To know God and to make Him known in wonder, love and praise.

A warm welcome to the Abbey’s website. I hope you will find here the information you are seeking. There are also a number of important links to other sites which will tell you more.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Virus

Following the Prime Minister’s address to the nation on Monday 23 March 2020, the Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of England have ordered the closure of all places of public worship for the duration of the present Emergency. The Abbey is therefore closed in line with these directions.  

If you need to speak to a priest, follow this link: http://Sherborneabbey.com/People

Meanwhile, here is the special prayer for Pentecost for each one of us to use:

Holy Spirit, sent by the Father, ignite in us your holy fire; strengthen your children with the gift of faith, revive your Church with the breath of love, and renew the face of the earth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Click here for our recorded Eucharist for Pentecost

Click here for our recorded Eucharist for the Seventh Sunday of Easter

For archived recordings of previous meditations and servces

click here

The Church of England has always taught, as has the Roman Catholic Church, that where it is impossible to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion, an “act of spiritual communion” can be made by any believer. The Book of Common Prayer [1662] is quite clear on this: see the rubrics at the end of “The Communion of the Sick”. Here is a prayer you might like to use:

O Lord Jesus Christ, since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, I humbly pray Thee that Thou wouldest come spiritually to my soul. Come, Lord Jesus, come and cleanse me, heal me, strengthen me, and unite me to Thyself, now and for evermore. Amen.

Below is a link to an order of Spiritual Communion taken from the Book of Common Prayer.

Click on the link

Click on the link below to download this week’s

Pew Sheet for Sunday 31 May

The Abbey Shop is closed. 

The Parish Office is closed.

The telephone 01935 812452 will be answered during office hours Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 4.30 pm, but not on Wednesdays.

The Digby Memorial Church Hall is closed for the duration of the crisis.

Please note that all events associated with the Abbey have also been cancelled.  

The Sherborne Abbey Website will keep you up to date with any further changes as they happen.

See also The Rector Writes…

Founded by St. Aldhelm in AD 705, the Abbey has developed from Saxon cathedral to the worshipping heart of a monastic community, and finally, to one of the most beautiful of England’s parish churches. For many it is still the ‘cathedral of Dorset’, and our Benedictine heritage lives on in the daily offering of prayer and praise.

If you have never visited the Abbey, I hope you can do so soon. Marvelling at this glorious building, may you also catch a glimpse of the Glory of God – so that, having arrived as our welcome guest, you will leave renewed, as a pilgrim.

Canon Eric Woods, Team Rector