" was a collaborative and co-produced project involving The Dorset Blind Association, Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, and Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.
Find out more13-28 July 2024
Festival of Archaeology | Events
Co-ordinated by the Council for British Archaeology, the Festival offers hundreds of events nationwide, organised by museums, heritage organisations, national and country parks, universities, local societies, and community archaeologists.
Find out more19 July - 3 November 2024
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the world-famous exhibition from the Natural History Museum, is returning to Dorset Museum & Art Gallery
Find out more19 July - 1 September 2024
Summer Animal Trail
Get ready to embark on a wild adventure! This summer, join in on our animal-spotting trail around the museum.
Find out more27 July 2024, 9:00am - 10:00am
Relaxed Opening
Explore the Museum and take part in drop-in activities during our relaxed openings. Especially suitable for visitors with autism or other sensory conditions, and their siblings, parents and carers. The sessions are also suitable for any group or individual who would like to visit our museums and galleries at a quieter time.
Find out more31 July 2024, 10:00am - 12:00noon
Wildlife Wednesday
Come and join us every Wednesday during the school holidays for a wild adventure in the galleries.
Find out more7 August 2024, 10:00am - 12:00noon
Wildlife Wednesday
Come and join us every Wednesday during the school holidays for a wild adventure in the galleries.
Find out more14 August 2024, 10:00am - 12:00noon
Wildlife Wednesday
Come and join us every Wednesday during the school holidays for a wild adventure in the galleries.
Find out more