The Sherborne Abbey
company of bell ringers
are those responsible for ringing the heaviest peal of eight bells in the world, in the beautiful Dorset town of Sherborne.
Everyone is welcome
We range in age, background and anything else you can think of! We are all-inclusive, so all are welcome.
The Abbey
Sherborne Abbey – dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin – is located in the beautiful Dorset town of Sherborne (from the Saxon name Scirburne, meaning clear brook).
Built of local sandstone the Abbey stands majestically on the southern side of the town. The site was originally a Saxon Cathedral, built about 705 and was the seat of the Bishop of Western Wessex. It then became a Benedictine Monastery founded in 998. A Parish Church of All-Hallows had previously been erected at the west end of the Abbey nave.
At the dissolution of the Monastery in 1536 the parishioners purchased the Abbey. Since two Churches were not needed, that of All-Hallows was demolished, and the Abbey became the Parish Church of Sherborne.
The 15th century central tower contains the heaviest peal of eight bells in the world.
