Interesting town museum which has objects and documents of the town and its industries. It’s larger than it looks and you can spend some time rambling around the rooms. The building was the priest’s house and then a pub. There’s a small shop and a garden with good views over the valley

If you are fit enough you really need to walk Gold Hill which was made famous by the Hovis adverts. The museum is at the top of the hill, it is small, free to enter and full of interesting stuff. Is one of those places where you can breeze through and see a few things that interest you or spend ages looking at everything. Sadly we've got to the age where we recognised some of the exhibits from grandparents homes. The staff were friendly and helpful and we enjoyed the visit.

Picturesque views:) Small little village. It was very windy and rainy day when I visited so couldn’t explore much but managed to take a few nice shots, I think? 😉

Wonderful little gem. It's free to enter, with option to donate at the start/finish. Two floors of themed rooms with reference to Shaftesbury and the area. Very interesting, learnt loads. Well laid out with lots of information and very friendly and helpful guides on hand. Excellent Unfortunately we didn't see outside due to the torrential rain, but the inside displays were a dry, great distraction.

Fantastic little bit of history with plenty for the kids to do. Beautifully presented with a sprinkle of humour 👌 All for a donation. So please do sa it's run by volunteers.

Gold Hill, Shaftesbury. We visited here on the way back from a week in Dorset. It is simply Stunning! So picturesque and pretty. There was also a Christmas Market with plenty of stalls and shops to browse around. A truly beautiful place and well worth a visit.

A very interesting and well layed out museum, walking through the different rooms in the building you get a learn about the history of shaftesbury and see aftifacts dating back. Also told here is the story of the peach family who made a difference in their shop here. It's free to enter here and certainly adds a nice touch to gold hill. Please note the manaquin next to the fire truck was very life like 😂

The Abbey ruins and small museum are well worth a visit on a day out in Shaftesbury. Entry is free but there is the opportunity to make a donation. The ruins are well presented and there is plenty of information available plus places to sit on a nice day. There is a gift shop that sells ice cream, books etc. The museum is small but interesting. All in all its pleasant if not spectacular. Makes a part of a good day out in the town.

Shaftesbury Abbey was a lovely addition to our family afternoon outing (We have a toddler and baby). The museum provided a really helpful insight into the Abbey, it’s long history, and what it would have been like to live and work there. What’s left of the Abbey after it was destroyed has been really thoughtfully displayed with information about each section of the original buildings. The gardens are beautiful, well kept with areas cordoned off for safety and to preserve Abbey remnants. There were activities for children in the museum including a wooden Abbey puzzle, dress up basket and interactive screen. There was a peaceful and respectful atmosphere and we enjoyed our visit.

Great reception and employees! Beautiful visit and very interesting history. Well explained, concise and dynamic. Beautiful garden and overall very interesting!

Free entry. Interesting, tranquil spot close to the historic town centre. Great views from the entrance and close to Gold Hill (Hovis ad)

It’s a very old museum, there is a free Gide and free entrance it’s full of history about nuns and religion, the stuff are very friendly and happy to talk with you about the all long history about Abbey and Gardens.

We were greeted by a very friendly and knowledgeable volunteer, who gave us an intro to the history of the Abbey, and asked if our kids would like to do the scavenger hunt/quiz which lead us nicely around the grounds and kept the kids engaged. It was short and sweet, and a lovely stop on our walk around Shaftesbury!

Absolutely stunning location, perched high on a hill overlooking the medieval town of Shaftesbury. The museum will be open again in April 2024 as its only open April to October each year. Whilst standing at the locked gates I saw the ghost of a nun wearing a white habit. I looked this up later and found that style of dress was worn there in the 1500’s! This validates my sighting. I will return when it opens in April. Went in August and it was a beautiful, not too hot day. Lovely volunteers and relaxing garden. Highly recommended!

