Sherborne Abbey
| Sherborne Abbey | |
|---|---|
Sherborne Abbey | |
Sherborne Abbey | |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Churchmanship | Central/Catholic |
| Website | www.sherborneabbey.com |
| History | |
| Founded | 705 |
| Founder | St Aldhelm |
| Dedication | St Mary the Virgin |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Saxon, Norman, Perpendicular |
| Years built | 705, c. 1050, c. 1130–80, c. 1380–1500 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 240ft (73m) |
| Nave width | 66ft (23m) |
| Width across transepts | 100ft (30.5m) |
| Nave height | ~60ft (18m) |
| Tower height | 109ft (33m) |
| Bells | 10, ring of 8 |
| Tenor bell weight | 46-0-5 (2339kg) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Canterbury |
| Diocese | Salisbury |
| Archdeaconry | Sherborne |
| Deanery | Sherborne |
| Benefice | Sherborne w Castleton, Lillington and Longburton |
| Parish | Sherborne with Castleton |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop | Karen Gorham |
| Rector | Martin Lee |
| Vicar | Jim Edie |
| Archdeacon | Penny Sayer |
| Laity | |
| Organist/Director of music | James Henderson |
| Organist | Charlie Gurnham |
| Organ scholar | Josh O’Neill |
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 was formerly a Saxon Catholic cathedral (705–1075) and a Benedictine abbey church (998–1539), before becoming a Church of England parish church in 1539 during the dissolution of the monasteries. In England's Thousand Best Churches (1999) by Simon Jenkins, it is one of only 18 churches given a five-star rating.