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ABBEY CHURCH OF ST MARY ST SIMON AND ST BRANWALADER

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Abbey church enlarged or rebuilt in Norman times, but almost totally destroyed in a fire of 1309. The present Abbey Church was started in 1322. It was restored in 1789 and 1865. It is in use as a chapel for Milton Abbey School. Listed. Part of a rounded 10th century cross-shaft are in the South transept.

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(ST 79820228) Abbey Church (NR)(1)

The original Minister dedicated to St Mary, St Sampson and
St Branwalader, was founded by King Athelston in 933. Of this
building a solitary fragment lies in the N Transept. The Church was
enlarged if not rebuilt in Norman times, but almost totally destroyed
in a fire of 1309. The present Abbey Church was started in 1322
and building continued up to within a few years of the Dissolution
in 1539. The Lady Chapel was destroyed after the dissolution, and
in 1789 church restoration of sorts despoiled it of many of its
fittings, chantry chapels etc (2). The Abbey Church stands to the
south of the site of the Abbey. It is T-shaped and consists of a
chancel, a N and S aisle, a transept and square tower, but has
no nave.

The nave, which was burnt down in 1309 seems never to have been
rebuilt, but it possibly extended from the W end of the church to
the extremity of the churchyard. (Full architectural details of
interior of church) (3).

The Abbey Church comes under the Diocese of Salisbury, and the
upkeep falls upon that Diocese. The building is however used as a
chapel for Milton Abbey School, and not used as a parish church (a).
The building is in a good state of preservation, and correctly
portrayed on the OS 1/2500, 1901. (4)

Abbey Church of St Mary, St Sampson and St Branwalader. Grade I. (5,6)
(See ST 70 SE 47 for illus and additional bibliography)

Part of a 10th century cross shaft are in the South transept. The interlace type does not conform to any geometric form, and may be compared with Whitcombe. (7)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1902

( 2) General reference

Pentin H. 1904. Milton Abbey and its School, 5-11

( 3) General reference

Hutchins 1774. History of Dorset 4. (3rd Ed 1870) 399-406

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 NVQ 27-AUG-55

( 4a) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 5) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

North Dorset District, Oct-1985 Page(s)56

( 6) by John Newman and Nikolaus Pevsner 1972 Dorset

The Buildings of England

( 7) English Heritage Register of parks and gardens of special historic interest in England

Dorset Part 12

(7) Rosemary Cramp 2006 Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture: Vol VII. South-West England

Page(s)107-8

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MILTON ABBEY
MILTON ABBAS

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Secular college founded in 933, refounded as a Benedictine abbey in 964, dissolved in 1539. Almost all the conventual buildings have been destroyed, a...

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