Sherborne Abbey


Sherborne Abbey, otherwise the Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin, is a Church of England church in Sherborne in the English county of Dorset. It has been a Saxon cathedral, a Benedictine abbey church, and since 1539, a parish church.

History

It is believed that there was a Celtic Christian church called Lanprobi here as early as AD658 when it was part of the Celtic Kingdom of Dumnonia, and Kenwalc or Cenwalh, King of the West Saxons is believed to be one of its founders. However, it is possible that this church was on the site of modern-day Castleton Church.

Cathedral

When the Saxon Diocese of Sherborne was founded in 705, to relieve pressure from the growing see of Winchester, by King Ine of Wessex, he set Aldhelm as first Bishop of the see of Western Wessex, with his seat at Sherborne. Aldhelm was the first of twenty-seven Bishops of Sherborne.

Abbey

The twentieth bishop was Wulfsige III. In 998 he established a Benedictine abbey at Sherborne and became its first abbot. In 1075 the bishopric of Sherborne was transferred to Old Sarum, so Sherborne remained an abbey church but was no longer a cathedral. The bishop remained the nominal head of the abbey until 1122, when Roger de Caen, Bishop of Salisbury, made the abbey independent.
From 1122 until the Dissolution, Horton Priory was dependent on Sherborne.
Similar to Horton, Kidwelly Priory in Wales was founded as a cell of Sherborne Abbey c1110, which was at the a cathedral priory, and was dissolved at the same time.

Parish church

The Benedictine foundation at Sherborne ended in the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539, when the abbey was surrendered to King Henry VIII. Various properties at Sherborne were bought from the king by Sir John Horsey who then sold the abbey to the people of Sherborne, who bought the building to be their parish church, which it still is. The original parish church alongside the abbey was demolished, though the foundations are still visible. In 1550, King Edward VI issued a new charter to the school that had existed at Sherborne since 705, and some of the remaining abbey buildings were turned over to it.

Architecture

The Abbey is a Grade I listed building. It has several distinct architectural styles throughout.

Saxon

When St Aldhelm built his Cathedral, it was to the east of the current building. In fact the West Wall of the current church was the East Wall of St Aldhelm's. In c1050 Bishop Ælfwold built a new cathedral and abbey on the current site. Of this, the largest surviving parts are the West Wall and the core of the columns supporting the two western-most arches. at the west end of the North Aisle a Saxon doorway from c1050 survives. This doorway would have led into the North Aisle of St Aldhelm's church. Roger of Caen demolished most of the Saxon church c1130 and replaced it with a much larger, Norman style church, completed c1180.

Norman

Most of the walls of the crossing, the North and South Transepts, and the outer walls of the Nave Aisles date from c1140. The walls of the Wykeham Chapel, and some of the wall of the North Quire Aisle were also built at this time. The entrance porch dates from c1180, though the upper story was restored in 1851. Prior to the 1850's there was a large pulpitum, 18 feet high and 5 feet wide, on the west side of the crossing, probably dating from the 12th century.

Early English

The outer walls of Bishop Roger's Chapel as well as the remains of the old Lady Chapel date from this period, c1240.

Decorated

In the late 14th century St Aldhelm's church was pulled down and by c1400 a new parish church had been built, dedicated All Hallows. This church was demolished c1542, but the arches of the old nave can be seen projecting out, and the wall of the old north aisle remains in tact.

Perpendicular

From c1380-1500 the Abbey was greatly rebuilt. In the late 14th century the Chapels of St Katherine and St Sepulchre were built. The former was altered in the 15th century and contains examples of early Renaissance classicism architecture. The quire was almost entirely rebuilt from 1425 and was completed around 1430. In the late 15th century much of the old stonework in the nave was covered over in stonework of this style and the two easternmost arch pillars were rebuilt. The fan-vaulting in the Nave, by William Smyth, was finished around 1490.
During this renovation, a riot in the town caused a fire that damaged much of the renovation, causing delays. Traces of the fire's effects can still be seen in the reddening of the walls under the Tower. The fire and its effects also caused the design of the Nave to be altered.

