Scheduled MonumentsEnglandSherborne Abbey, remains of

Sherborne Abbey, remains of

England
List entry 1002383
Nation
England
The designation
Reference
List entry 1002383
Authority
Historic England (NHLE)
Status
Scheduled Monument
Scheduled area
0.46 hectares
Grid reference
ST 63790 16523, ST 63748 16470
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

Sherborne Abbey is a monastic complex of high historical significance founded in the early eighth century, traditionally attributed to Saint Aldhelm. The surviving remains comprise substantial stone structures including the late medieval abbey church, cloister ranges, and associated domestic buildings that reflect the site's development from its Anglo-Saxon foundation through the medieval period. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII, the abbey church was partially converted to parochial use while other structures fell into decay, leaving the extensive ruins that characterise the site today. The remains represent one of Dorset's most important archaeological and architectural witnesses to English monastic life and represent a valuable example of the physical legacy of the medieval Church.

Sherborne Abbey, remains of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1002383. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Sherborne Abbey, remains of?

Sherborne Abbey is a monastic complex of high historical significance founded in the early eighth century, traditionally attributed to Saint Aldhelm. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1002383.

Who is responsible for protecting Sherborne Abbey, remains of?

Sherborne Abbey, remains of is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1002383.

What other scheduled monuments are near Sherborne Abbey, remains of?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including The Conduit Cross (0.1 km), Sherborne Old Castle (1.1 km), Remains of St Mary Magdalene's Church (2.5 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Sherborne Abbey, remains of

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Sherborne Abbey, remains of's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Domesday
The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
LiDAR
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Sherborne Abbey, remains of

Sherborne Abbey, remains of stands on Inferior Oolite Group, bedrock that formed in the Bathonian. The rock here is limestone, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.