Summary
In the 13th century, the entire city of Salisbury transitioned from its ancient hilltop to a floodplain situated two miles down the road along three rivers.
New Sarum, the name given to this new settlement, boasts an extraordinary Gothic cathedral featuring the tallest spire in the country, alongside one of the oldest operational clocks globally.
The Cathedral Close is lined with townhouses that date back to the 1200s, once serving as residences for Members of Parliament and Prime Ministers.
Salisbury is located in a region rich with Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Iron Age historical significance.
The surrounding countryside is dotted with burial mounds, and evidence of prehistoric fortifications can be found on almost every chalk down.
Stonehenge, a globally renowned prehistoric monument, lies under ten miles north of the city.
Let us investigate the most notable attractions in Salisbury:
1. Salisbury Cathedral
Upon first sight, Salisbury Cathedral leaves an indelible impression, particularly when its towering spire is enveloped in a low cloud or sparkling under the summer sun.
The spire, standing at 123 meters, was completed in 1549, maintaining its status as the tallest in the UK. Furthermore, Salisbury Cathedral holds records for the largest cloister in the nation, alongside its clock mechanism, which dates back to 1386 and may be the oldest extant mechanism in the world.
This clock lacks a face, as clocks from that era utilized bells to signify the time.
The cathedral’s construction spanned 38 years, concluding in 1258, characterized by an exceptionally consistent Early English Gothic architectural style.
The tower tour is highly recommended for those able to navigate the 332 stairs, granting visitors the opportunity to inspect the Medieval wooden scaffolding while enjoying astonishing vistas of Salisbury and the Wiltshire countryside.
2. Magna Carta Chapter House
In 2015, the most well-preserved copy of the Magna Carta was exhibited at Salisbury Cathedral’s Chapter House.
Originating from 1215, this document was a treaty negotiated between a faction of Rebel Barons and King John, ensuring their freedom from unlawful imprisonment, capping feudal dues payable to the crown, and safeguarding ecclesiastical rights.
The Magna Carta is said to be the foundational document of democracy, not just in England but also in the USA, due to its substantial influence on the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
The Salisbury copy is one of merely four originals remaining worldwide, appropriately housed within the atmospheric Chapter House from the 13th century.
This important document was transported to Old Sarum immediately following its signing at Runnymede, where it has remained ever since.
3. Cathedral Close
Covering 80 acres, Salisbury has the largest Cathedral Close in England, an extraordinary locale steeped in history, which also includes several attractions featured in this article.
Architectural styles within Cathedral Close range from the 1200s to the 1900s, all oriented towards the magnificent cathedral.
While we will address Arundells and Mompesson House later, visitors may wish to explore the Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum, which chronicles the history of these Regiments, from the Seven Years’ War to the recent conflicts in Afghanistan.
The building that houses Sarum College, a theological institution, was allegedly constructed by Sir Christopher Wren and dates back to 1677.
4. Old Sarum
As you traverse the earthworks of Old Sarum, located just a couple of miles north of Salisbury’s center, it is astonishing to consider that a thriving city once occupied this site until the 13th century.
Old Sarum is a chalk hilltop that was previously a Neolithic settlement followed by an Iron Age hill fort established around 400 BC. During Norman and Angevin periods, a Royal Castle topped the mound at the center, where remnants of Salisbury’s first Romanesque cathedral and courtyard houses can still be discerned.
Bring along a picnic, appreciate the lush Wiltshire landscape, and envision the tranquil meadows of Old Sarum bustling with Medieval activity.
5. Mompesson House
This townhouse, managed by the National Trust, is located within Cathedral Close and was constructed in the Queen Anne style at the onset of the 18th century.
It was built for Sir Thomas Mompesson, a Member of Parliament for the Salisbury constituency on three separate occasions.
Mompesson House features the same Chilmark limestone as that of Salisbury Cathedral.
Noteworthy elements include exquisite stuccowork adorning the walls and ceiling, a dignified oak staircase, and an abundance of period furnishings.
Visitors can admire the exquisite stumpwork (raised embroidery) in the Green Room, a collection of English porcelain, and the Turnbull Collection, which features drinking glasses crafted in the 1700s.
The walled garden boasts herbaceous borders and a lush central lawn, complete with a tearoom serving freshly baked cake slices.
6. Salisbury Museum
This remarkable museum stands out not only for its extensive local archaeological collection but also for the historical significance of its venue.
Housed within The King’s House, a magnificent building dating back to the 1200s, that was later enhanced with a 15th-century facade featuring three triangular gables and intricately designed mullioned windows.
King James I was a guest here on two occasions in the early 17th century. This area is profoundly rich in archaeological significance, ensuring that the galleries are packed with fascinating treasures.
Among these artifacts is the Wylye Hoard, a collection of Bronze Age jewelry unearthed in the village of Wylye, as well as the Wardour Hoard, comprising more than 100 copper alloy items from both the Bronze and Iron Age. The Amesbury Archer, a skeleton discovered a few miles away in Amesbury, was buried concurrently with the construction of Stonehenge and was interred with the oldest gold ornaments ever found in England.
7. St Thomas’ Church
The parish church of New Sarum was consecrated around 1220 and subsequently enlarged in the 1300s and 1400s, during which the tower was constructed.
Situated in the picturesque St Thomas’s Square, the churchyard is bordered on three sides by historical houses.
While within the church, visitors can gaze upward at the magnificent timber framing adorning the roof of the aisles. The Lady Chapel features wall paintings depicting the coats of arms of Salisbury’s Medieval guilds.
The most striking aspect of the church is the Doom painting located in the chancel arch, illustrating the Last Judgment, which dates back to the late 15th century.
8. Fisherton Mill
Operational for nearly 25 years, Fisherton Mill stands as the largest independent art gallery in Southern England.