Good Breakfast Bap with quality ingredients, order wasn't correct initially but it was resolved by the waitress. Coffee was on the watery side and a bit weak, but it did have a chocolate outline of a plane on top, which is a nice touch. This was our first visit for 12 months after struggling to get food previously as we hadn't prebooked, so we have deliberately avoided and looked elsewhere. It still took a few minutes to find us a "free" table for us to spend 20mins for a Bap and a coffee (3 of us) 2/3 of the tables were not occupied but had been "laid up" so couldn't be used. This place should be amazing as the location and the venue is 5* but the implementation is currently 3* but i feel it has improved a little since our previous visits.

Attended on the Friday of a Warbird Weekend May 2025. Very busy but thoroughly enjoyed the aircraft and Lore of the Sky restaurant. Had the Pork Belly and side salad, wife had the Nachos. Delicious! Would recommend visiting but maybe another time if you prefer it quiet. Would also recommend booking a table.

I really want this place to work. It's close to where I live, it's a lovely restaurant and watching the aircraft is good fun. Sadly the food is actually a bit dire. We were a party of four for lunch and got a table easily but the restaurant did pack out later. One of our party had soup which was nice and the rest had the pulled pork roll. The place describes itself as a bbq spot with the only type of bbq and smoker in the UK, so you would expect something decent. The food turned up quickly and it looked good, well filled roll with lots of pork and pickles and chips on the side. The pork was completely dry and lukewarm at best and the chips were pretty much the same, cold and disappointing. I watched the open plan kitchen which had one guy working in it, which seems seriously understaffed considering how busy it got. The other member of staff that I saw was topping up a bowl at the side of the service counter with chips on a regular basis that the chef then scooped them out of which explains the lukewarm end result. I would like to say that it was much better than the hog roast buns you get a market stalls but it wasn't as good and was twice the price. In case you're wondering, no I didn't say anything to the staff at the time as no one came near us again apart to give us the bill. This place could and should be a really great place with great food, all it needs is some attention and direction from the management.

Carvery platter for 2 on a Sunday £46. It's probably the best cooked meat I have eaten in months. Pork, chicken, and beef. Panoramic wall of windows looking out onto the runway and across to Shaftesbury. Worth every penny

Its a nice airfield and a place for car and bike enthusiasts to gather and have a good time. The views are amazing. There is plenty of space for car and bikes. There are toilets here but okish. I didnt use the cafe. We just sat outside and spent some time in the sun.

We visited the Airfield today for my Mother in Laws Birthday lunch! We arrived 25 minutes earlier than we had booked our table for, but this was not a problem and the staff seated us very promptly with big smiles & a lovely warm welcome. We had our 10 month old with us & were offered a high chair for him and all of the staff made such a fuss of him which he of course loved (especially a lovely short haired, blonde lady)! Service was prompt but not rushed and choosing our food was hard due to everything sounding so delicious!! Every dish that we picked was absolutely amazing, cooked fresh in front of us (we were sat by the serving hatch) & we couldn’t believe how generous the portions were. Fantastic value for money & like I say, all delicious. Sadly we didn’t have room for any dessert, but again all of the sweets & cakes looked really lovely & we would come back just try those! When our food was brought to us, our son was also just starting his lunch & the lovely waitress offered us a plate for him which we thought was a really nice touch. He made quite a mess which we offered to tidy up but the waitress was adamant that she would do it & couldn’t have been more accommodating for him. (Looking at the receipt, I think her name was Megan?!) My partner and I both agreed afterwards that we had never been to a place where we had felt as relaxed & comfortable as parents as we did here, so thank you to all the wonderful staff. Overall a wonderful visit, very clean & staff just SO lovely. We will definitely be back & will recommend to our family & friends!

Lovely location, staff and food at very reasonable prices. It's also a family-friendly place. It was so nice to be able to get close to the aircraft and talk to pilots.

Really enjoyed this massage thank you! I was so deeply relaxed and falling asleep at the end. The technique was amazing, a full body herbal massage, never had such a relaxing massage, muscles feel better! thank you!

Massage is fantastic. Would definitely go back.

After a delayed check in, we found the staff very friendly and helpful. Breakfast and evening dinner were excellent and the service outstanding. We would recommend booking as there were many walk-ins on a sunny day. Our room was great for 2 parents with a teenage daughter and a springer Spaniel with 2 seperate areas. The location is ideal for walking the Stour valley.

