Hi All Would have loved to have attended the Tolpuddle festival this year, but alas it falls the same time as my daughter's birthday party (and school still not broken up then). Went last year on the Sunday very good with loads of stalls and plenty for the kids to do. Billy Bragg and Estel Morris were on the stage. Author Alan Brown was there selling his new childrens book Tolpuddle Boy, Transported to Hell & Back, which he happily signed for her. Anyone who is interested the ISBN is 0 340 85038. The chapel was open (built by my Hammett cousins, one was the preacher with a plaque on the wall dedicated to him), I would imagine it was very much as it then as it is today. Never mind, may be next year.. Another Dorset event close by that is well worth attending the following Saturday (it is only held every other year) is the Milton Abbas 18thC Street Fayre. We were lucky to attend last time, and had a great time. You park your car in a field outside the village, take the laid on bus down to the entrance of the village (which is closed off for the event), there are all sorts of stalls there (bought a very old bible there for 10p!! last time), various entertainment events from Morris dancing to choir singing in the church (the coolest place, it was in the 90's that day), Maypole dancing etc. We are planning to attend this year as the schools have broken up by then, and also visit Tolpuddle, shame it wasn't on the same weekend. Still keeping in the Tolpuddle area, does anyone have Pearse in their family tree from Southover, just down the road from Tolpuddle? I am working on this line in my family tree at the moment. Regards Sally