City Guide
This page contains pictures and information about various popular attractions and features of the City and surrounding area. For more information see Salisbury Tourist Information.
Old Sarum
This is a massive site (56 acres), nearly a mile in circumference and surrounded by a defensive ditch which was originally an Iron Age hillfort. The settlement became increasingly important until by the 12th century it had become a thriving medieval city called Vetus Saresberie.
During the Roman occupation many Roman roads met at the fortress, the Saxons added a royal mint, and a royal castle was built by the Normans.
The first cathedral was built here between 1075 and 1092, but it was struck by lightning and badly damaged a few days after completion.
A second cathedral was built by about 1130. However, the bleak, windswept location and the frequent squabbles between the clergy and the garrison prompted Bishop Poore to ask the Pope for permission to move the Cathedral. The Pope agreed and work began on the new Cathedral in 1219.
A new city began to grow around Bishop Poore's cathedral and by 1255 the abandonment had resulted in the castle guard lapsing, (although the jail continued in use until 1450). The last remnants of the city were finally demolished in 1514 when Thomas Compton was granted permission by Henry VIII to remove the last stones from the site.
Salisbury Cathedral
The Spire is the most notable feature of Salisbury Cathedral as it rises to a height of 404 feet above the surrounding city. It can be seen for miles around and is the highest church spire in the United Kingdom (and the highest medieval gothic spire in the world).
Building of the Cathedral began on 1st November (All Saints' Day) 1219 following the decision of the clergy to relocate from the existing site at Old Sarum. Where the site of the old cathedral had been plagued by squabbles with the military and shortages of water, the new site was distant enough from the castle to be free from bickering and blessed with near limitless supplies of fresh water.
The Cathedral itself stands within it's own fortified walls, built from the stones of the old cathedral at Old Sarum. The walls enclose a living museum of some of the finest houses and scholastic buildings in England. All of these go to form the largest Cathedral Close in the country.
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is located approximately 5 miles from Salisbury, and stands impressively as a prehistoric monument of unique importance, a World Heritage Site, surrounded by remains of ceremonial and domestic structures - some older than the monument itself. Many of these features - earthworks, burial mounds and other circular 'henge' monuments - are accessible by road or public footpath. Stonehenge's orientation on the rising and setting sun has always been one of its remarkable features. Whether this was simply because the builders came from a sun-worshipping culture, or because - as some scholars believe - the circle and its banks were part of a huge astrological calendar, remains a mystery.
Wilton House
Home of the 17th Earl of Pembroke, Wilton House provides a fascinating and relaxing day out. The Visitor Centre with its award winning film, Victorian Laundry and Tudor Kitchen allows visitors to step back in time and will guide them through centuries of history and the colourful lives of some of the house's inhabitants. Marvel at Inigo Jones' magnificent State Rooms, including the Double Cube Room and admire the famous art collection. Wilton House is set in 21 acres of magnificent landscaped parkland, bordered by the River Nadder which is the setting for the majestic Palladian Bridge.