SDO10310 - Remains of the monastery at Sherborne; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society

The Classroom Site (ST 63791656): C.E. Bean excavated a number of small evaluation trenches during 1954-5 in advance of the building of a new classroom at the NE side of the Sherborne School quadrangle. He also observed the excavation of footings trenches for the classroom. The geology of the site was gravel over clay. At least seven walls, numbered [A]-[G] were recorded in the excavations, the most significant of which may be [A]; an E-W aligned wall 3.5 feet wide and traceable for 42 feet or more including robber trenches. It seems to represent a building approximately 35 feet wide, as surmised from parch marks visible on air photographs. Only the NW corner and parts of the north and west walls were seen in the excavations, however. Ham stone chamfered buttresses were seen on the north wall and at the NW corner, an entrance was recorded in the north wall with an external staircase next to it. The foundations, 7 feet below the surface rested on white tufa, possibly suggesting the existence of a spring nearby. The foundations had cut through a number of W-E aligned burials. A second wall [B] lay 13 feet to the north of [A], and was parallel to it and a third wall [C] lay 22 feet north of A but at a slight angle to it. Faint traces of an earlier foundation [D] and associated pits contained 12th-13th century pottery and other domestic items. Cornish or Delabole slates were found above foundation [D]. A trench was also dug in the back garden of a property on the west side of Cheap Street on the projected line of wall [A], to see if it continued eastwards under School House as might be expected if it were the north wall of the infirmary block. [A] was not seen here, but a N-S wall [E] was, about 17 feet from the back wall of School House, it was though that this might represent one of the monastery’s open drains. A further wall [F] was seen east of [E], in the centre of the back garden, running E-W, although it could not be further examined. Foundation [G], 100 feet west of cheap Street and 83 feet east of School House, is followed by property boundaries on the OS 1:500 map both to the north and south so as to meet the Abbey gate on Church Avenue. It may be then that the Cheap Street plots back on to the Abbey walls. ‘The cut off foundations of the Abbey barn are still visible in Hospital Lane at the base of the garden wall of Abbey Grange.’ School entrance, Abbey Road: C.E. Bean observed the excavation of a water main trench outside the main School entrance in Abbey Road. Some wall footings were observed in this trench which may be connected with the north entrance to the Abbey. If this were the case there may also have been an outer precinct to the north. The Fifth Form Green site: C.E. Bean dug a small trial trench immediately west of the School classrooms and north of All Hallows, on the Fifth Form Green, during 1954-5. Only a stone drain at 3.5 feet depth and disturbed burials were recorded. Tufa was encountered at 6.5 feet and gravel at 7 feet depth. The south side of the Abbey Cloister: C.E. Bean excavated a small trial trench just outside the supposed line of the Cloister wall, Sherborne, during 1954-5. A stone drain below a layer of compact stones, possibly a road or path, and the remains of the cloister wall were observed in the south side of the excavation. A Long Cross penny was found on the foundations, along with disturbed human remains. A modern drain had cut through the foundations. It was also noted that a trace of 12th century wall arcade was visible on the external western side of the building north of The Slype passage. The Vicarage site: C.E. Bean conducted observations during demolitions and alterations at the rear of the Vicarage, Abbey Close, Sherborne in 1954-5. Undisturbed gravel was recorded near the surface which suggests that the ground may have been lowered c. 1878 in order to build the vicarage level with the roadway. Any remains of the abbey may have been destroyed at this time. Nevertheless, from the trend of existing levels and boundaries, Mr. Bean considers that ‘…the west precinct wall of the Abbey ran at the back of the Vicarage, and of Messrs. Bartlett office garden, and under a raised path running northwards on the east side of the School’s swimming-baths.’