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THS WAR POETRY CONFERENCE ... A Weekend to Remember
Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th November 2025
The Dorford Centre, St Mary's Church and The Casterbridge Room, The King's Arms, Dorchester
With the drums of war beating ever louder, what better time to explore the human cost of war, listening to the voices of those that lived through times of war and often, experienced it for themselves?
The Thomas Hardy Society is joining forces with other literary groups to give a stage to the words of some extraordinary writers: Thomas Hardy, T.E. Lawrence, Siegfried Sassoon and Edward Thomas, and discuss how they expressed themselves through the darkest days of war.
Weekend Itinerary
Saturday (The Dorford Centre, Dorchester)
0930 Registration
0945 Chairs' Welcome
1000 What is War Poetry?
1015 Introduction to WW1
1045 Refreshment Break
1100 Thomas Hardy
1145 Siegfried Sassoon
1230 Lunch
Timed slots to Dorset History Centre (adjacent venue) (Optional)
Tour of Keep Military Museum Grounds (opposite venue) led by Chris Copson (Optional)
1430 Edward Thomas
1515 T.E. Lawrence
1600 Refreshment Break
1615 Plenary Discussion
1645 Finale
1700 Close
Participating organisations are:
Each group has a manned table at the event to provide additional information
Saturday Evening (St Mary’s Church, Dorchester)
1900 Remembrance - War, Words and Music
Weekend Ticketholders Only
Sunday (The Casterbridge Room, The King's Arms)
0930 Registration/Welcome/Coffee
0945 Dorchester during WW1 - Exhibition
1040 Dorchester Remembrance Parade (starting at Cornhill) (optional)
11.00 Wreath-laying at Dorchester War Memorial (optional)
1130 Dorchester during WW1 - Talk by Brian Bates, local historian
1230 The Prisoner of War Commemoration Service (Fordington Cemetery) (optional)
1400 Sunday Lunch
1530 Wilfred Owen Performance
1700 Close
BOOK ONLINE
Weekend Conference tickets are limited - Members of participating societies will be given priority.
Day tickets are also available
BOOK A SATURDAY LUNCHTIME SLOT TO A PRIVATE VIEWING OF WW1 DOCUMENTS AT DORSET HISTORY CENTRE
RESERVE A SPACE ON THE TOUR OF KEEP MILITARY MUSEUM GROUNDS
JOIN US FOR DINNER OR SUNDAY LUNCH?
View Menus and Reserve your place
Those not participating in the wreath-laying services may opt to explore Dorchester's places connected to WW1 - See link below
Follow the Poppy Trail
"Lest We Forget"
Event location map
Society calendar
Upcoming events
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