Four of us enjoyed a very pleasant few hours having lunch for my dad's birthday, yesterday. The food and service was excellent and my brother, who eats out regularly with his job commented on how nice the food was and how it made a fantastic change from chain pub experiences. I agree. The staff gave us lots of attention and my dad particularly enjoyed flirting with the young waitress, even though he is 90. Highly recommended.

Went for Sunday lunch and it was AMAZING! Best roast I've had out in ages. Meat and veg perfectly cooked and the staff were lovely. 100% recommend and will definitely be back!

We had a lovely weekend at The Ship Inn, spending our time walking to nearby Stour Provost Mill, relaxing in the beautiful beer garden (with the hens, ducks, and a friendly cat named Cat), and enjoying a lovely dinner on the Friday night. For dinner on the Friday we shared the arancini to start, and had Cornish mussels and pork schnitzel for mains. Generous portions, reasonable prices, and amazing quality - it was delicious, and such a relaxing place to unwind! Our room at The Ship Inn was very comfy, and our breakfasts with fresh eggs each morning were a lovely start to the day. The whole team are friendly and make this a lovely place to spend a night or two whilst exploring the local area. Highly recommend!

I was looking for a place to have lunch and found The Ship Inn. Reviews were good so decided to give it a try. Ordered double smashed burger and oh boy it was so good. Lovely outdoor garden with friendly cat to keep you company. Great food, service & atmosphere - highly recommended.

What a disappointment! Party of 4 who used to go to the Ship Inn regularly but hadn’t been there for over 3 years thought we would try it out. On arrival we asked if they served Pimm’s and were told they did, but we were given a glass of Pimm’s and lemonade with a chunk of lemon in it. We asked for some cucumber, or mint or even a strawberry to add to it, but were told they didn’t have any. Then came the meals, two of us chose the creamed chicken with chestnut mushrooms, new potatoes and tarragon, . This consisted of one mushroom, one new potato cut in half, some lumps of chicken and a heck of a lot of ‘flobby’ chicken skin and for one of us the addition of a chicken bone in the first mouthful. It was also served lukewarm. We both found the meal unpleasant and chose not to eat any more. We were offered a replacement so chose a starter each which were ok but not a good substitute for a main meal. We all then ordered desserts and when they arrived we made a comment to say they looked lovely, only for the manager who was serving us to say a very sarcastic comment ‘well at least we got something right then’. We all thought this was very unnecessary and unprofessional! Sadly we will definitely not be going back and we will not recommend it to our friends. On a positive note, the waiter that served us was polite, friendly and very professional and apologised for the comment made by the manager.

The food was below the standard I would have expected. The waiter was surly and rushed us through our lunch. At the end he handed us a check list of how we rated the visit. How tactless and unpleasant. I will never go there again.

Nice wine and interesting tour. We took a few bottles home after

We had a great time on the tour, interesting and not too long. The wine tasting was good with a good variety of wines to taste, we bought a couple of bottles at the end. The lunch was nice and dietary requirements were catered for with no issues. We would definitely recommend if visiting the area

Small but interesting place to take in a tour and sample their British wines. They also make wine brandy which was fabulous. The lunch they provided included in the price of the tour was delicious cheeses locally made and bread of many varieties. A good way to spend a few hours when near Shaftsbury. Very pleasant hosts and wine makers.

Nice and relaxed. Just popped in and was attended to by a friendly young lady who gave a sample of their red and white. We we're invited to to wander round the vines and we bought a couple of of bottles on the way out. Excellently laid back no pressure well worth a visit

Really amazing! We went here last Saturday for my fiancée birthday present as he loves wine, we got to taste 5-6 wines and the woman who was giving us the tour was really passionate about it in her voice you could tell how much she loved her job, we also got lunch there they done us a big platter of Dorset cheeses, homemade pickles, ham, salad, breads and we got to have a glass of our favourite wine for lunch as well. We got a bottle of my fiancée favourite wine it was £25 but it was really worth it it’s in a massive beautiful bottle so we will save it for a special occasion! We are going back in summer so we can see you vineyard properly with loads of summer colours.

