Shaftesbury Abbey, Museum and Garden Trust
About This Museum
It's almost hard to believe, but Shaftesbury Abbey was once one of the richest nunneries in all of England, founded by none other than King Alfred the Great. Today, you wander through serene garden grounds where only the foundations remain, letting your imagination reconstruct the soaring walls. The on-site museum does a wonderful job of piecing together that lost grandeur with intricate carvings and everyday objects used by the nuns. Standing there on that breezy hilltop, you get a powerful sense of the lives that unfolded in this sacred space for over 650 years.
Collection Highlights
Look for the deeply moving 'Shaftesbury Madonna' figurine, a beautiful Romanesque carving of Mary and Jesus discovered on site. You'll also find stunning fragments of medieval floor tiles and detailed stonework that hint at the abbey's former opulence.
Visitor Information
Tucked away on Park Walk, it's a wonderfully peaceful spot to spend an hour. Don't miss the herb garden, which is planted with species the nuns would have grown for medicine and cooking.
Architecture & Building
While most of the structure is now just evocative foundations tracing the outline of the vast church and cloisters, you can still see where immense pillars once stood and get a true sense of the scale.
Contact & Location
Address: Park Walk, St James, Shaftesbury, Dorset, England, SP7 8JR, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1747 852910
Website: Visit Website
