Even today, Dorchester-on-Thames is just a small village, and unprepared visitors still marvel that it should be the site of such a grand abbey.
Warwick Rodwell’s book Dorchester Abbey (Oxbow, £38) is a scholarly work inspired by repair and conservation work eight years ago.
The work involved scaffolding the entire building, making it possible to take a close look at architectural features. Digging needed for a new heating system also provided the chance for archaeological excavation. He has also uncovered early plans of the abbey in the British Library and the Bodleian and assessed his new information in the light of previous knowledge. The book is divided into two parts: an account of the archaeology of the site and the architectural development of the abbey; then detailed notes and observations on the present structure, its fittings and furnishings.
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