SDO10232 - A history of Sherborne School

A history of Sherborne School, taking events under the rule of successive headmasters and including an introductory chapter concerning the early history of Sherborne Abbey. In this introductory section Gourlay mentions a tradition that the Royal court was transferred to Sherborne from Winchester in 860 AD when the latter was sacked by the Danes. Furthermore, Sherborne is reputedly the burial place of Aethelbald and Aethelbert and that Alfred was educated here at the age of 11. In a footnote mention is made of various claims of the discovery of the site of the coffins: ‘In 1801 a sarcophagus of Purbeck marble was unearthed in the Abbey, which attracted much attention as probably being the coffin of Aethelbald: but its measurements proved inexact according to the ancient records. In 1925 another stone coffin was discovered during the excavations connected with the War Memorial. Made of Ham Hill stone, it contained human bones, though sacrilegious hands had already removed clothes and anything else of value. Its measurements tallied better than its fellow and it is now believed to be the tomb of Aethelbert. A further find was dug up about 1885 at the west end of the Abbey. The workmen lightheartedly distributed the contents to Shirburnian bystanders as genuine relics of St. Aldhelm. Their claim can hardly be substantiated, but next day the bones were hastily collected by authority throughout the school.’