“Improvements to ‘comfort’ at the Abbey are long-overdue, and it was one of my promises, as the new Rector of Sherborne Abbey, to prioritise this work and to make the Abbey an even more welcoming and accessible place to work and visit. These proposals represent the most significant improvement to facilities at the Abbey since the recovery of The Lady Chapel in the 1920s, and I hope they will be welcomed by the local community and visitors alike”.
The Revd. Martin Lee, Team Rector
For more than thirteen centuries, Sherborne Abbey has stood at the heart of the community, serving as a place of worship, heritage and gathering.
Today, the Abbey welcomes more than 50,000 visitors each year and hosts services, concerts and civic occasions throughout the year. Yet essential facilities within the building itself have never been fully realised.
The Facilities Upgrade Programme is a carefully considered response to this, ensuring that the Abbey can continue to serve all who come here with dignity, accessibility and welcome.
The programme brings together a series of carefully designed changes within the existing building.
Visitor facilities will be introduced within the Abbey in a discreet and sensitive manner, making use of areas of more recent construction. A new vestry will be created beneath the organ loft, providing a central and practical space to support the day-to-day life of the building.
Improvements to access, including the installation of a wheelchair lift, together with enhanced hospitality provision, will allow the Abbey to be used more fully for services, events and community activities.
Each element has been developed with great care to respect the historic fabric of the building.
For many visitors, particularly older members of the congregation, families and those attending concerts or events, access to facilities is essential. At present, this can limit how long people are able to remain and participate fully in the life of the Abbey.
These improvements will ensure that Sherborne Abbey remains not only a place of beauty and heritage, but one that is welcoming, inclusive and practical for all.
The total cost of the Facilities Upgrade Programme is approximately £1.1 million.
The Abbey and the Friends of Sherborne Abbey have already committed over £540,000, demonstrating a clear commitment to the project and its importance.
We are now seeking further support to complete the funding required and secure the future of the Abbey for generations to come.
If you would like to support the Facilities Upgrade Programme, you can donate via this QR code, or by visiting our JustGiving page here: Facilities Upgrade Programme – JustGiving