Lady Chapel

The Lady Chapel is on the site of two earlier chapels: the c1250 then Lady Chapel and the C15 Chapel of St Mary le Bow. These were taken over by the governors of the newly founded 'Edward VI Grammar School' in 1550 and were partially demolished and converted into a dwelling for the headmaster in 1560. It remained in use by the school until 1921 when plans were drawn for the grafting of a new Gothic-style Lady Chapel onto the remaining section of the Medieval chapel and was completed in 1934. The remaining section of St Mary le Bow's Chapel contains a fireplace mantel from when it was a domestic dwelling.
The Lady Chapel contains the oldest chandelier in England dating from 1657. It was given by Sherborne grandee, Mary Whetcumbe. Originally, it was hung in the Quire until it fell down. In 1962 it was restored and rehung in the Lady Chapel.

Monastic Buildings

Some of the Monastic buildings were demolished following the Reformation in 1539. Most of those that remained are now incorporated into the Sherborne School buildings.

Cloisters

The principal buildings of a Benedictine Abbey were always grouped around the cloister garth. They are usually built to the south their respective Abbey, but at Sherborne they were built to the north, probably for easier access to water from the Coombe Stream.
Sherborne’s Cloisters were built by Abbot Frith and this is where the monks took their exercise, walking around the square arcade, in silence, with their hands buried in the long sleeves of their black habits.
The remains of the 14th century pilasters against the south and west walls of the Cloisters remain from which the ribs of the vaulted roof once sprang. On each side of the cloister were 8 bays with 6 windows looking into the garth.
Some time around 1553 the Cloisters were pulled down and in 1569 two large buttresses were built to support the abbey and were built using stone from the Old Castle.

Conduit

In the 12th century the monks built an open stone conduit or channel to bring clean water from the spring at New Well to the Cloister so that they could wash their hands and faces before going to the Refectory for their meals. A Conduit House was built c.1520 by Abbot Meere over the fountain. This hexagonal structure stood against the north alley of the Cloister, opposite the entrance to the monks’ refectory, and had several sprouts to enable a number of monks to wash at once. In 1553 the Conduit House and water supply was moved to the Market Place at the bottom of Cheap Street.

The Slype

The Slype is a lean-to building against the North Transept. It is all that remains of the former south bay of the monks’ dormitory. Originally it led from the Cloister to the infirmary and monks’ graveyard. It was probably also used in part as a mortuary. The western door was blocked by a buttress built in 1569. It contains 12th century arcading and 13th century engrafted arch and vaulting.

Chapter House

On the ground floor of the east side of the Cloister stood the Chapter House.  Built in the late 12th-13th century it was used as a daily meeting chamber for the monks. It was demolished c.1557/1558.
Archaeological excavations between 1972 and 1976 revealed the east cloister range and the Chapter House, the remains of which are now stored in the Sherborne School Archives.

Monks' Dormitory

On the first floor of the east side of the Cloister stood the monks’ dormitory – adjoining the Abbey for the convenience of attending night services in the Abbey. By 1554 all that remained of the dormitory was just one bay. The pitch of the old roof is clearly marked on the face of the north wall of the North Transept.
The monastery library and scriptorium were probably also on this floor.

Guesten Hall*

This was in the west cloister range of the monastery. The ground floor was the Cellarer's store room and outer parlour. Originally it had no windows but facsimiles of windows in Boxgrove Abbey were added. On the first floor was the Guesten Hall. The 3 roof bays to the north are not as ornate as the remaining 6 which suggests that, at a time, the room may have been either divided into two by partition, or there could have been a gallery - possibly a minstrel gallery or perhaps to separate different classes of guest.
In the south wall are the remains of the east face of the west wall of the Saxon Abbey. Behind this is a late 14th century stone spiral staircase that originally led to the Abbot’s private chapel on the upper floor of the south cloister range.
An archaeological dig in 1967 revealed a pottery kiln built into the west wall, and from 1740 the main body of the building was used as a silk mill.
It is now used as the Sherborne School Library building.
*There is no definite evidence that this room was used as a 'Guesten Hall', though in Benedictine monasteries it was not unusual to have a room such as this above a Cellarium on the west side of the cloisters. Others have suggested that it may have been a Misericorde where more substantial food was supplied than in the Refectory. A room such as this might have had a buttery, which can explain the less ornate section of roof. It has also been suggested that it could have been a Domus Conversorum, but there is little to suggest that that such members were ever numerous enough to justify such a large room; nor are there any traces of separate cells.

