Sherborne is a beautiful, historic market town found in north west Dorset.
The town has excellent transport links, with a main line train station providing services through to London Waterloo taking 2 hrs 20 mins. For those commuting to Exeter, there are also regular trains there taking just over an hour, or you can commute by car in 1hr 20 mins. The A30 links the Sherborne to the nearby town Yeovil, which is just 6 miles away. There are local bus services to Yeovil, as well as to all the other local towns and villages.
Sherborne is well known for its schools, and it has both state and independent options available. Sherborne School (boys only) is a historic independent school, which has been operating for 1,300 years, and its famous former pupils include Jeremy Irons and John le Carré. Sherborne Girls was founded in 1895 and it provides independent day and boarding options for secondary education. There are two primary schools in the area; Sherborne Abbey Primary School and Sherborne Primary School.
There’s a variety of specialist, independent shops where you can find plenty of unique items for sale. There’s a wide variety too; for example, Forever England is a home goods store, Melbury Gallery is a popular ladies clothing store, and Rosefinch is a fantastic gift shop. The town is well-known for its antiques with specialist shops like Sherborne Antiques Market, and it even has its own auction house.
Pannier Market runs every Thursday and Saturday selling local produce, and there’s a monthly vintage market too. There are several chain stores within the town, like Mountain Warehouse, Boots and White Stuff, as well as supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.
There’s plenty to choose from when heading out for a bite to eat here. There are delightful tea rooms, cafes, pubs, bistros and restaurants, all serving up delicious treats. The Three Wishes serves tasty tea, cake and lunches, and Bramble Restaurant provides relaxed fine dining using local produce. The award-winning Season’s Restaurant has a beautiful garden backdrop and it’s located within The Eastbury Hotel and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You’re spoilt for choice with the local pubs here too, such as The Cross Keys, The George and The Digby Tap, which has fantastic, hand-pulled real ales.
Healthcare is provided locally at Yeatman Hospital, which has a minor injuries unit, and there are several medical centres and GP surgeries within the area.
There are lovely local parks in Sherborne, including The Pageant Gardens, which are formal gardens that opened in 1906 and feature a traditional bandstand. Alan Titchmarch opened Paddock Garden here in 2005, and the local children enjoy Ridgeway Play Area.
The stunning and historic Sherborne Castle was built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594 and it
attracts visitors from far and wide. The beautiful 42 acre landscape gardens were created by Capability Brown and they’re now Grade I listed. There’s also the incredible Sherborne Abbey, and its foundation dates all the way back to 705.
Sherborne is such a beautiful, historic town with stunning architecture. It’s so impressive that it’s been chosen as a location for several films and TV series, including the BBC’s Wolf Hall, and the 2015 film Far from the Madding Crowd, which stars Carey Mulligan.
