Sherborne

Some time ago, we visited Sir Walter Raleigh's Sherborne castle in Dorset.  Nearby is the ancient and charming town of Sherborne.

Set on the River Yeo edging onto the Blackmore Vale, the town is a picturesque mix of buildings, including those from medieval and Georgian eras.

I loved this archway.  Many of the buidings are constructed of  ochre-coloured hamstone from Ham Hill in Somerset.

Sherborne was the capital of Wessex and two of King Alfred the Great's older brothers are buried here in the abbey.

The Abbey was once a saxon cathedral and is now the Parish Church.

The Conduit is a hexagonal 16th-century building that originally stood in the cloisters on the north side of the abbey, where it served as a washing place for the monks. It was moved to  the southern end of Cheap Street after the dissolution of the monastery in 1539.

 I could not resist this street sign, since it also a street name that often appears in many of my favourite Georgette Heyer novels set in London. And of course there we find a 17century pub.

 Sherborne School for boys was founded by King Edward VI and occupies some of the original Abbey buildings.  I can imagine a Regency character attending school here, can't you?






The St John's Alms Houses

This building was licensed by Henry VI in 1437 and was designed to house ‘twelve pore feeble---old men and five pore feeble---old women’. Copies of the royal license and foundation deed are on view in the antechapel.

The construction of the almshouse began in 1440; the chapel was completed two years later and the remainder of the building in 1445. Eighteen elderly people from the town are still housed there today.  How about that for long term planning?

Here are a couple of lovely half timbered building from Tudor times.

And last but not least, although there are many Georgian buildings in the town, I fell in love with this one.

 Built in 1818 it was originally the Sherbourne Bank for saving.

And since I found my perfect Regency building, it is time to call it a day and wish you Happy Rambles Until next time.

Sherborne Castle, Dorset Part II

Terradactyl is doing well, growing by the day, and now has feathers -- just in case you wanted to know. lol

Shorborne castle was modernized starting in 1757, so it really very Georgian. George III visited the house with the Queen and three of the Princesses in August 1789, pending the day riding in the park and staying for dinner. The house remained unchanged.

I spent quite a long time looking at the furniture in this house, since so much of it was contemporary to the Regency.
We often read about the commode, this is a George III version made of tulip and rosewood and was one of a pair. They are in the serpentine shape that was very popular through this period. They are attributed to Pierre Langlois. These chests were drawing room furniture, and would hold candelabra while the drawers might contain a writing slide or a reading stand.


Another interesting piece of furniture was an adjustible gout stool similar to that pictured here.


The hall chairs, similar to these, looked very uncomfortable and no doubt the footman waiting outside the door was unlikely to fall asleep, even if he was permitted to sit down.

The house also boasts a set of Henry Alken prints showing what is purported to be the first steeple chase on record. that is a race from one church stteple to the other. These were officers, and note they are in their night clothes, and they are racing from Ipswich Barracks to Nacturn Village. Hilarious.


One thing I did want to describe to you was the clothes press, made of mahogany from the Regency period which was a little different to most I have seen, it had a cupboard in the middle and drawers on each side. And by the way did you know that the word cupboard stems back to the middle ages when a lord would put his cups out on a board between two trestles to show his wealth? Eventually the board was closed in with doors, but it retains its original word. You probably did know that, but I only discovered it recently.

Well that is it for today. Sherborne Castle which is not really a castle is simply a treasure trove of wonderful things. If you ever get a chance to visit. I highly recommend it.

Until next time, Happy Rambles.

Sherbourne Castle, Dorset

Robin update.
It looks as if we will only have one baby. The rest of the eggs are still sitting in the nest while our Mothers Day baby grows apace. He has a few straggly feathers and
we can still see right through his skin, but he is getting big. I have a feeling we only have a mommy bird, and not a pair. But we will see. I am going to try to sneak a picture next time she leaves the nest.

I apologize for being late today, but my internet was down first thing this morning and thus I got engrossed in my next project--yes the book after The Lady Flees Her Lord is already going full steam ahead, and by the time I looked up, here we were, nearly midnight and I had wanted to tell you all about our next stop after Kent.


We went to Dorset, Thomas Hardy country, and also once the home of Sir Walter Raleigh.

This house deserved more time than the afternoon we spent there, first because it has been in the Digby family since poor old Raleigh lost his head and secondly it has furniture from all down the ages.
So I am going to talk about some of it now, and again after my next visit, next year.The town of Sherborne itself is another place on my list
I know, already planning to go again, but there is just so much to see.

While it is called a castle, it is a manor house, originally a hunting lodge. In this second picture, you can see the face of the original lodge across the courtyard and one of the wings which was added later. but added in keeping with the original building, so it is hard to tell it is an addition.

Because we are focussing on the Regency, I am not going to get into much detail about poor old Sir Walter, who was beloved of Elizabeth the first - she gave him this lodge -- and charged with treason by King James I. He was int the Tower from 1603 to 1618 when he was beheaded and he forfeited his house to the crown, who then sold it to the family who owns it now.

Breathtaking history.

This house was a deer park, and still has deer in the park.

This is a view of the park, taken by me. As you can see, the weather while cool has improved dramatically from our snowy Easter weekend. Imagine having a view like that from your bedroom window.

I am going to stop here, because we will get to the Regency part of the house next day.

Until then, Happy Rambles.