Sherborne Guided Heritage Tour
This is a 1 day (2 night) guided weekend tour centred on Sherborne, Dorset's most beautiful and historic town. We believe that the best way to do this tour is predominantly on foot, so that you can get the best possible appreciation not only of the sites themselves but also of the beautiful countryside and town surrounding them. The total distance to be covered on foot is an easy 5 miles..
The town of Sherborne itself is a fascinating place to discover. Its original stone and timber-faced buildings which date from the 15th century onwards, its small courtyards and alleys and, of course, its magnificent, largely medieval Abbey Church, all give it the feel of a small cathedral town, which it once was - from about 700 AD to 1085. The church is widely considered to be one of the finest in the country.
Sherborne has a variety of "old-fashioned", specialist and artisanal shops, as well as several excellent antique shops, art galleries and, of course, busy markets on Thursdays and Saturdays. You should be sure to check in early on Friday to have the time to explore the town at leisure.
The town also has a small museum, as well as an impressive, early 18th century mansion with an earlier Tudor wing, called Sherborne House, which featured in the BBC TV programme "Restoration".
The town also boasts one of England's great "public" (private) schools - Sherborne Boys School, originally King Edward's School, founded in 1550 and built on the remains of the first abbey buildings.
Sherborne, however, is perhaps best known for its two castles and its connection with Sir Walter Raleigh. The “Old Castle”, which was a kind of fortified palace, was built in the early 12th century, and belonged to the Church until Raleigh spotted it one day and persuaded Queen Elizabeth to lease it to him. He started to transform it into a home, but then abandoned the scheme and decided to build a new residence in the castle’s Deer Park in 1594, calling it “Sherborne Lodge”, which is the main part of today’s (new) Sherborne Castle.
The Old Castle is now a very attractive ruin, and belongs to English Heritage. It withstood many attacks during the Civil War, but was eventually destroyed after a siege led by Cromwell himself, who described the place as “a malicious mischievous Castle, like the owner.”
In 1603, shortly after Queen Elizabeth’s death, Raleigh was imprisoned by King James I for treason in the Tower of London.
He was eventually executed with an axe in 1618. King James allowed Sir John Digby to buy Sherborne Castle in 1617, and his family have owned it ever since.
In 1753 the famous landscape gardener Capability Brown was brought in to create a lake beneath the castle and to design the gardens and attractive walks beside it.
During this short weekend break, you will be accommodated in a B&B;, inn or hotel in Sherborne. On Saturday your experienced and enthusiastic guide will walk with you to all the sites, including a stroll through Sherborne Castle's Deer Park.
The highlights of the guided tour are:
- The historic town of Sherborne
- Sherborne Abbey (Church of St. Mary)
- Sherborne (new) Castle and Gardens
- Sherborne Old Castle
- A glimpse of Sherborne School
- Sherborne Museum
Please note that entrance fees to the different sites are not included in the price of the holiday. This is because some people are members of clubs or associations that offer reduced or free admission to historic houses and gardens, or else may be senior citizens or both.
Guided
Sherborne heritage tour
Check the prices on the right. Choose the check-in date, the accommodation option and rooms you want and proceed to our enquiry form. For currency conversions click here.
| Duration | Accomm. Option |
Double or Twin Room |
Single Occupancy |
| 2 nights | A1 A2 |
£160 £125 |
from £200 £160 |
Occasionally we may propose accommodation with a standard and price halfway between A1 and A2.
We can sometimes offer family rooms and special prices for children, depending on the accommodation that is available at the time, but early booking is advisable. Please give us details of your requirements on the enquiry form.
For our full range of holidays and how we operate, go to holidays 2009 and footscape.