Grat wine tour with lovely food. Good wine too!

Visited for a wine tasting, meal and tour. Would recommend thoroughly!

Alas the charm of Shaftesbury has not made it here. As a Theatre Professional myself was shocked the staff were rude & had no time for questions or even make the Theatre inviting. The three stars are for the building & the fact it is in Shaftesbury. Art is for all & this seems to have been forgotten here

Lovely and welcoming place. Me, my mum and my nana all went to watch Cinderella by the Australian Ballet Company. Was amazing and beautiful sound quality and had a glass of wine each. was a lovely night and during the interval we looked at the art in the gallery side. Please always be here. hoping to book Othello for my birthday. x

Great venue with lots of variety from theatre shows that are more fun and interactive than West End shows to a wonderful vegan gourmet tasting event where the entertainers were also the wait staff. This place offers films, music and dance events, art exhibits and various classes as well. And the fairly recent seat upgrades made it a comfortable place to go. Thumbs up every time!

Back from seeing an absolutely brilliant production of The Three Musketeers - superbly acted, with fabulous music and look. The fights were high octane and slick, the whole show came together beautifully, especially for a fast paced show like this. Would absolutely come back to see it again before the run is over!

Shaftesbury Arts Centre was welcoming Shaftesbury Refugee Group and Ukrainian community. Many thanks for showing the Ukrainian film "Carol of the Bells". That's a masterpiece which shows how ordinary peaceful people suffer from the war, how much tragedy war brings to everyone.

Shaftesbury Flower Arranging Group had our annual Open Demonstration last night which was brilliant! Lovely small theatre, very well organised by front of house and background people.

Fabulous night 🌙 out watching the Unravelling Wilburys, superb music, and humour. Great venue with racked seating

I love stitch craft for their range of beads, the kits and patterns offered and the excellent classes. I I have also found them very helpful in suggesting alternative colours when stuck . All the staff are so lovely. Thank you to all of you.

switch craft beads is no longer at unit 2 they are now just trading as a internet only company i no this because I am currently refurbishing the unit for it to become a fine food cheese and wine outlet cafe opening soon ☺☺👍👍

Lovely place for beaders. Great staff and fantastic selection of beads. Some wonderful workshops too

Amazing knowledge of staff... Call and they really go the extra to match colours etc .. Very quick posting of orders..

Love this place a grate variety of beads in all shapes and sizes and in all the colours of the rainbow plus more

You couldn't ask for better service the staff are fab they can't do enough for you in the shop or online.

Great place for a workshop, lovely staff and location

Best Beadshop in the area by far! Very well priced, fantastic range and incredibly friendly and helpful family run business. Definitely worth going to Gold Hill to visit!

Always very welcoming and helpful. And it's just on the doorstep for when you need to top up your stock.

Wonderful place with so many beads - very inspiring!

Came across this delightful shop in Gold Hill.

Fabulous shop

Enjoyed a cream tea to celebrate wedding anniversary. The cream tea was amazing, scones were baked in house, sandwiches had plenty of filling and the cakes were delicious. Wonderful hosts who couldn't do enough for us, even to the extent of giving us a congratulation card. I hope all those reading this review will visit if you can to enjoy the food and company. Thank you for making our day one to remember.

Home made sausage rolls,soup and brownies. Nice bright interior and great coffee. Perfect stop off along the road in to Shaftesbury and decent selection of beer.

The Coffee Tavern on the A30 - Recommended We stopped for Coffee ☕️ and Chocolate 🍫 Brownie on the slow way home from Southampton on a Sunday Lunchtime in May 2025 Everything was very good, efficient and pleasant, an enjoyable break from the driving, with Food and Hot/Cold Drinks consumed in the nicely maintained coffee garden 🪴

Absolutely fantastic experience. Staff were lovely, the tea was beautiful, and the place is really nice, fire was on and honestly could not fault any aspect, highly recommend in every way.

Driving along the A30 we stopped here by chance and were very glad we did. We received a very friendly welcome, the food was excellent and freshly prepared. The garden was very pleasant and the facilities were super clean. An excellent stop and would thoroughly recommend.

