Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum

Whispers and Cries: Listening for the Voices of the Dead in a Nineteenth-Century Courtroom.

This lecture traces the evolution of the eighteenth and nineteenth century British courtroom as it evolved from a plain open space into a complex theatre of justice. Along the way, it suggests that the changing architecture of the courtroom evidences the development of new relationships between defendants, judges, juries and witnesses. By building 3D models, and testing how, for example, the placing of judges bench, jury box and defendant’s dock effected the soundscape of the court it argues that defendants were increasingly disadvantaged by a new kind of trial. Along the way, it explores how we can better understand courts such Shire Hall, and the experience of the defendants tried there for their liberty and their lives.

Tickets are £6 per person.

Combining great stories, a wonderful backdrop of projected images and John Anderson’s instantly likeable songs all set to exciting music, they will take you on a voyage to remember. Dorset has a rich heritage of seafaring and smuggling and we hope that you will join the band to participate in the songs of tall ships, exploration, great sea battles, smugglers, wreckers, storms and shipwrecks, lighthouses, lifeboats and fishing fleets; all of which make ‘Seafarers’ a unique memorable experience.

The band play an array of instruments including, six string, twelve string and tenor guitar, bouzouki, flutes, fiddle, whistle, bodhran and keyboard. For this production the band welcomes new member Elspeth Gracie who joins the Andersons, Ray Tower and Pete Coley.

Tickets £9.00