I think my favourite spot, or at least a place I would like
to go back to, was Old Sarum. I have been over to England
about a dozen times and had always heard about the hillforts
but have never been to where one had been located. Quite a
view!
JJ, Toronto, Ontario |
High above
Salisbury lies Old Sarum the site of the original town.
Originally an Iron Age hill fort which was then occupied in
succession by the Romans, Saxons, and the Normans before
being abandoned in favour of New Sarum, or as we know it
today Salisbury. It is a
highpoint in the local landscape and was probably used as a
sighting point by the Romans as at least five of their roads
converge on it.
Following the Norman invasion
in 1066 the hill was further fortified with the creation of
a motte (mound) with a deep ditch and the building of a
castle upon it. The castle must have been almost impregnable
to a large-scale invasion and the strategic importance of
the site continued. Bishop Osmund, later St Osmund, built a
cathedral in the bailey which was completed in 1092. With
its already prominent position, both the castle and the
cathedral must have been an awe inspiring sight visible from
many miles away.
When Bishop Poore and the
clergy started to relocate the
cathedral in 1220 the
rest of the town soon followed. By the mid 1500's there was
not one house left standing as most of the building
materials had been taken away for use in Salisbury. There
are many examples of carved and decorated stone from the
original cathedral to be seen in the wall of the Close which
surrounds Salisbury Cathedral.
There is a fascinating
history to this now deserted town. There are the remains of
some of the stonework from the castle and the outline of the
old cathedral can still be clearly seen. The ditches remain
a splendid sight as are the fine views of Salisbury and its
cathedral in the meadows below.
We can provide a tour of the
site which will take about 2 hours. Why not visit both Old
Sarum and New Sarum to make a full day visit?
For further information
please Contact Us.
 
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