CAN you spot the blue plaque in the picture below? And can you read it?
It is located on a wall above Scrivens in Blandford, and has been spotted by eagle-eyed social media users who had no idea it was there, let alone what it commemorates.
However, your New Blackmore Vale can confirm it was placed by the Blandford Civic Society and marks Durden’s Corner, in memory of grocer Henry Durden, who “created Blandford’s first museum above this shop”.
Mr Durden was born in 1807 and died in 1892 and the British Museum lists him as a “collector”, who “owned grocery business” in the town.
The mystery blue plaque is installed above Scrivens, at 9 Market Place, Blandford
“Collected Dorset antiquities for his own museum and excavated (but did not publish),” it added. “Little-known outside the county until ‘discovered’ by Charles Roach Smith.
“His coin cabinet sold upon his death; some of the rest of the collection catalogued by George Payne and published in 1892. Durden died while this was in press.
“Part of the collection sold to the British Museum by Durden’s son John in two tranches, September 1892 and June 1893 (1,796 and 472 objects respectively).
“Augustus Franks was keeper of the relevant department at that time.”
An axe collected by henry Durden, which was found at Hod Hill, Dorset, and dates back to roman times in the UK. Picture: British Museum
The listing goes on to say most of the items collected by Mr Durden were from Dorset, including an axe head dating from Roman Britain, between AD43 and AD410, which was found at Hod Hill in the Blackmore Vale.
However, he also owned “a small collection of Irish antiquities obtained from Dr Cotton and Danish antiquities (plus some lithics from the Mississippi valley) from Mr Bryce Wright”.
The listing added: “Durden also acquired Anglo-Saxon antiquities from Kent. Among the prehistoric material were important collections from Hod Hill and from various Dorset barrows.”
So there you are – the next time you are passing through Market Square, cast your eye up above Scrivens and give Mr Durden – and the Blandford Civic Society – a nod.
The plaque is in honour of Henry Durden. Picture: SMacB
It was put there by the local Civic Society many years ago, it was placed where the then owner t said we could put it. Now we.are hopping to move it to a better position.