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 21/12/2021 until 21/12/2022
Starts 10:00
VIRTUAL KEEPEN UP O' CHRIS'MAS

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

From 01/01/2022 until 01/05/2022
18:30 till 20:00
Online: 'A Dorset Year: the poetry and prose of William Barnes and Thomas Hardy'

Online event presented by members and friends of the William Barnes Society, the Thomas Hardy Society, Oxford's Stanza 2 poetry group and local contributors. 

From 22/02/2022 until 22/02/2023
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 06/03/2022
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.

From 27/03/2022 until 27/03/2023
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 09/04/2022
14:30 till 15:30
Friends Beyond - Barnes, Moule and Hardy

This talk will evaluate and re-examine the significance of William Barnes and Horace Moule as key mentors to Hardy including the classical and literary, philosophical,  religious and socio-political influences that they had on the Wessex writer and poet.

From 01/08/2022 until 01/08/2023
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