One of the main tourist attractions in Salisbury, second only to the mystical Stonehenge, is the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The beautiful church with history dating back to the 13th century attracts numerous tourists each year, and it’s no surprise considering its importance and beauty.
This article will tell you about the fascinating history of the magnificent Salisbury cathedral in order for you to know everything about it when you visit it yourself.
Why and When was the Cathedral Built
There was not only a religious, but also a political reason for building the now famous church. The main place of worship for the people of Salisbury was the Old Serum – a cathedral outside the town, which unfortunately didn’t survive to present day. The Old Serum was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 as part of the fortress bearing the same name.
The 13th-century bishop of Salisbury, Richard Poore, had a dispute with the military garrison at the Old Serum fortress, which is why he asked King Henry III for permission to move his seat to another cathedral.
Permission was soon granted and the building of the Salisbury cathedral began on 28th April 1220 when William Longespee (Longsword), 3rd Earl of Salisbury and his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, laid the foundation stones. Longespee was the illegitimate son of King Henry II and was highly regarded by his royal half-brothers and the English people.
The grounds for the new church were provided by Richard Poore himself. The construction of the cathedral was paid for by private donations, most of which came from the clergy of southeast England. The earl and countess of Salisbury also contributed with donations, and were later buried in the cathedral.
Building the Salisbury Cathedral
The Salisbury cathedral was named Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and it took 38 years to complete (1220-1258), which is a very short period of time considering the construction schedules of similar buildings from that era. This short period made the Salisbury cathedral the only church in England to be only built in one style that is the Early English Gothic style.
Surprisingly, despite this tight schedule, there weren’t any significant problems with the construction. The only issue back then was that the foundations which were laid at merely 4 feet (1.2 m) due to the high water table of the site. This, however, didn’t prove to be very problematic as the church still stands strong.
Elias de Derham was chosen to be the architect and his original plans were mostly abided to. As per Christian canon, the cathedral was built from east to west. The nave, transepts and choir were built first and the church was consecrated in 1258. The church, however, looked different back then and other sections such as the cloisters (added in 1240), the chapter house (1263), the tower and the famous spire (both 1320).
The spire proved to be a difficult addition due to its weight (6,400 tons), which could have easily destroyed the church, had it not been for the buttresses, arches, and anchor irons added later. The supporting pillars are visibly bent and the spire is not straight, but it still stands as the highest church spire in the UK and the tallest medieval structure in the world at 404 feet (123 m).
Apart from the building itself, statues of saints, along with notable people such as Richard Poore and Longsword, were placed in the cathedral. Unfortunately, only 10 of the original statues stand today. There have been a few restorations to the church, most infamously that of James Wyatt in 1790. He removed the bell tower, along with a collection of stained glasses and replaced the original rood screen. Wyatt wanted to modernise the cathedral, but in doing so, he disrupted the otherwise singular aesthetic of it.
Did You Know That
Did you know that…
- Salisbury Cathedral has no church bells, so it uses Europe’s oldest working clock (dating back to 1386) for that purpose.
- Salisbury Cathedral holds one of the four surviving copies of Magna Carta (1215) – the document which was the first step in the British movement of civil liberties for all.
- A man tried to steal the copy of Magna Carta in 2018, but fortunately failed.
- Salisbury Cathedral, Old Serum, and Stonehenge are aligned on a ley line. Coincidence?
- The choir stalls in the cathedral are the oldest ones in the country. King Henry III donated the timber used to make them.
- Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary holds precious literature and documents in its famous library. You can only visit it if you have an appointment.
- The daily upkeep of the cathedral is £14,000!
Visiting the Salisbury Cathedral
There are now restrictions as to how many people can visit the Salisbury Cathedral at a time due to the covid-19 pandemic. You must book a spot in advance through the official website, which gets you a 12-month ticket. Once there, you can enjoy one of their free tours throughout the week. The free tours don’t require a booking appointment, but we suggest going there early to guarantee you a spot. You might also be interested in booking their Tower Tour, which allows you and up to 5 friends to climb up the famous spire and look at the original scaffolding. The tour guides recommend spending between 1-3 hours at the cathedral in order to fully appreciate it. The cathedral is located in Salisbury’s city centre, so you don’t need any extra modes of transportation.
