A captivating play telling the remarkable life of one of Dorset's most beloved literary figures is heading to the county. 

'The Year Clock' returns to Dorset this autumn for two shows, offering a poignant and vivid celebration of language, history, and the remarkable life of William Barnes.

Written by Tim Laycock and directed by Sonia Ritter, the play will be performed on Thursday, October 24 at the Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, in Dorchester and again on Sunday,  November 3 at The Exchange, in Sturminster Newton.

Barnes (1801–1886), a self-educated teacher, parson, and poet, is most famous for his works in the Dorset dialect, including Linden Lea, later set to music by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

A spokesperson for the shows said:  "The Year Clock beautifully brings Barnes' life to the stage, drawing on his notes, letters, and contemporary accounts sourced from the William Barnes Archive currently held in the Dorset History Centre.

"The play is structured around the four seasons, symbolising key stages in Barnes' life, and features poems and songs composed between 1835 and 1870. The final piece, The Geate a-Vallen To, was dictated by Barnes to his daughter shortly before he died in 1886."

The Year Clock has been performed over 70 times and this revival, hosted in collaboration with the William Barnes Society, supports the Barnes for All! campaign, raising funds to preserve Barnes' rich archive at the Dorset History Centre.

Tickets are priced at £20 or £10 for under 18s

For tickets and further information, visit: Dorset Museum: dorsetmuseum.org or stur-exchange.co.uk