Perhaps the most interesting item in the great church is the doorway on the north side of the west wall, which is said to be an actual portion of the ancient Saxon cathedral of St. Aldhelm.  The extension of the Abbey westwards of this wall was known as Alhalowes and was the town church until the break-up of the monastery rendered it superfluous.  It had a tower of its own in which the secular priests caused a bell to be rung during the devotions of the monks, to the great annoyance of the latter.  The Chapel of Our Lady of Bow and the portion of the Lady Chapel itself that escaped demolition at the Dissolution was at that time separated from the Abbey and made part of the adjoining school buildings.  The great tower is one hundred feet in height and holds a peal of eight bells with two extra—­the sanctus and the fire-bell.  The latter is inscribed: 

  LORD, QUENCH THIS FURIOUS FLAME
  ARISE, RUN.  HELP.  PUT OUT THE SAME.

The tenor bell was given by Cardinal Wolsey, once rector of Limington, eight miles away in Somersetshire, and recast in 1670.  Around the rim runs the following: 

  BY WOOLSEY’S GIFT, I MEASURE TIME FOR ALL,
  TO MIRTH, TO GRIEF, TO CHURCH, I SERVE TO CALL.

The school referred to above is believed to date back to the year 705, that of the foundation of the Cathedral.  Those portions of the monastery buildings that had fallen into private ownership were handed over to the school authorities in the middle of the last century.  They comprise the Abbot’s Hall, Guest Hall, Kitchen and Abbot’s apartments.  The Abbey Conduit at the end of Chepe Street dates back to 1360.  It is a charming survival with groined stone roof and open arcade around, and it gives a very picturesque and special character to this end of the street.

The Hospital of SS.  John Baptist and John Evangelist was founded on the site of a much older establishment by Henry VI in 1437.  The modern buildings were erected in 1866.  The Chapel, Governor’s Room, and some of the ancient dormitories remain.  A fine screen divides the chapel from the ante-chapel and some beautiful and ancient glass still exists in the south window.  A tryptych, depicting the miracles, that once stood in the chapel, may be seen in the Governor’s Room.

[Illustration:  SHERBORNE CASTLE.]

During the Civil War Sherborne decided for the king, and consequently the old castle, which stood beyond the suburb of Castleton, was dismantled, and its ruins used for building the present castle, the home of the Digbys.  The original building was erected by Roger of Caen and had seen some history from the time of its siege in 1139 by King Stephen.  It became for a short period the home of Sir Walter Raleigh.  In the fine park the infant Yeo is dammed and broadened into a graceful sheet of water.  Here also is the eminence known as Jerusalem Hill and the seat where Raleigh is said to have sat smoking to be discovered by a scared retainer, who threw a pot of ale over his master, thinking him on fire.  Pope was for a time the guest of one of his patrons—­Lord Digby; and the Prince of Orange stayed here on his progress from Devon to London.  The Gate-house of the old Castle is a picturesque ruin, Norman in style with inserted Perpendicular windows.