Salisbury is on the tourist radar as it is close to Stonehenge and runs a daily bus trip there. That is probably all most visitors see of Salisbury, although a few may get as far as the Cathedral, one of the best Early English Cathedrals in the country and with the tallest spire and a copy of Magna Carta. This is doing Salisbury a disservice as it is an attractive and prosperous market town with as good shopping area and plenty of old buildings. It repays a visit in its own right.
At confluence rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne on edge Salisbury Plain, the original settlement was Old Sarum, site of an iron age hill fort, built on a hill to the north of Salisbury.
By the early C13th Old Sarum was considered was cramped and squalid. There was a power struggle between church and castle, resulting in Richard Poore, then Bishop of Salisbury petitioned the pope to be allowed to build a new Cathedral (#2) outside the town, in his old parish of St Martin. Building began on water meadows to the south of Old Sarum in 1221 and took less than 50 years to complete. A settlement grew up round the cathedral, with workers moved there, leaving Old Sarum abandoned.
There has been a church at St Martin’s since the C11th, although the present building dates from the C13th with later additions. It is about half a mile east of the cathedral. Although part of the Church of England, it follows the Ango-Catholic tradition as it does not accept the ordination of women.
Bishop Poole built a small wooden church, dedicated to St Thomas, just north of the cathedral site for use by men working on the new cathedral. This was replaced by a small stone church, which became the parish church for the town. As the town grew, so did the church and most of the present building is C15th. It has one of the finest and best preserved Doom Paintings above the chancel arch.
The Haunch of Venison on Minster Street was used to house workmen on the Cathedral spire in the C14th.
The College of Matrons on Chorister’s Square was built in the late C17th as almshouses for the widows of the clergy. To be eligible, they had to be at least 50 and have an annual income of less than £10. The inscription above the door translates as “Seth, Bishop of Salisbury, most humbly dedicated this College of Matrons to God, most good, most great, in the year of our Lord 1682”. Above is the coat of arms of Charles II, flanked drapes holding fruit. It still part of the Salisbury City Almhouses and Werlfare Charities.
New Sarum, later to be known as Salisbury was given city status and by the C14th was the largest settlement in Wiltshire. Parliament met her three times during the century. It became an important staging point for stage coaches and still has several old coaching inns.
It still retains many old buildings of different ages.
The city centre with its medieval grid street pattern is compact and easily walkable. It is still a thriving shopping centre with many family owned shops as well as the national chains.
The Poultry Cross on is the only one of the four market crosses to survive. An open air market is still held round here twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Tourist Information is on Fish Street. As well as information about things to do and see in Salisbury, it also sells theatre tickets for the Salisbury Playhouse and Salisbury Arts Centre and also for bus tours to Stonehenge
Salisbury City Guides offer a variety of walking tours.
As well as the Cathedral there are many other places to visit in Salisbury, many of them in the Cathedral Close. Mompesson House is a C18th house with a walled garden behind.
Arundals, also in the Close, was the home of former Prime Minister, Edward Heath and remains as it was left after his death.
The Salisbury Museum in the Cathedral Close and has a remarkable collection of prehistoric artefacts from Salisbury Plain and Old Sarum. Next to it is the flint built Medieval Hall, dating from the C13th and was the Great Hall for the Salisbury Deanery. It is now used for a variety of events.
The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum is in the Medieval Canonry, although after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, this building was used as a storehouse, hence its name, The Wardrobe.
Website
Leaflet with information about walks around Salisbury.
Cont....
At confluence rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne on edge Salisbury Plain, the original settlement was Old Sarum, site of an iron age hill fort, built on a hill to the north of Salisbury.
By the early C13th Old Sarum was considered was cramped and squalid. There was a power struggle between church and castle, resulting in Richard Poore, then Bishop of Salisbury petitioned the pope to be allowed to build a new Cathedral (#2) outside the town, in his old parish of St Martin. Building began on water meadows to the south of Old Sarum in 1221 and took less than 50 years to complete. A settlement grew up round the cathedral, with workers moved there, leaving Old Sarum abandoned.
There has been a church at St Martin’s since the C11th, although the present building dates from the C13th with later additions. It is about half a mile east of the cathedral. Although part of the Church of England, it follows the Ango-Catholic tradition as it does not accept the ordination of women.
Bishop Poole built a small wooden church, dedicated to St Thomas, just north of the cathedral site for use by men working on the new cathedral. This was replaced by a small stone church, which became the parish church for the town. As the town grew, so did the church and most of the present building is C15th. It has one of the finest and best preserved Doom Paintings above the chancel arch.
The Haunch of Venison on Minster Street was used to house workmen on the Cathedral spire in the C14th.
The College of Matrons on Chorister’s Square was built in the late C17th as almshouses for the widows of the clergy. To be eligible, they had to be at least 50 and have an annual income of less than £10. The inscription above the door translates as “Seth, Bishop of Salisbury, most humbly dedicated this College of Matrons to God, most good, most great, in the year of our Lord 1682”. Above is the coat of arms of Charles II, flanked drapes holding fruit. It still part of the Salisbury City Almhouses and Werlfare Charities.
New Sarum, later to be known as Salisbury was given city status and by the C14th was the largest settlement in Wiltshire. Parliament met her three times during the century. It became an important staging point for stage coaches and still has several old coaching inns.
It still retains many old buildings of different ages.
The city centre with its medieval grid street pattern is compact and easily walkable. It is still a thriving shopping centre with many family owned shops as well as the national chains.
The Poultry Cross on is the only one of the four market crosses to survive. An open air market is still held round here twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Tourist Information is on Fish Street. As well as information about things to do and see in Salisbury, it also sells theatre tickets for the Salisbury Playhouse and Salisbury Arts Centre and also for bus tours to Stonehenge
Salisbury City Guides offer a variety of walking tours.
As well as the Cathedral there are many other places to visit in Salisbury, many of them in the Cathedral Close. Mompesson House is a C18th house with a walled garden behind.
Arundals, also in the Close, was the home of former Prime Minister, Edward Heath and remains as it was left after his death.
The Salisbury Museum in the Cathedral Close and has a remarkable collection of prehistoric artefacts from Salisbury Plain and Old Sarum. Next to it is the flint built Medieval Hall, dating from the C13th and was the Great Hall for the Salisbury Deanery. It is now used for a variety of events.
The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum is in the Medieval Canonry, although after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, this building was used as a storehouse, hence its name, The Wardrobe.
Website
Leaflet with information about walks around Salisbury.
Cont....
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