| The original
city of Salisbury - Old Sarum -
was situated on an old Iron age hillfort to the north of the
present city. A cathedral and castle were built on the
hilltop following the Norman Conquest in 1066. Relations
between the castle authorities and the clergy were uneasy
and by 1200, the Bishop made the decision to move.
It took another 20 years to
obtain permission from both the King and the Pope to allow a
new cathedral to be built. Legend has it that the site was chosen by where an arrow fired from
Old Sarum landed in the meadows below - a distance of some 1
¾ miles!
Work on
the new building started in 1220 and it was
consecrated in 1258. In the early 1300's a spire was
added which at 404 feet high is the tallest in
England. What we have today is one of the finest
examples of an Early English Gothic medieval
cathedral which is largely unchanged except for some
'improvements' made as style and taste changed.
Salisbury Cathedral is surrounded by the Close and
both are set in the picturesque Harnham water
meadows. The whole idyllic setting has inspired
artists, most notably, John Constable to paint the
scene which can now be seen in the National Gallery
in London. The gates to the Close are still locked
every night. The Close has many fine buildings
originally built by the Canons of the cathedral, but
now occupied by religious and educational bodies,
museums, and some private residences. |
Salisbury Cathedral from the Close.
|
Inside you'll be able to see one of the four remaining copies of the Magna Carta sealed by King John in 1215,and the oldest working
mechanical clock in the world. The light airy space inside
remains one of the most magnificent sights to be found in
any cathedral.
A Tower Tour available which
will show you how the cathedral was built. It is extremely
popular and numbers are strictly limited. Early booking is
essential. Please see below.
Tours of the Close are also
available.
For further details please
Contact Us.
SALISBURY CATHEDRAL
OPENING TIMES 2011
Salisbury Cathedral opens
daily throughout the year from 9am to 5pm
(Sundays 12 noon to 4pm) for visiting. It is a very busy cathedral with many
services especially on Sundays, at Easter and at Christmas
and access to some parts will be restricted. It is a great
place to visit before or after a trip to
Stonehenge.
CHAPTER HOUSE OPENING
TIMES
The Chapter House, contains
the best preserved of the four copies of the Magna Carta
still in existence. It opens at 9.30 am to 4.30 pm (Sundays 12.45pm to 4pm).
There is a restaurant and
shop available.
***********
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED **********
TOWER
TOUR
You can take a
trip up the tower to the base of the
spire. It takes about 1 1/2 hours and you will see how this
magnificent Cathedral was built. There are fine views over
Salisbury and up towards Old Sarum. The tour
runs daily, but times vary throughout the year and occassionally may not run because of events. For further details see Salisbury Cathedral's Tower Tour page.
For further
details and to make a booking, telephone
01722 555156. The tour costs
£8.50 including the entrance donation to the rest of the Cathedral.
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