Abbot's Private Chapel

On the first floor, to the west of the South Cloister side stood the Abbot’s private chapel. It was accessed by an extant late 14th century stone spiral staircase, which also led to the Guesten Hall. The blocked doorway can still be seen in the outside east wall of the building.
The piscina can still be seen on the north aisle wall of the Abbey.

Abbot's Hall

This room, including the roof, dates from the early 15th century, but the windows are modern. It is mentioned in 1436 when Bishop Neville's made an enquiry into the well-known quarrel between the monks and the townspeople.
The 12th century undercroft would have been used by the monks as the cellars, a malthouse, or for storage.
It is now used as the Sherborne School Chapel. It has been much extended and bears little resemblance to it its original size.

Abbot's Lodgings and Monks' Kitchen

On the north side of the Cloisters stood the Abbot’s Lodging and Monk's kitchen, built c1480 by Abbot Ramsam. The large chimney stack of the kitchen remains and on the north wall there are panels carved with the symbols of the Evangelists.
The Abbot’s northern entrance would have been to the right of the projecting octagonal block, or stair turret, which led to the Abbot’s Parlour above.  On the roof are some fine gargoyles like those on the Abbey.

Refectory

The refectory stood on the north side of the Cloisters, filling in the space between the Abbot's Hall and the Monks' Dormitory to make a quadrangle, and was were the monks ate their meals. Access from the ground floor was opposite the Conduit House and there was most likely access into the Kitchen. The Refectory may have been built at the same time as the Dormitory, late C12, and it was demolished at the same time, in 1554. The stones from the Refectory are thought to have been used to build the original 'Scholehouse' for the King's school which had been given a royal charter only four years earlier.

Military Colours

The North Nave Aisle, sometimes called the 'Trinitie' or 'Dark' Aisle contains several colours from the 2nd Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment and the Dorsetshire Militia. The South Nave Aisle contains colours of the 1st Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment.

Memorials and tombs

The North Choir Aisle contains two tombs, believed to be the tombs of King Æthelbald of Wessex and his brother King Ethelbert of Wessex, elder brothers to Alfred the Great.
Inside the Wykeham chapel is the tomb of Sir John Horsey and his son. Horsey had bought the church after the Dissolution of the Monasteries and sold it to the townspeople. Also in the Chapel is the plainly marked tomb of the poet Sir Thomas Wyatt.
The South Transept contains an impressive baroque memorial to John Digby, 3rd Earl of Bristol, made of marble and designed by John Nost. Additionally there is a memorial to Robert and Mary Digby.
St Katherine's Chapel contains the 16th century tomb of John Leweston and wife Joan. The Chapel was where Sir Walter Raleigh and Lady Raleigh attended services.
The North Aisle contains a memorial to Abbot Clement and an effigy to an unknown Prior, while the South Aisle contains an effigy of Abbot Lawrence of Bradford.
The Digby Memorial, situated outside the Abbey, is a memorial to George Digby who provided a lot of funding for renovation work during the 19th century. It was built in 1884 and features statues of St Aldhelm, Bishop Roger of Salisbury, Abbot Bradford and Sir Walter Raleigh.

Burials

The Abbey has two reredos. The more recent is in the Lady Chapel, and was designed by Laurence Whistler in 1969, and fashioned in glass. The second, more substantial reredos was installed in 1884 and designed by RH Carpenter.

