July 23, 2026
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The West Dorset Magazine Articles by: Emily Quance
Group of BKC Racing drivers and team members celebrating with trophies in front of a BKC Racing van at Clay Pigeon Raceway.
News Sport

‘Sad day for motorsport’ as Clay Pigeon Raceway loses fight against 226 holiday lodges

Clay Pigeon Raceway, the West Dorset karting track which helped to launch the careers of world champions Lando Norris and Jensen Button, is

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Black and white photograph from March 1941 showing three people standing together outdoors near the coast. A young woman stands on the left wearing a dark coat over a blouse, her hair styled in soft waves typical of the era. In the centre, a man in uniform, likely William Paul Tizzard, stands smartly dressed in military uniform with a cap, hands by his sides. To the right, another man in similar military uniform stands slightly behind, also wearing a cap. The group stands on a grassy verge with a low wall or embankment behind them, and a hazy view of the sea or coastline visible in the background, suggesting a wartime photograph taken near the Weymouth coast before deployment.
News

Writer tracks down heartbreaking stories behind 43 names on Weymouth war memorial

A writer has traced the stories behind 43 names listed on a Weymouth war memorial. Charlie Owen asked readers of The West Dorset

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A pile of freshly baked smoked salmon and samphire scones stacked on a white plate, made using this savoury scones recipe. The scones are golden-brown on top, scattered with black and white sesame seeds and crispy onion pieces, with flecks of green samphire and pale pink salmon visible through the crumbly dough. The savoury scones are well risen with rough, craggy edges, and the plate sits on a dark kitchen worktop. The photograph shows the finished savoury scones recipe ready to be served, perfect for a summer picnic with a generous spread of cream cheese.
Vittles

How to make delicious savoury scones recipe with salmon and samphire in 15 minutes

KAREN BROAD shares her savoury scones recipe The field above us has been cut, and the scent of drying grass hangs heavy in the

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A black and white archive photograph of Portland Fair showing two women laughing on the dodgems. The woman driving has dark curled hair and dangling earrings, her mouth open mid-laugh as she grips the white steering wheel, while her blonde companion smiles beside her. Behind them, a fairground worker in a dark shirt steps between the bumper cars, and children can be seen riding in other cars across the rink. A man walks past the painted boards at the edge of the ride, with strings of lights and fairground signage visible above. The photograph captures the joy and atmosphere of the much-missed fair, held in Chiswell every November 5 for more than 200 years until it ended in 2001.
Culture

Portland Fair brought back to life as b-side festival reveals 2026 line-up

The ghosts of Portland Fair are to be evoked as the island’s b-side festival returns this September. The annual celebration of creativity is

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Three volunteers work on the steep grassy hillside of the Cerne Abbas Giant on a sunny day, re-chalking sections of the figure's outline. The chalk lines curve and wind across the slope in pale channels cut into the grass. On the left, a volunteer in a red top and wide-brimmed sun hat digs with a long-handled tool, while in the centre a man in a blue cap and grey top crouches beside a white sack of chalk. On the right, a woman in a dark top bends over the outline with a hand tool. Behind them, the Dorset countryside stretches out in a patchwork of green crop fields and mature trees under bright sunshine.
News

Re-chalking of Cerne Abbas Giant underway with 17 tonnes of Dorset chalk

For hundreds of years, he’s been standing proud, waving his enormous club whilst keeping watch over the sleepy village at his feet. Now,

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Aerial drone photograph of St Juthware Church in Halstock, showing the damaged roof from above. The church is built of weathered grey and honey-coloured stone, with a sturdy 15th-century tower on the left topped with battlements and a flagpole. A large section of the main roof's stone tiles has been covered with a bright blue tarpaulin, held down by a criss-cross frame of wooden battens, marking where rainwater has been getting in. Metal scaffolding with wooden walkways has been erected along the right side of the building, with stacks of tiles resting on the platforms. A small porch with a pale blue door sits at the front of the church, and one window below the roofline has been boarded over. The church is surrounded by green grass, with rows of headstones visible in the churchyard at the top right, and trees and hedgerows enclosing the scene. The image captures both the beauty of the historic building and the scale of the repair work needed.
News

Race to save historic St Juthware Church in Halstock as huge hole opens in roof

By MARY CLEGG, Churchwarden: Tucked away in the timeless landscape of the Halstock Vale stands St Juthware Church, a small rural church with

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Chloe Marsh, smiling while stroking one of the black and white dairy cows that produce Dorset ice cream in a green field. She's wearing a burgundy long-sleeved top and dark farm apron, and other cattle graze behind her
News

Family farm delighted with award for Dorset ice cream vending machine

A Dorchester farm is in the running for the ‘Rural Oscars’ for its innovative vending machines selling Dorset ice cream, milkshakes and fresh

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Alt text for Bettiscombe: "Looking through twin brick gateposts with decorative stone tops, framing a wooden gate, the view opens onto the sweeping gardens of Bettiscombe Manor. Rolling green lawns stretch into the distance, lined with mature trees and flowering borders, with the Dorset countryside and Vale beyond. The early morning or late afternoon light casts long shadows across the grass, and a soft mist hangs gently over the distant landscape beneath a pale blue sky. This is the entrance to designer Jasper Conran's Bettiscombe Manor near Bridport, which opens for the National Garden Scheme on Thursday 11 June. The gardens showcase Conran's creative, constantly evolving planting with orchards, mellow brick enclosures, and broad beds flanking an unforgettable view down to the sea
News

13 stunning Dorset gardens open for National Garden Scheme in June – including Jasper Conran’s Bettiscombe Manor

Another set of glorious gardens will open for charity this month, as part of the National Garden Scheme, including the grounds of designer

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Mayor presents Weymouth volunteers at Weymouth Museum Trust with a Community Award certificate at the 2026 Mayor's Community Awards ceremony
News

Weymouth volunteers celebrated as unsung heroes at Mayor’s Awards 2026

Individuals and groups who go the extra mile for others were recognised in the 2026 Mayor’s Community Awards. Outgoing Mayor Caroline Nickinson presented

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Reverend Martin Lee (centre) with colleagues inside Sherborne Abbey, which has launched a £1m fundraising appeal for accessibility improvements
Church

Sherborne Abbey unveils £1 million appeal for new toilets and revamp

Sherborne Abbey has launched a £1m fundraising appeal to support a vital upgrade. Work on the new facilities started last month. The vestry

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