Sherborne has been describe as 'the one of the most beautiful towns in England, an description of this old Saxon town that is hard to dispute. For Sherborne has charm in plenty, With two Castles, an surfeit of beautiful medieval buildings, plus the superb Sherborne Abbey's, world famous Schools, intern-mingled with picturesque Almshouse, Sherborne has much to intoxicate and enthrall its  visitors. Ideally situated  on the Dorset and Somerset border its excellent transport links have enabled the town to flourish, and prosper.Sherborne is today a busy business and market center  for a wide area. It has still managed to retain alongside major shops small and specialist businesses, and the town has a delightful shopping center with a large choice of goods and very elegant boutiques. And like Brighton it has also become important t in the region for Art and Antique Dealers. Sherborne is a fine location for those wishing to explore the delightful and unspoilt areas of three counties, the Wessex area of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. Sherborne is dominated by its Abbey which was founded  in AD 705, by St. Aldhelm, the Abbey has developed from an Saxon Cathedral  to one of the most beautiful of England's parish churches. Many people however still regard it as the 'Cathedral of Dorset'. If you visited the Abbey, you will never stop marveling at the workmanship that went into this this glorious building.

In the 12th century the Norman Chancellor of England Roger De Caen, who also happened to be the Bishop of Sailsbury, built the first  Castle described as an 'A Malicious and mischievous Castle.' De Caen, built on a grand scale, and the castle was converted by many of his contemporaries. The castle was to have a very long and chequered history. In1592, Elizabeth I gave it to her favorite Sir Walter Raleigh, an swash-buckling pirate, who is remembered by history for laying his cape over a puddle; so the Queen would not get her Royal feet wet.  Once the Castle was in Raleigh's possession he embarked on extensive modifications. However Raleigh's attempt failed and in 1594 he admitted defeat and  built his country home, Sherborne Lodge, in the grounds. The Lodge is now known as Sherborne Castle, and is open to the public from, April to Oct (incl) daily  In the English Civil War Sherborne was taken by the the Parliamentarian General Fairfax in 1645, Fairfax; after Oliver Cromwell was the most influential of the all Parliamentarian Army's General's. Unfortunately all he left of Sherborne Castle was the romantic ruins you see today, and which and are in the care of English Heritage. Sherborne itself is full of buildings of historic interest dating from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries with very fine examples of the  architecture of the relevant periods, particularly of the Victorian, and Georgian period and they are set in unspoilt streets, which really show them in all their splendor. Medieval buildings also abound in the town, the most important ones being the, The Old Almshouse of St John the Baptist, and St John the Evangelist; The 15th, Century Conduit House, and The Julian, an early 16th, Century house. Other places of interest to visitors are the town's Museum which holds many local artifacts, Sherborne Castle hosts Sherborne Castle Country Fair. A full day packed with fun activities and displays, animal agility to clay pigeon shoot, dragon boat racing, driving carriages. Trade stands, Food Hall, Crafts Courtyard - all in the grounds of Sherborne Castle.  The near- by village of Stourton Caundle is worth visiting it is a small unspoilt village in the Blackmore Vale area of north Dorset 5 miles east of Sherborne and lies in the heart of the Dorset poet, William Barnes country. His poem Bishops Caundle was written after the victory at the battle of Waterloo. Only three miles from Sherborne is another quiet, pretty, unspoilt village Sandford Orcas Manor was built by Edward Knoyle from the local Ham Hill stone in the mid 16th Century, and owned by the Medlycott family for the last 250 years.

Yes it is very hard to dispute that given its history wonderful architecture and location in the stunning Dorsetshire countryside that Sherborne is not indeed one of the most beautiful towns in the Country. And a place I would certainly considered for my holiday.

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