A rare polychrome 15th century sculpture with a chequered history on display.

The sculpture known as the Mass of St Gregory was carved and painted in about 1470 and stood either in Shaftesbury Abbey or St Peter’s Church nearby. St Peter’s Church had a chantry dedicated to St Gregory, whose works were translated by King Alfred the Great, the founder of Shaftesbury Abbey. 

This unique sculpture is the most significant object in the Shaftesbury Abbey collections, for its depiction of a rare subject, its paint survival, and as witness to the political and religious turmoil of the 16th century.

 

The statue was destroyed during the Dissolution in the mid-16th century and then hidden behind a false wall in St Peter’s Church, where it remained for over 400 years.

It was only discovered by chance in 1977 when St Peter’s Church was being renovated. Despite the statue having been broken into over 150 pieces, its location behind a wall had preserved the paintwork to a very unusual degree. The statue pieces were initially sent to Dorset County Museum and remained there till 2003 when most were returned to the new Abbey Museum.

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In March 2024 we were delighted to receive £22,000 of funding from Arts Council England, and further funding from Shaftesbury Charitable Trust and Musems Development SW to enable the necessary conservation work to be completed.​

Many in Shaftesbury and beyond have supported the restoration

and we are so pleased to be able to share the results with all our visitors

both to the museum and on-line. New interpretation boards and

our partnership with Bournemouth University IT department

ensure that the statue’s story will be enjoyed and appreciated by all.