Wareham Town Museum

Wareham Town Museum sits in the centre of Wareham, Dorset, inside the old Town Hall. It tells the story of the town and its people from prehistoric times to today. The building is run by volunteers and supported by the town council. A special exhibition remembers Lawrence of Arabia, who lived nearby at Clouds Hill. The museum also covers archaeology, geology and local history in its displays. The Lawrence of Arabia section includes lectures by archaeologist Neil Faulkner. They explain his role at the Hallat Ammar train ambush in 1917. A bullet believed to have been fired by Lawrence from a Colt pistol is shown. The museum has made a DVD called T. E. Lawrence — His Final Years in Dorset. It shows a reconstruction of Lawrence’s fatal motorcycle accident near Clouds Hill in May 1935. Among the Saxon artefacts is the Wareham Sword, on loan from Dorset Museum. Found in the River Frome mud in 1927, it dates from the late 10th century. The sword has an iron blade, a decorated pommel, and a copper and silver guard. Its grip bears an Old English inscription naming its royal Saxon owner. The hilt and decoration show Viking style, making it a rare find in England.