Editing Sherborne Abbey (section)

== 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 of 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 (1348–1373) 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 [[pilaster]]s 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 eight bays with six 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 (one on the west wall of the north transept, the other on the north wall of the north aisle) and were built using stone from the old castle.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=The Cloisters|journal=Monastic Sherborne │Sherborne School Archives}}</ref>

=== Conduit ===
In the 12th century the monks built an open stone conduit or channel to bring clean water from the spring at New Well (Newell) 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 (1505–1535) over the fountain. This hexagonal structure stood against the north alley of the cloister, opposite the entrance to the monks' refectory, and had several spouts to enable a number of monks to wash at once. In 1553 the conduit house and water supply were moved to the market place at the bottom of Cheap Street.<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal|title=The Conduit or Conduit house|journal=Monastic Sherborne │Sherborne School Archives}}</ref>

=== Slype ===
{{See also|Sherborne School#Old Schoolroom and The Slype}}
Owned by Sherborne School since 1550,<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Historic Buildings of Sherborne School|url=https://oldshirburnian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/The-Historic-Buildings-of-Sherborne-School.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160710041024/http://oldshirburnian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/The-Historic-Buildings-of-Sherborne-School.pdf |archive-date=2016-07-10|url-status=live|website=Old Shirburnian}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=The Slype (or passage)|journal=Monastic Sherborne │Sherborne School Archives}}</ref>

=== 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.1557/8.<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal|title=Chapter House|journal=Monastic Sherborne │Sherborne School Archives}}</ref>

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.<ref name=":8" />

=== Monks' dormitory ===
On the first floor of the east side of the cloister stood the monks' dormitory (late 12th century), 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 (see 'the slype'). The pitch of the old roof is clearly marked on the face of the north wall of the north transept.<ref name=":9">{{Cite journal|title=The Monks' Dormitory|journal=Monastic Sherborne │Sherborne School Archives}}</ref>

The monastery library and scriptorium were probably also on this floor.<ref name=":9" />

=== Guesten hall ===
This was in the west cloister range of the monastery. The ground floor was the cellarer's store room and outer parlour.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Sherborne School Buildings 1500–2000|journal=Sherborne School Archives}}</ref> Originally it had no windows but facsimiles of windows in Boxgrove Abbey were added. On the first floor was the guesten hall (13th century with 15th century roof and windows).<ref>{{Cite journal|title=School Library|journal=Monastic Sherborne │Sherborne School Archives}}</ref> The three roof bays to the north are not as ornate as the remaining six, 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.<ref name=":10">{{Cite journal|last=Gourlay|first=A.B.|date=1971|title=The Library|journal=A History of Sherborne School|pages=275}}</ref>

In the south wall are the remains of the east face of the west wall of the Saxon Abbey (10th–11th century plinth, with 13th century work on top). 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.<ref name=":11">{{Cite journal|title=Beckett Room|journal=Monastic Sherborne │Sherborne School Archives}}</ref>

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.<ref name=":11" />

It is now used as the Sherborne School Library building.

Note: 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 (the room in which some monastic rules were relaxed, especially fasting) 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 ('house of the converts'. Until 1280, people who converted from Judaism to Christianity forfeited their possessions to the Crown), 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.<ref name=":10" />

=== 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.<ref name=":12">{{Cite journal|title=The Abbot's Private Chapel|journal=Monastic Sherborne │Sherborne School Archives}}</ref>

The piscina (a perforated stone basin near the altar for carrying away holy water after it has been used in rinsing the chalice) can still be seen on the north aisle wall of the abbey.<ref name=":12" />

=== Abbot's hall ===
This room, including the roof, dates from the early 15th century, but the windows are modern.<ref name=":13">{{Cite journal|title=School Chapel|journal=Monastic Sherborne │Sherborne School Archives}}</ref> It is mentioned in 1436 when Bishop Neville made an enquiry into the well-known quarrel between the monks and the townspeople.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gourlay|first=A.B.|date=1971|title=The Chapel|journal=A History of Sherborne School|pages=280}}</ref>

The 12th-century [[undercroft]] would have been used by the monks as the cellars, a malthouse, or for storage.<ref name=":13" />

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 c.1480 by Abbot Ramsam (1475–1504). The large chimney stack of the kitchen remains, and on the north wall there are panels carved with the symbols of the Evangelists.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Headmaster's Office|journal=Monastic Sherborne │Sherborne School Archives}}</ref>

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 where the monks ate their meals. Access from the ground floor was opposite the conduit house,<ref name=":7" /> 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<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gourlay|first=A.B.|date=1971|title=Reconstruction, 1550|journal=The History of Sherborne School|pages=17}}</ref> which had been given a royal charter only four years earlier.