Allum & Sidaway Gillingham

Allum & Sidaway jewellers in Gillingham are located on the High Street in Gillingham, a town in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset, England, close to the town of Shaftesbury. There is evidence of ancient Roman settlement in Gillingham, but it was established by the Saxons who erected a Saxon cross in the churchyard of St Mary the Virgin, which dates back to around 900 AD. In 1348 the town lost 50% of its 2000 population to the grisly Black Death, but the later Middle Ages saw Gillingham grow into a popular hunting location for Royals. Kings Henry I, Henry II, John and Henry III were all known to frequent the Royal Hunting Lodge in the town. Gillingham has a small historic area in the town centre but has grown rapidly since the introduction of the railway station during the 19 century. It is now an important service and shopping area for the surrounding towns and villages, and boasts open spaces, conservation areas, parks and riverside walks. The High Street has a mixture of small independent shops and some popular chain stores, as well as supermarkets, pubs, cafes and restaurants. Gillingham is pronounced with a hard ‘G’ as in ‘goat’, unlike the town of Gillingham in Kent, which is pronounced with a soft ‘G’ as in ‘giraffe’. In July the town holds the annual Gillingham Festival, a celebration of the town featuring music, theatre, dance, food, wine, antique valuations, classic cars, open gardens, sport and exhibitions.