I had heard of Sherborne, of course. Sherborne School used to feature in netball tournaments when I was a kid. But that was about all I knew. Sherborne. Somewhere down South and left a bit. It has a school – presumably a girls’ school – and they are (or used to be) quite good at netball.

But when foreigners ask me, where in Britain is unmissable? I trot out the standard list: London, Oxford, Stratford, Cambridge, York, Edinburgh. But Sherborne? You wouldn’t think of it would you? Even the Lonely Planet Guide gives only a cursory nod to its charms– it’s an appealing country town they say. That is unfair. Sherborne is quite simply stunning. Perhaps the most beautiful small town in England.

First there is Sherborne Abbey. A Must See Building in its own right. Hijacked by Henry VIII it was saved from the fate that awaited so many medieval gems, such as Reading Abbey- now a ruin huddling under the walls of Reading Prison – by The People, who amazingly clubbed together and bought it back from the demolishing monarch to use as their parish church. Sherborne Abbey is the most perfect example of a medieval church – a little smaller than a cathedral (but not much) and sitting in the a charming close , with a green in front of it. And a good selection of pubs round about.

Then there is the charming high street. Delightful individual shops in old higgledy piggledy buildings – not a department store in sight – all selling Nice Things. I might add, neither is there a price tag in sight. I’m always suspicious of shops that don’t put their prices in the window. I may be wrong. The stuff in Sherborne’s shops may be as cheap as chips. On the other hand, it might not be.

For castles, Sherborne could be accused of being a little greedy. It has not one, but two. The Old Castle, run by English Heritage, occupies a commanding position above the town overlooking the surrounding countryside and the pleasant lake (Yes, Sherborne has a lake as well). Moody, atmospheric, with crumbling towers, defensive walls around a deep moat, it did not survive as well as the Abbey having got right up the snout of another megalomaniac – Cromwell. Cromwell really didn’t like Sherborne and declared the castle to be “malicious and mischievous, like its owner” (the Earl of Bristol).

The New Castle, in contrast is an elegant stately home, in landscaped grounds, (with the lake) and with carefully designed vistas to take in the Old Castle. Many wealthy individuals in building their family pile built follies in the grounds, for effect and for somewhere for the ladies to walk to. Sherborne Castle didn’t need a folly – it had a real ruin in the Old Castle - and took full advantage of its atmospheric position.

Sherborne Lake, apart from being dead pretty, also has another claim to fame, being the focus of the world famous Iron Man Triathlon. The event consists of a 2.4 mile swim across the lake, followed by a 112 mile cycle race, followed by a marathon. The full route goes from Sherborne to Dorchester and back to Sherborne, and the top competitors can do it in around 9 hrs.

Sherborne can be “done” easily in a day, although you could comfortably while away two days, exploring the town, pottering in the shops and admiring the views. Plop in the middle of Dorset, it’s an ideal base for exploring Hardy Country, or going down to the south coast.