A devastating fire has destroyed a historic building on South Street, Dorchester, where renowned novelist Thomas Hardy trained as an apprentice architect.
The blaze, which broke out around 03:30 GMT on Monday, engulfed The Gorge Cafe and spread to neighboring properties, leaving the site a charred wreck.
The Thomas Hardy Society expressed deep sadness over the loss.
Chair Mark Cutter reflected: “This was where Thomas Hardy started his career as an architect at 16 in 1856. It’s a great loss to our Hardy heritage—he became an architect of words.”
A stone plaque commemorating Hardy’s apprenticeship under architect John Hicks from 1856 to 1862 was also lost in the fire.
Cutter expressed hope that it could be recovered from the rubble or replaced if necessary.
At the fire’s height, 50 firefighters from 11 Dorset stations battled the flames.
Crews continued working into Tuesday, extinguishing lingering hotspots within the collapsed building and adjacent properties.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but neighboring buildings remain unstable due to potential chimney stack collapses.
Dorset Council confirmed that businesses with rear access could continue operating despite the street cordon.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, with an investigation set to begin once the site is declared safe.
Hardy’s architectural legacy includes designing and building Max Gate, his home just south of Dorchester, where he lived from 1885 until his death in 1928.
The Thomas Hardy Society hopes for a symbolic “phoenix from the ashes” moment, with the potential restoration or commemoration of the site in the future.
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