DoneThat
Sherborne Abbey, Sherborne, Dorset
The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin was originally a Saxon Cathedral but in 1075 the bishopric of Sherborne was transferred to Old Sarum so the church became just an abbey church.
The Nave is seen here looking towards the East End with a small part of the fan-vaulted ceiling showing (see below).
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The extraordinary and magnificent nave vaulting is a combination of fan-vaulting and lierne vaulting. The latter comes about because the 'fans' do not touch each other at the central line of the nave, as is the case in King's College Chapel in Cambridge.
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In the 15th century the Quire was rebuilt in the Perpendicular style, including the fan-vaulting that Sherborne is still famous for.
The North Choir Aisle, on the left, contains two tombs, believed to be the tombs of King Athelbald of Wessex and his brother King Ethelbert of Wessex, elder brothers to Alfred the Great
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The north transept, showing the organ, with its amazing ceiling. The organ was installed in 1858.
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A partly open tomb showing some of the bones of King Athelbald or King Athelbert from the 9th century, inside. A little gruesome but interesting nevertheless.
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