Notable buildings Dorchester, Dorset

church of st peter

within dorchester parish there 293 structures listed historic england historic or architectural interest, including 5 listed grade , sixteen grade ii*. grade structures church of st george on fordington high street, church of st peter on high west street, max gate on syward road, roman town house on northernhay, , shire hall on high west street. church of st george has late-11th-century south door has caen stone tympanum realistic carved representation of st george surrounded soldiers, said depict miracle of appearance @ battle of antioch. south aisle , north part of porch date 12th century. church of st peter dates 1420–21, 12th-century south doorway reset it. there many notable monuments, including 2 14th-century effigies , 14th-century tomb chest. thomas hardy contributed addition of vestry , chancel in 1856-7. max gate designed thomas hardy in queen anne style, , home until death in 1928. built in 1885. remains of roman house north of county hall date 4th century, later 4th-century enlargements. has hypocaust heating system , mosaic pavements. visible roman town house in britain. current shire hall building designed thomas hardwick , built in portland stone ashlar in 1797. replaced previous structure had fallen disrepair. tablet commemorates sentencing of tolpuddle martyrs here in 1834. building housed crown court until 1955; thomas hardy magistrate here , experience provided inspiration writing. building has changed little since 19th century, , in 2014 planning permission granted transform heritage centre , tourist attraction, open in 2017.