The Dorset Shepherd

'An' I do bide all day among
The bleaten' sheep, an' pitch their vwold;
An' when the evenen shades be long
Do zee all a-penn'd an' twold'
(From The Shepherd O' The Farm, by William Barnes)

'This sculpture, The Dorset Shepherd, is a tribute to the quiet heroism and wisdom of pastoralists and cultivators who provide inspiration for the literary tradition associated with Dorchester. It was commissioned to mark the year 2000 by Henry Ling Limited, printers in Dorchetser since 1804. Sculptor: John Doubleday' (From the inscription on the plaque behind the statue).