SDO10616 - New Music Room, Sherborne School for Boys, Sherborne, Dorset. An Archaeological Desk-Based Assesment

This report presents the findings of a desk-based assessment of the archaeological potential of a proposed development site within the grounds of Sherborne School for Boys, Sherborne, Dorset. The research has been commissioned by the School in support of a planning application for a new music room. The Assessment concludes that the proposed development site is within an area of significant archaeological interest and potential. The evidence suggests that there is reason to believe that archaeological remains may be present within the site - most probably associated with the medieval monastery, but also possibly with a pre-Saxon religious settlement and post-medieval gardens. There is no unequivocal evidence that remains of prehistoric or Roman date should be anticipated. The presence of an early religious settlement is far from certain, so any information deriving from work on the site will be important for understanding the origins and development of Sherborne. Likewise, previous archaeological investigations of the Abbey have been confined to the conventual buildings adjacent to the church and little is known about the character and development of the remainder of the area enclosed by the precinct walls. Earlier investigations and observations to the south of the proposed development indicate that preservation of archaeological remains is variable in the surrounding area. Elements of the Abbey buildings are still extant within the school, yet landscaping to the west of the Abbey church appeared to have removed any traces of the Saxon bishop's palace. North of the main Abbey buildings there is evidence for the remains of a substantial fishpond - later perhaps an ornamental lake - that may be waterlogged at depth. The latter observation is the only one for the outer areas of the Abbey precinct, and thus it is not possible to determine the extent to which any non-religious buildings may survive. Post-medieval 'landscape gardening' will have undoubtedly have had some impact, but the extent of this is not known.