Salisbury Cathedral 
Salisbury Cathedral exterior. Photo by Andrew Dunn.
See 168 more photos in our Salisbury Cathedral Photo Gallery.
View down the nave from the gallery in the west end.
East window and candles on the altar.
Interactive satellite map of Salisbury Cathedral. For a larger view,
see our Salisbury Map or Google Earth download.
Salisbury Cathedral (full name: Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Salisbury) is an Anglican cathedral located in Salisbury, England, 90 miles southwest of London. It is the mother church of the Salisbury Diocese, which includes the churches of most of Wiltshire and Dorset counties. The cathedral, its cloisters, and its famous tall spire welcome more than 500,000 visitors each year.
History
Construction of the cathedral commenced when the bishopric was moved here from Old Sarum in 1220 during the tenure of Richard Poore. By 1258 the nave, transepts and choir were complete. The magnificent west front was ready by 1265.
The only significant parts of the cathedral still missing were the tower and spire, which dominated the skyline from 1320. At 404 feet (123 meters), Salisbury Cathedral's spire is the tallest in England.
The spire, while the cathedral's crowning glory, also proved to be its most troublesome feature. Together with the tower, it added 6,500 tons to the weight of the building.
But for the addition of buttresses, bracing arches and iron ties over the succeeding centuries, it might well have suffered the fate of spires on other great ecclesiastical buildings and fallen down. To this day the large supporting pillars at the corners of the spire can be seen to bend inwards under the strain.
Significant (and very controversial) changes to the cathedral were made by the architect James Wyatt in 1790, including replacement of the original choir screen and demolition of the bell tower which stood about 100 meters northwest of the main building.
The cathedral is the subject of a famous paintings by John Constable. The view depicted in the paintings has changed very little in almost two centuries.
What to See
One of the best things to do at Salisbury Cathedral is to climb the 332 steps of the spire, which is rewarded with an excellent view of Salisbury and the surrounding countryside.
In addition to its architecture and spire, Salisbury Cathedral offers a number of interesting attractions. Most notable among these is the best preserved of only four surviving original Magna Cartas (1215 AD).
Salisbury also boasts Europe's oldest working clock (1386 AD), Britain's largest cathedral cloisters, and an interesting 13th century stone frieze depicting Bible stories (in the Chapter House).
Getting There
There are frequent train services to Salisbury from London, Bath and the West Counties. The closest train station to the cathedral is Salisbury Station. Buses stop at the Salisbury Bus Station regularly as well.
The cathedral is located on the north side of Salisbury's city center. Once in the city, follow the plentiful signs to the cathedral or look for the spire. (Or get your bearings in advance with our Salisbury Map.) The closest parking lots are Old George Mall or Crane Street.
Salisbury is close to Stonehenge, so many individual travelers and tour groups combine the two stops. Bath and Windsor are also not far from Salisbury. Many of the major London tour bus companies offer tour packages to Salisbury and surrounding areas.
Quick Facts
| Location: | Salisbury, Wiltshire, England |
| Contact: | See official website. |
| Hours: | The Cathedral is open every day of the year, usually 7:15am - 6:15pm. The Chapter House, Shop and Restaurant are open every day except Christmas Day. |
| Cost: | Admission to the cathedral is free as are the guided tours provided in several languages, but a voluntary donation of about £4 is strongly encouraged. |
| Photos: | Photography and videography is allowed throughout the cathedral, but not in the Chapter House or during services. |
| Tower tour: | The guided tour of the tower, which lasts about an hour and a half, costs £4 for adults, £3 for children and seniors. The tour is limited to 12 people at a time. |
| Accessibility: | All areas of the cathedral except the tower are wheelchair accessible. |
Sources
- Personal visit (August 2006).
- Wikipedia
- Salisbury Cathedral Official Website
More Information
- Salisbury Cathedral Official Website - Includes a very nice photo gallery and floor plan.
- Salisbury Cathedral - Great Buildings Online. Provides stats, images, and architectural information.
- A.F. Smethurst, Salisbury Cathedral.
- R. O. C. Spring, Salisbury Cathedral (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology).
- David Burnett, Salisbury: The History of an English Cathedral City.
- Peter Brimacombe, A Tale of Two Cathedrals: Old Sarum - New Salisbury.
- Salisbury Cathedral (Pitkin Guides).
- Sydney Evans, Salisbury Cathedral: A Reflective Guide.
- Schuyler Van Rensselaer, English Cathedrals: Canterbury, Peterborough, Durham, Salisbury, Lichfield, Lincoln, Ely, Wells, Winchester, Gloucester, York, London.
- Frommer's England 2005.
- Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Guides).
- Rick Steves' Great Britain 2005.
- Lonely Planet Britain.
- Frommer's Best Day Trips from London: 25 Great Escapes by Train, Bus, or Car.
