Old
Sarum - A Site Older Than Salisbury Town Itself...
Old
Sarum, is about two miles north of
Salisbury itself but is easily accessible by bus or car. It’s
a ruin of the
settlement that William The Conqueror had built many centuries ago
– you’ll
catch a glimpse of the remains of the Norman fortifications, the
foundations of
the old Cathedral. Interestingly, Old Sarum is believed to have had
settlements
as long ago as 300BC where a hill fort was founded there are was the
centre of
trade and life (this was the ancient root of Salisbury).
You’ll
also enjoy wonderful views of
Salisbury and the surrounding countryside from here, which alone is
worth the
trip. If you plan on visiting Stonehenge too, you can get a discounted
deal for
Old Sarum from the Salisbury tourist information centre.
Old
Sarum is reached via an entryway
between two banks thought to date back to the iron age –
during the rule of
the Normans the old motte and bailey castle were constructed. In 1092
the first
(original) cathedral was built on the Old Sarum site, but unfortunately
burned
down within a week of being finished. It wasn’t until 1219
that Bishop Richard
Poore decided to build a new Cathedral – which we now know as
Salisbury
Cathedral.
Old
Sarum is even older and more
historic than Salisbury Cathedral and the town – even though
you can only see
a few remains of the structures that once stood upon Old Sarum, the
site is
still a must-see on your visit to Salisbury.
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