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Be a Destinations-UK-Ireland Sponsor  Some of our Dorset Articles Athelhampton House and Garden Sherborne New Castle Mapperton House Enid Blyton Sherborne Almshouse of SS John Sherborne Abbey Thomas Hardy’s Dorset Shaftesbury Shaftesbury Abbey Riding the Swanage Steam Railway Portland and Chesil Beach Portland Bill Lighthouse Lulworth Castle and Park Other England Articles Our Dorset Gardens Kingston Mauward Gardens Mapperton Garden Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens |
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Sherborne Abbey was founded by St Aldhelm in 705. It served as a Benedictine monastery from 1066. Rebuilt by Bishop Alfwold, it retains a doorway dated c1050. A Norman doorway, dating from c1140, caused a dangerous fire. In 1437 the monks, who jealously guarded their own part of the abbey from the townspeople, decided to narrow the door as it led to the parish church, All Hallows (demolished after the dissolution of the abbeys). In doing this they created strong ill feelings with the parishioners. In fact the parish priest set fire to the thatched roof over the nave’s east bay, creating much damage, some of which can still be seen. 
A porch dates from 1180. Its columns are topped with grotesque heads. What the visitor to the abbey sees today dates mostly from the period of 1475-1504 and was the work of Abbot Ramsam. He recreated the Norman nave in the Perpendicular style. He is also responsible for the most famous feature of the abbey, its fan vaulted ceiling, the most elaborate of which is found in the north transept. Each bay has 27 sculpted bosses, repainted in Victorian times. . An organ, dated 1856, is located here. 
There are 10 surviving 15th century misericords located under the seats in the Victorian choir. 19th century stained glass is found in the windows here. The high altar at the choir’s east end has an ornamental screen of Caen stone. In 1997 the stained glass great west window was added. Its theme is the incarnation and it depicts the Virgin Mary, who is the abbey’s patron saint. 
In the south choir aisle is the tomb of a 13th century abbot. In the north choir aisle is a piece of a Purbeck marble tomb belonging to Abbot Clement (c 1165). It is important for being one of England’s oldest surviving tomb portraits. In the same aisle is a stone coffin, purported to have held the bones of the older brothers of King Alfred. The south transept is home to a Baroque memorial to the 3rd earl of Bristol, John Digby and both his wives. The window dates from 1850. 
In the Wykeham chapel are the 16th century tombs of Sir John Horsey and his son. It was he who purchased the monks’ property after Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries; he then turned around and sold the abbey to the parish to use as the parish church. Bishop Roger’s chapel (not open to the public) was designed in the 13th century when a north and east wall were added to the Norman walls of the aisle and Wykeham chapel. 
The Lady chapel’s entrance is an early English archway of Purbeck stone. One of its columns is original. The chapel of St Mary le Bow dates from the 14th century, was altered in the 15th, and then in 1560 the east wall and Tudor windows in the south wall were designed to form the headmaster’s house. The Sepulchre chapel probably dates from Norman times but was also redesigned to reflect the Perpendicular style. The stained glass window is modern. St Katherine’s chapel’s two stained glass windows date from medieval times. The chapel also holds the altar tomb of John Leweston (1584) and his wife. 
Visiting Information 
Sherborne has a large carpark (fee charged) within a few minutes walk of the TIC, almshouse, and abbey.