William Barnes Society Events

Dorset Meetings are held throughout the year, with talks, poetry readings, recitals and other entertainments including excursions to places with special Barnes connections. Annual events include a spring Service of Remembrance at Winterborne Came Church, a June, Summer Lunch and a wreath laying at St. Peter's Church, Dorchester, in October.

• Non-members are welcome to our events as advertised (£3 for entry), William Barnes Society members FREE. For more information on joining click here.
• External events advertised outside of the organisation may be ticketed.

From 01/08/2024 until 01/08/2025
Starts 00:00
William Barnes Harvest Celebration

This FREE online event is a selection of poetry and music performed by members of the William Barnes Society

On 22/02/2025
Starts 09:00
Barnes Night: A Celebration of the Life and Work of William Barnes

Tim Laycock and members of the William Barnes Society have produced a special programme with KeeP 106 radio celebrating Barnes’ life and featuring poetry and music in the Dorset dialect. 

On 23/02/2025
Starts 15:00
Tea with William Barnes

Dialect poet William Barnes relished the country dances, folksongs and carols of Dorset, and often wrote about community celebrations, where music was a key part of the proceedings.

On 20/03/2025
Starts 09:00
A Dorset Spring through the Poetry of William Barnes

This FREE online event is a selection of poetry and music performed by members of the William Barnes Society

On 09/04/2025
Starts 00:00
Friends Beyond - Barnes, Moule and Hardy

This FREE online talk, filmed in April 2022, evaluates and re-examines the significance of William Barnes and Horace Moule as key mentors to Thomas Hardy including the classical and literary, philosophical,  religious and socio-political influences that they had on the Wessex writer and poet.