Monument record MDO43252 - Forde Abbey, Park Lane, Thorncombe

A Cistercian abbey founded in 1136 as a daughter house to Waverley, moved to its present site from Brightley in 1141 and was dissolved in 1539. Surviving elements of the abbey include the 12th-century chapter house which was converted to a chapel in the 17th century, the 13th century dormitory and cloisters, and 15th century porch. The site was converted into a country house in 1649 and has 18th century and 20th century additions. The house has rubble walls with Ham Stone ashlar and dressings, and the roofs are of lead and slate.

The Cistercian Abbey of Forde was founded by Richard Fitzbaldwin in 1136 as a daughter-house to Waverley. The original site at Brightley was found unsuitable and the Community was settled at the present site in 1141, where it remained until the dissolution in 1539. In 1649 the site was acquired by Edmund Prideaux, who converted substantial parts of the Abbey into a house, so that the present building combines 12th, 13th and early 16th century work with Prideaux's additions of circa 1650-60. The quality of the later work is outstanding, and Forde is one of the most remarkable houses of the West Country. <1-4> <6-8>

Among surviving parts of the Abbey are the 12th century chapter house which was converted to a chapel in the 17th century, the 13th century Dormitory and Frater ranges and a part of the 13th century Cloisters. The gatehouse is 15th century and the Great Hall and the three-storey porch were built by Abbot Charde from about 1520 onwards.

The Abbey church has been entirely destroyed, and there are no traces of it above ground. The stables, north east of the house, are probably early 17th century. Fishponds survive to the south west of the house.

ST 359051. Site of church of the Cisterian Abbey of Forde and remaining parts, now occupied buildings. Scheduled. <8>

Concise historical account. <1> <9>

<1> Pulman, George P R, 1875, The Book of the Axe, 395-429 (Monograph). SDO17923.

<2> Royal Archaeological Institute, 1913, The Archaeological Journal 70, 498-499 (Serial). SDO17346.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 240-246 (Monograph). SDO97.

<4> Knowles, D, and St Joseph, J K, 1952, Monastic Sites from the Air, 144-145 (Monograph). SDO17345.

<5> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1962 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 359052) Forde Abbey (NR) and remains of Cistercian Abbey. (NAT)

<6> Knowles, D, and Hadcock, R N, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales, 119 (Monograph). SDO17348.

<7> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 208-211 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<8> Department of the Environment, DOE (IAM) Ancient Monuments Record Form, 07-09-79 (Index). SDO17347.

<9> Royal Archaeological Institute, 1983, The Archaeological Journal 140, 498-499 (Serial). SDO18223.

<10> Pye, A R, 1990, Forde Abbey: A Small Excavation in the Undercroft of the Monks' Dorter (Unpublished document). SDO14049.

<11> Trott, Martin, 1990, Old Warming Room, Forde Abbey, Dorset: Trial Excavations Report (Unpublished document). SDO17289.

<12> Miles, D W H, 1998, The Tree-Ring Dating of the Refectory Roof, Forde Abbey, Chard, Dorset (Unpublished document). SDO14874.

<13> Thurlby, Malcolm, 2001, Aspects of Romanesque Ecclesiastical Architecture in Dorset: Wimborne Minster, Sherborne Abbey, Forde Abbey Chapter-House and St Mary's, Maiden Newton. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 11-13 (Article in serial). SDO15330.

<14> National Record of the Historic Environment, 191411 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 13 2024 7:06AM