Stopped here by chance and so glad we did! Really delicious local cider and our food was fresh and locally produced and such good quality. We will call back!

Had an afternoon tea, absolutely lovely, food was good, staff were so friendly, would highly recommend

Yoga with Sally at The Space I started doing yoga with Sally at The Space in November 2024, so for nearly a year I have been stretching and breathing and learning about my body as I have marched into my 60s. It feels like a very pleasant physiotherapy session tweaking my various aches and pains and lifting my mood. The nicest part for me is hearing Sally’s voice: she is very calm and good at guiding me through my practice and I love leaving The Space elated on a yogic cloud, thank you Sally.

Sally’s classes and sessions are so wonderful… not just asanas and sun salutations, but a holistic blend of breathing techniques, mindfulness, yoga nidra, sound baths, chanting, beautiful poetry, enlightening readings, relaxation, a deeper understanding of chakras, all wrapped up in the warmth of the “Space” and a fleece blanket 🙏🏼 A safe, nonjudgmental calm environment. Always a pleasure to practice with Sally! 🧘🏻‍♀️🧘🏻🧘🏻‍♂️

If your muscles feel stiff or your mind is buzzing, or even if you just feel like trying something new then I would highly recommend men’s yoga. It’s a great way to stretch out tension, feel physically stronger and to learn how to relax and let go of everyday stresses. Sally combines her vast knowledge of yoga with good humour and a friendly approach. It worked well being a blokes only class too because we’d just laugh at ourselves if we got stuff wrong.

I've been attending Sally’s meditation classes for nearly a year now, initially joining on a whim to help manage my anxiety. After just a few sessions, I began integrating her teachings into my daily routine, and the impact has been profound. Meditation has brought calm, focus, and presence into both my personal and professional life—reducing anxiety, lifting my mood, and improving my sleep. Sally blends traditional Buddhist practices with modern mindfulness techniques, making each session unique and insightful. The group dynamic at The Space adds another layer of depth—there’s a real sense of connection and shared energy that enhances the experience. The community is open, supportive, and we regularly exchange tips and reflections, which has helped me grow even further. I’ve had moments of deep peace, relaxation, and even spiritual experiences that I never expected. In addition to meditation, I also attend Sally’s men’s yoga class on Thursday evenings. Like her meditation sessions, each yoga class is different, offering new techniques and perspectives every week. Sally’s knowledge and encouragement make the sessions accessible and enriching, with small class sizes allowing for personal guidance. Yoga at The Space has improved my strength, balance, and helped release physical tension. Each class ends with a deeply restorative relaxation that leaves me feeling refreshed, happy, and completely reset. I can’t recommend Sally’s classes enough—whether it’s meditation, yoga, or sound baths, the experience is transformative!!!

I have been practicing yoga for 15 years . In that time I have met many teachers - none have the diverse knowledge and expertise of Sally. Her classes are always different- offering breathing techniques, meditation, philosophy, healing in addition to the movement and flow of yoga . Her classes are an inspiration that will help you feel calm focused and alive

I have been practising yoga for 15 years in London. When I moved down to north Dorset I didn’t know what standard of class to expect. I have been bowled over by the classes at The Space. Sally is an exceptional talent with a wide range of natural treatments , an outstanding yoga teacher and happy to share her wisdom with everyone in her classes. I always look forward to them and am never disappointed . Can’t recommend highly enough

Sally’s classes are excellent - an ideal way to develop fitness for both mind and body. Her studio in the centre of Shaftesbury is a beacon of light, friendly and full of knowledge. Highly recommended.

I bought my bf a balloon ride for his 50th birthday. The ride was fantastic, the pilot Barry was very handsome (he told us to say that 😉) he was very experienced and professional and all the other staff were funny and made the experience more than just a balloon ride. 100% recommended. The customer service was also excellent and let me change the dates on my ride with no issues

I bought my bf a balloon ride for his 50th birthday. The ride was fantastic, the pilot Barry was very handsome (he told us to say that 😉) he was very experienced and professional and all the other staff were funny and made the experience more than just a balloon ride. 100% recommended. The customer service was also excellent and let me change the dates on my ride with no issues