Windows

The Abbey contains a number of stained glass windows. The diarist Richard Symonds, post 1664-1665, described the location, blazon and surname for coats of arms of some leading families of Dorset displayed on stained glass in the Sherborne church as he observed them during the Marches of the Royal Army during the English Civil War.
The South Transept's Te Deum window was designed by Pugin in the early 19th century.
The Great East Window was designed by Clayton and Bell and installed in 1856–58. It features the Apostles Mark, Luke, Matthew and John, and Saints Sidwell and Juthware, who is featured in the Sherborne Missal. The glass in the Southern Aisle commemorates Sherborne School For Girls' 1949 Jubilee.
The Lady Chapel glass comes from the 1930s, and depicts St Aldhelm presenting a model of his church to the Patron.
The Great West Window is the newest of the major windows designed and made by John Hayward, being installed in 1997 to replace a poor quality, faded, Pugin conceived glass. The new glass depicts the Patron and the baby Jesus, the Biblical Magi and the Shepherds, the Genesis story, the fall of man and the Easter story.

Misericords

The Abbey contains ten 15th century misericords, situated 5 on each side of the choir. These depict such things as the last judgement of Christ, and gurning.

Bells

The C15th central tower contains the heaviest ring of eight bells in the world, with the tenor bell weighing of 46cwt and 5 lbs. A ring should not be confused with a peal, which is a specific type of performance of change ringing.
Since before Norman times the bells were rung from the crossing, directly beneath the tower. Ringing such heavy bells with such long ropes would have taken a lot of effort; it was likely the heavier bells would have each taken two or three men to ring them. In 1858 a new ringing chamber was built just above the tower fan vaulting.
All inscriptions are in upper case and various decorative symbols have been omitted.

All Hallows' bells

By the end of the 14th century, a ring of five or six bells was in use in All Hallows Parish Church, with the earliest known dating from 1514. Most of these were then transferred to the Abbey tower.

Organ

The Abbey's organ, located in the North Transept, was installed in 1856 by Gray & Davison to some considerable acclaim. It was completely rebuilt in 1955 by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd with a remote console in the Crossing and a large specification. In 1972 John Coulson of Bristol again altered the organ by adding a neo-classically styled ‘Positiv’ in place of the Choir manual, some big mixtures on the Great, solo mutations on the Choir, and increased wind pressures throughout. By 1987 an increasing lack of reliability led to a proposed scheme by Bishop & Son of Ipswich, favouring a return to the Gray & Davison past by almost halving the number of stops, returning the console to the organ loft - attached to the case - and altering the Choir division into more of a Bombarde to try to overcome the difficulties of the position of the organ. After just over twenty years it was necessary for the organ to be rebuilt again, and In 2004/05 Kenneth Tickell changed the tonal quality of the instrument, installed new ranks in the Choir and Swell divisions, and provided a new solution to the location issue by installing a new Nave division, located under the West Window.
Despite these numerous alterations, much of the Pedal division, some of the Choir flutes and Clarinet, all except the mixture on the Great, and much of the Chorus Swell are original Gray & Davison stops.
More details can be found in 'A History of the Organs of the Abbey'. The current organ specification can be found

List of organists

Bishops

The Bishop of Sherborne was established in 705 by St Aldhelm, the Abbot of Malmesbury. It was discontinued when the see of Sherborne was transferred to Old Sarum in 1075. The title Bishop of Sherborne was revived by the Church of England as a suffragan bishopric in the Diocese of Salisbury.
Bishops
Bishops of Sarum who were also Abbots of Sherborne
This data is taken from as well as the Bishop of Salisbury Wikipedia page. Where dates are unclear, the earliest date has been used with a 'circa' reference.

Suffragan Bishops

Known Abbots include:
The initials of the names of two Abbots of Sherborne, occurring some time between 1163 and 1189, are seen in two undated charters of Henry II.

Vicars

The following is an incomplete list of vicars since about 1400 In the 1900's the position changed from that of vicar to rector.

All Hallows (Alhalowes)