Sherborne: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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GBP 67 - 170 The Queens Arms
 Nestled amidst stunning countryside, this late 18th century British pub is beautifully set in the heart of the ancient village of Corton Denham, on th… MoreGBP 90 - 110 The Kings Arms
 Set in an elegant Edwardian building, The Kings Arms boasts traditional charm and period features. Situated in rural Dorset, the 5-star hotel offers f… MoreGBP 35 - 74 Sherborne Hotel
 Surrounded by pleasant lawns and mature trees, this attractive modern property located a few minutes´ walk from the centre of the historic North… MoreGBP 67 - 189 Eastbury Hotel
 In Georgian days, the Eastbury was a private residence. It is now an elegant hotel with a peaceful garden and excellent food, offering free parking.
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Sherborne: Guide
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:See also: Sherborne, Gloucestershire
Sherborne is an affluent market town in north west Dorset, England, situated on the River Yeo and A30 road, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale six miles east of Yeovil. The town has a population of 9,350 (As of 2001), and 40.8% are retired. The town is famous for its history, including its Sherborne Abbey|abbey, Sherborne Castle|castles, Sherborne House|manor house and private schools. The picturesque town is a popular, though relatively unknown, tourism|tourist town.
Much of the town, including many medieval and Georgian architecture|Georgian buildings, are built from distinctive ochre ham stone, including the Abbey.
History
The town was named scir burne by the Anglo-Saxons|Saxon inhabitants, a name meaning "clear stream" (see: Bourne).
The town was made the capital of Wessex, one of the seven Saxon kingdoms of England, and King Alfred's elder brothers Ethelbert of Wessex|King Ethelbert and Ethelbald of Wessex|King Ethelbald are buried in the abbey. In 705 the diocese was split between Sherborne and Winchester, Hampshire|Winchester, and Ine of Wessex|King Ine founded an Abbey for Aldhelm,_Bishop_of_Sherborne|St Aldhelm, the first bishop of Sherborne. The Bishop's seat was moved to Old Sarum in 1075 and the church at Sherborne became a Benedictine Monastery. In the 15th century the church was deliberately burnt down during tensions between the town and the monastery, and was rebuilt between 1425 and 1504, though some of the Norman architecture | Norman structure remains. In 1539 the monastery was bought by Sir John Horsey and became a conventional church.
:See the article Sherborne Abbey for more on the history of the abbey.
In the 12th century Roger de Caen, Bishop of Salisbury and Chancellor of England built a fortified palace in Sherborne. The palace was destroyed in 1645 by General Fairfax, and the ruins are owned by English Heritage.
In 1594 Sir Walter Raleigh built an Elizabethan mansion in the grounds of the old palace, today known as Sherborne Castle.
There has been a school in Sherborne since the time of King Alfred, who was educated there. The school was refounded in 1550 as Sherborne School|King Edward's public school, using some of the old abbey buildings, though it is now known simply as Sherborne School. The school remains one of the top fee-paying schools in Britain, boasts numerous successful alumni, including Alan Turing, Jeremy Irons, Chris Martin and John le Carré. Until 1992 there were also two Grammar Schools, Foster's School for boys and Lord Digby's School for girls. Now, the tradition of excellence in learning within the town is continued with Sherborne School for Girls (another top fee-paying school), the well regarded Gryphon comprehensive school and the Sherborne International College (for children from overseas).
Other notable historical buildings in the town include the Almshouses of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, founded in their current form in 1438 and expanded in the Victorian Era in indistinguishable medieval architecture|medieval style architecture. The conduit, Hospice of St Julian, and John Digby|Lord Digby's school are also well preserved old buildings in the town.
Sherborne was for many centuries the centre of a Sherborne (hundred)|hundred of the same name.
Trivia
Sherborne features in Thomas Hardy's Wessex as "Sherton Abbas".
The film musical Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969 film)|Goodbye, Mr. Chips was filmed in Sherborne.
The film The Guinea Pig (film)|The Guinea Pig was partly filmed in Sherborne.
Sherborne was the home of a very distinctive Morris dancing tradition. The stepping is unique within the Cotswold Morris tradition, as being "one hop, two three" instead of "one two three hop" which gives the dances an elegant and quite restrained character. Sherborne dances are widely performed by many modern Morris sides.
John le Carré's novel A Murder of Quality takes place largely in a fictionalized version of Sherborne: Carne. The house in which the first murder is committed is Hyle House, in the south west of the town.
External links
Sources
# Pitt-Rivers, Michael, 1968. Dorset. London: Faber & Faber.
# The 1985 AA illustrated guide to the towns and villages of Britain.
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikipedia article "Sherborne". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.