Listed Building record MDO14807 - Abbey and parish church of St Mary, Abbey Close, Sherborne

The Abbey Church is predominantly Perpendicular but components of the original Saxon church, and those of the Norman church which replaced it are still evident

The Abbey Church is predominantly Perpendicular but components of the original Saxon church, and those of the Norman church which replaced it are still evident. Surviving parts of the Saxon church include the west wall below the clerestory, foundations of a tower and some west facing transepts. The central tower has a Saxon-Norman base and walls of the Norman church are included in the north transept and the Wykeham Chapel. The south front of the Abbey dates from the Norman rebuilding in the 12th century, as does the porch and parts of the north aisle, the south aisle, the south transcept and St. Katharine's Chapel. Additional work in the 13th century included the building of Bishop Roger's Chapel. Work continued on St Katherine's Chapel in the 13th and 14th centuries. One bay in Lady Chapel also dates to the 14th century as does a rebuilding of the Chapel of Holy Sepulchre. The early 15th century saw the beginning of the Perpendicular additions and alterations. The Church of All Hallows was built against the west wall and the central tower was rebuilt. Additions were made to the south front, the vault, north and south choir aisles, the south transept, the Chapel of St Mary le Bow and the Chapel of Holy Sepulchre. The fan vaulting and lierne vaults of the nave, nave aisles and chapels are said to date to the late 15th century. The main changes of the 16th century were brought about by the alterations to turn part of Lady Chapel, the Chapel of Mary le Bow and the vestry block into a headmaster's house in 1560. There were restoration works by R H Carpenter and W Slater from 1849 to 1858 and then again in 1884 by Slater and R C Carpenter. The east end of Lady Chapel was built as a war memorial in 1921. (2, 3)

A plain coffin of Purbeck marble, believed to be that of King Aethelberht, d.865, was discovered circa 1840 below the floring of the ambulatory at the east end. Analysis of the stone suggests that this is more likely to be post-Conquest rather than Early Mediaeval. The source of the stone is the Green Marble? Upper Cypris Clays and Shales, Peveril Point Member, Durlston Formation, Purbeck Group, Lower Cretaceous. (4)

Emden, A B, 1977, Medieval Decorated Tiles in Dorset (Monograph). SDO13180.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West) (Monograph). SDO97.

<2> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset (Monograph). SWX1290.

<3> Department of the Environment, 1985, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Urban District of Sherborne, 689 (Scheduling record). SDO16378.

<4> Cramp, R, 2006, Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture: Vol VII. South-West England, 130 (Monograph). SDO17427.

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 2K/18252 (Index). SDO14738.

Sherborne Abbey, Sherborne

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, AA48/00120 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

A view of Sherborne Abbey's entrance porch from the south

<7> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AA48/00121 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of the south-east corner of Sherborne Abbey

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AA49/09126 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of Sherborne Abbey's west window

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AA49/09127 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of the entrance porch to Sherborne Abbey from the south-east

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AA49/09129 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of carved stonework on the entrance porch to Sherborne Abbey

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB47/04146 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of Sherborne Abbey from the south-west

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB47/04149 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of Sherborne Abbey's west window

<13> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BF099448 (Index). SDO14738.

SHERBORNE ABBEY, SHERBORNE

<14> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP10409 (Index). SDO14738.

A man in a bowler hat stands outside the south porch of Sherborne abbey. Parts of the abbey date from the Saxon period.

<15> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP10412 (Index). SDO14738.

A man in a bowler hat stands at the east end of the south front of Sherborne abbey. Parts of the abbey date from the Saxon period.

<16> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP10421 (Index). SDO14738.

The south front of Sherborne Abbey. Parts of the abbey date from the Saxon period.

<17> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP10432 (Index). SDO14738.

Two young men in boaters, possibly pupils of the adjoining Sherborne School, stand outside the south porch of Sherborne abbey. Parts of the abbey date from the Saxon period.

<18> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24632 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of the entrance porch to Sherborne Abbey from the south-east

<19> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24633 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of carved stonework on the entrance porch to Sherborne Abbey

<20> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24634 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of the entrance porch to Sherborne Abbey, from the south-east

<21> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24635 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of Sherborne Abbey from the sout. This print was received by the National Buildings Record on 21st July 1960.

<22> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24636 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of Sherborne Abbey from the south-west. This print was received by the National Buildings Record on 8th October 1948

<23> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24637 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of Sherborne Abbey's west window

<24> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24639 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of Sherborne Abbey's west window. This print was received by the National Buildings Record on 8th October 1948.

<25> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24640 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of Sherborne Abbey from the west. This print was received by the National Buildings Record on 24th April 1946.

<26> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24641 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of a carved pillar on Sherborne Abbey's entrance porch

<27> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24642 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of carved stonework on Sherborne Abbey's entrance porch

<28> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24643 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of the south-east corner of Sherborne Abbey. This print was received by the National Buildings Record on 19th March 1952.

<29> Historic England, Historic England Archive, UDE01/02/60 (Index). SDO14738.

A view looking east along the nave of the Abbey Church of St Mary. This is a collotype print published in 'Baudenkmaeler in Grossbritannien', edited by Constantin Uhde, 1894. The photograph is attributed to Charles Latham, the collotype printers are Roemmler & Jonas Dresden and the publishers of the book are Verlag Von Ernst Wasmuth Berlin.

<30> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1239841 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 23 2024 1:01PM