Find Spot record MDO30106 - Inscribed stone found at Shaftesbury Abbey, Shaftesbury

A fragment of inscribed stone, carved between circa 975 and 1050 and found on the site of Shaftesbury Abbey Church in 1902, is probably part of an inscription seen in the abbey chapter house by William of Malmesbury about 1125 AD. The stone ascribes the traditional foundation of Shaftesbury to King Alfred in 880 AD. The stone most likely derived from an important early eleventh century secular structure, most probably a stone-built gateway.

A fragment of inscribed stone, carved between circa 975 and 1050 was found on the site of the abbey church (ST 82 SE 4) in 1902 and evidently belongs to an inscription seen in the abbey chapter house by William of Malmesbury about 1125 AD. The stone ascribes the traditional foundation of Shaftesbury to King Alfred in 880 AD (see burh - (ST 82 SE 56) and Malmesbury also recorded that it had been brought from the ruins of a very old wall. From the reconstructed inscription (see illus. card), R.C.H.M. considered that the stone derived from an important early 11th century secular structure, which is unlikely to have been anything but a stone-built town wall; the most probable position for the inscription being in association with a gateway. <1> Penn refers to the inscribed stone and its possible association with a stone gateway but does not suggest a town wall here. <2> Full description of the inscribed stone, which is probably pre-Conquest. <3>

Record last edited

Jun 27 2023 2:45PM