Sherborne House is a Grade I

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

in Newland,

Sherborne Sherborne is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in north west Dorset, in South West England. It is sited on the River Yeo (South Somerset), River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The parish include ...

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

, England.

History

Sherborne House was built c.1720 for Henry Seymour Portman as a halfway house between his properties in

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

(

Orchard Portman Orchard Portman is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south of Taunton. The village has a population of 150. The parish includes the hamlet of Thurlbear and the nearby Thurlbear Wood and Quarrylands Site of Special Scie ...

) and Dorset ( Bryanston). John Hutchins in his 'History of Dorset' reported that the house was designed by 'Mr Bastard of Sherborne' ( Benjamin Bastard), but given the date of its building, it was more likely that the Bastard company of

Blandford Forum Blandford Forum ( ) is a market town in Dorset, England, on the River Stour, Dorset, River Stour, north-west of Poole. It had a population of 10,355 at the United Kingdom 2021 census, 2021 census. The town is notable for its Georgian archit ...

only provided the internal joinery. Michael Hill in the Dorset edition of

The Buildings of England ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

suggests that Sir James Thornhill may have been the architect. The House, which incorporates an earlier 16th century north wing, is three storeys high and seven bays wide and rendered in stone rubble and brick with a slate roof. The staircase features a mural painted a year or two after the completion of the house by Sir James Thornhill, which depicts the Greek mythological characters

Meleager In Greek mythology, Meleager (, ) was a hero venerated in his '' temenos'' at Calydon in Aetolia. He was already famed as the host of the Calydonian boar hunt in the epic tradition that was reworked by Homer. Meleager is also mentioned as o ...

Atalanta Atalanta (; ) is a heroine in Greek mythology. There are two versions of the huntress Atalanta: one from Arcadia (region), Arcadia, whose parents were Iasus and Clymene (mythology), Clymene and who is primarily known from the tales of the Caly ...

and the hunt for the Calydonian Boar. Following the death in 1728 of Henry Seymour Portman, Sherborne House was purchased by Francis Seymour, MP, and from 1799 it was owned by the Toogood family. On 25 July 1816, Sherborne House was purchased by Edward Digby, 2nd Earl Digby for £2,000. From 1824 until 1849, the house was occupied under lease by the banker Samuel Pretor. In 1850, the house was leased by the recently retired actor manager William Charles Macready, whose friend the Plymouth architect George Wightwick adapted the house for the family. In 1854, Macready's friend

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...

visited Sherborne and gave a reading from

A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. It recounts the ...

in aid of the Sherborne Literary and Scientific Institution, of which Macready was president. Macready left Sherborne in 1861 and the lease of Sherborne House was taken over by Robert Willmott, a silk throwster. Subsequent tenants were Major Andrew Cathcart Bogle VC of the 23rd Foot, General Sir Julius Richard Glyn KCB, Colonel Grant, Major D.S. Browne, and Colonel C. Kindersley Porcher. At the suggestion of school governor Littleton Charles Powys, in 1930 the Education Committee of Dorset County Council approved Lord Digby's School for Girls taking over the lease of Sherborne House. Lord Digby's School moved in to Sherborne House on 9 November 1931 and the School was formally opened on 18 February 1932 by Miss Lynda Grier, principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. In 1962, a film for HTV was made of

John Betjeman Sir John Betjeman, (; 28 August 190619 May 1984) was an English poet, writer, and broadcaster. He was Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death. He was a founding member of The Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architect ...

's visit to Sherborne and Lord Digby's School, entitled 'John Betjeman in the West County'. Lord Digby's School moved out of Sherborne House in 1992.

Recent events

In 2004, Sherborne House featured in the second series of the BBC TV series '' Restoration''. The council was also unsuccessful in obtaining a £3 million National Lottery grant that would have helped to repair the roof. By June 2006, Sherborne House was shrouded in scaffolding and the Thornhill-designed mural was beginning to show signs of water damage. Sherborne House was put up for sale the following year. In 2011, plans were announced to turn Sherborne House into a tourist attraction with an arts centre and restaurant. In 2012, International Fine Art Conservation Studios carried out restoration work on the Thornhill mural, which featured in the BBC TV series ''Restoring England’s Heritage'' (2013). In 2018, Sherborne House was purchased under the Sherborne House Trust, with the aim of 'restoring, preserving and maintaining Sherborne House, Sherborne, Dorset, including the Thornhill Mural, promoting and advancing the education of the public in the arts, including (a) promoting and providing facilities for participation in the arts, and (b) fostering and promoting the improvement and development of artistic knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the arts'. In May 2024, after a meticulous restoration programme, Sherborne House opened its doors a
The Sherborne
home to the nationally significant Thornhill Mural (painted by Sir James Thornhill, the renowned artist behind the dome at St Paul’s Cathedral), and a landmark new destination for the arts. Beyond the canvas and sculptures, it offers versatile spaces for events, private hire, and flexible working, a restaurant and bar championing a locally sourced British menu, and a carefully curated shop showcasing artisanal creators and makers. Freely open to all, The Sherborne ensures accessibility and inclusivity for all ages and backgrounds as an integral part of the local community.The Sherborne House Trust is an independent charitable trust (1179440). It relies on a dedicated team of volunteers, and all proceeds from the generous support of individuals, membership, hospitality, retail, and events support the arts programme and continued preservation of the historic house, gardens and Thornhill Mural.

References

{{Reflist Grade I listed houses in Dorset Country houses in Dorset Sherborne