The venue is a repurposed Victorian brick grain mill, established in 1880, featuring spacious exhibition areas alongside artists’ studios and a café.
The gallery showcases works by both local and national artists, including painters, sculptors, ceramicists, glassmakers, and jewellers, with frequent exhibitions ensuring new discoveries with every visit.
Fisherton Mill also serves as a marketplace for unique arts and crafts, with a gift shop offering items from more than 200 different artisans, while the café has received numerous accolades.
A dynamic program of workshops covers various skills such as interior design, knitting, needle felting, calligraphy, and glass design.
9. Arundells
This Grade II-listed residence was home to former Prime Minister Edward Heath from 1985 until his passing in 2005. Heath served in office from 1970-1974 and oversaw the UK’s entry into what is now the European Union.
Upon his death, Arundells and its contents were entrusted to a charitable foundation to transform it into a museum dedicated to his legacy.
During summer months, Arundells is open daily except Thursday and Friday, featuring a range of captivating exhibits.
Heath’s passions as a musician and yachtsman are reflected in an extensive collection of sailing memorabilia, a Steinway piano, alongside European and oriental ceramics, as well as artworks by Winston Churchill and Walter Sickert.
Arundells has its origins in a Medieval canonry and underwent redesign by John Wyndham in the 18th century.
It is enveloped in a two-acre walled garden that extends to the banks of the River Avon.
10. Harnham Water Meadows
The renowned landscape painter John Constable was captivated by Salisbury, and you can follow in his footsteps through the picturesque Harnham Water Meadows, situated between two branches of the River Nadder to the southwest of the city.
A two-mile circular trail begins at the cathedral, traversing a large irrigation system of floating water meadows, which were drained into a grid of channels in the 1600s.
Cattle continue to graze in these fields, and the view of the cathedral from the water meadows is frequently regarded as one of the most stunning in the nation.
Plan to arrive early in the day to witness the enchanting mist that often shrouds the meadows.
Constable depicted Salisbury Cathedral from this very location in 1831.
11. Stonehenge
Salisbury serves as the nearest city to Stonehenge, located less than ten miles to the north, accessible via coach tours for those without personal vehicles.
Arguably the most famous prehistoric monument worldwide, Stonehenge needs little introduction. This site consists of a circular arrangement of standing stones, each reaching up to four meters in height and believed to have been erected approximately 5,000 years ago.
It is theorized that the massive bluestone segments of the outer circle were quarried from the Preseli Hills and subsequently transported 160 miles to this location.
A visitor center, which opened in 2013, features a life-size recreation of a 5,500-year-old man derived from skeletal remains, alongside more than 250 Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Iron Age artifacts.
12. Wilton House
The town of Wilton is essentially a western suburb of Salisbury, positioned just three miles from the city center.
A compelling reason to visit Wilton is Wilton House, the ancestral home of the 18th Earl of Pembroke.
This magnificent estate originated as an abbey, later transformed into a stately home following its suppression during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century.
The remnants of the Tudor residence are still visible in the central tower on the eastern facade, while much of the structure exhibits Palladian architecture designed by the esteemed Inigo Jones in the 17th century, with Gothic Revival elements added by James Wyatt in the early 1800s.
The Double Cube Room is acknowledged as one of the most exquisite staterooms of its era, specifically designed to display portraits of the Earl of Pembroke and his family, painted by Anthony van Dyck.
Additionally, visitors can view works by Rembrandt as well as pieces by the Brueghel brothers located in the Great Anteroom and the Upper Cloisters.
13. Church of St Mary and St Nicholas
Despite its small town population of merely 3,400, Wilton boasts an impressive parish church, which is a splendid Grade I-listed structure that may not be as ancient as it appears.
The Church of St Mary and St Nicholas was constructed in the early 1840s in a Romanesque Revival style, inspired by a Lombardy basilica.
Noteworthy features include a separate campanile standing over 30 meters tall.
What sets this building apart is the integration of many fittings that are considerably older.
The central apse window showcases French stained glass from the 12th and 13th centuries, while the south end of the side aisle features marble columns sourced from the Temple of Venus at Porto Venere, which date back to the 2nd century BC. Additionally, there are historic ledger stones and memorials that have been relocated here from the former Parish Church of St Mary, demolished in the 19th century.
14. Longford Castle
Located a mile or two down the River Avon lies a splendid Elizabethan Prodigy House, constructed on a triangular footprint over several decades at the end of the 16th century.
Construction faced interruptions due to escalating costs caused by challenging subsoil; however, work resumed in the 1580s when the owner, Sir Thomas Gorges, led Queen Elizabeth I to gold from a shipwreck of the Spanish Armada.
The house is privately owned and typically opens its doors for just 28 days a year, with those dates reserved months in advance.
Longford Castle houses an astounding art collection featuring works by Frans Hals, van Dyck, Thomas Gainsborough, and David Teniers.
Visitors will also encounter Brussels tapestries, along with an array of European and British furniture from the 1700s, and a significant collection of oriental porcelain.
15. Boscombe Down Aviation Collection
Situated within a hangar at the Old Sarum airfield, located less than three miles from Salisbury’s center, this museum was relocated from the MOD facility at Boscombe Down in 2012. The exhibition features cockpits, nose sections, and complete aircraft from the jet age that followed the Second World War.
Visitors can examine a complete Hunter F6A, Sea Harrier, Jet Provost T4, Wasp HAS1, and Meteor MK D16, as well as various cockpits including those of a Hunter F6, a Swift Supermarine, a Hawker Sea Hawk, and a Canberra T4, among others.
The collection also displays numerous engines and munitions, such as a Sidewinder missile and the now-retired JP233 and cluster bomb.
