Salisbury Cathedral

... More >

octagonal chapterhouse, the meeting place of the Salisbury cathedral chapter, both date from the middle of the 14th century. The latter has a single central pillar acting as a vault support, a fine wall-frieze with pictures from the Old Testament and tracery windows divided into four sections with 19th century glass. Items stored there include the church silver and one of the four original copies in existence of the Magna Carta, the foundation of the British constitution. Other Anglo Saxon documents and the inspection report on the cathedral tower written by Sir Christopher Wren in 1668 are to be found in the library.

... More >

the 18th century. They were the residences of the dean, ecclesiastical officers and teachers at the cathedral school. Of special interest are Mompesson House, with its elegant interior fittings and wonderful collection of glass, and King's House, which contains the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum. This museum has exhibits from Stonehenge and Old Sarum, glass, porcelain and ceramic objects, and some landscape paintings by Turner.

... More >

churches, strengthened by continuous ledges, with the effect of considerable depth, instead of the usual upwards extension in the Gothic style. The construction of the walls is divided into three zones, with arches, a gallery-like triforium and a passageway above. A ribbed vault in four parts encloses the nave at a height of only 82ft/25m. Static difficulties occurred in the middle of the 14th century with the raising of the crossing tower (404ft/123m; the highest spire in England). The crossing pillars, whose foundations were on marshy land, began to bend under the massive weight of 6,000 tons of stone, while the mighty supporting arches which had been inserted at the same time had no effect. To this very day the safety of the tower has constantly necessitated the carrying out of repairs. The interior fittings of the cathedral, which were considerably altered at the end of the 18th century as a result of restoration measures by James Wyatt, include some elaborate tombstones: those of William Longespee (d. 1226); Sir Richard Mompesson (d. 1627) with his wife; Bishop Giles of Bridport, who consecrated the cathedral in 1255; and the brass of Bishop Wyville (d. 1375) as Lord of the Castle.