The earliest named people associated with Dorset are the Durotriges. Historians have long linked the name with the County but the written evidence is limited to a brief mention by the 2^nd century geographer Ptolemy and two inscriptions found on Hadrian’s Wall in the 19^th century. This talk examines the Iron Age communities of Dorset, South Wiltshire and South Somerset to discover whether they exhibit distinctive similarities that could be used as evidence to link them into a nation; strong enough to unite and resist the Roman Conquest almost 2000 years ago.

Dr Papworth’s family links are with Papworth in Cambridgeshire and Dorset. From a very early age he discovered a keen interest in archaeology joining excavations at Oatlands palace, Chertsey and later completing the Certificate of Practical Archaeology at Weymouth College. As a qualified archaeologist at just 20, he worked on excavations in Northampton and Wessex before undertaking the survey of a Maori archaeological landscape in New Zealand and then took a degree in Geography and Landscape studies on his return. This was followed by a continuing contract with the National Trust, first at Corfe Castle during which he completed a degree in Local History studying the mediaeval documents within the Bankes family archive to reveal the royal manor house at Kingston Lacy. In his PhD thesis he examined the Iron Age Communities of Dorset, the subject of his talk.  He is married to Janet and they have three children.  John and Dawn Goodrich came to know him well when they helped monitor his working sites.