Salisbury Cathedral is the first major sacred building of the English Gothic period and was built in a relatively short time, from 1220 to 1266, following a single overall plan.
In contrast to the French Gothic cathedrals of the same period, which are lavishly structured and follow definite models, Salisbury Cathedral embodies the more restrained English style in its ground-plan and construction methods.
Its elongated shape is typical of this, with the various sections of the church arranged in the order that was definitive for England: nave, long choir, retrochoir, main west transept and east choir transept, the last named being shielded from the choir by false arches. The long, rectangular retrochoir combines with the Lady Chapel, which encloses one end of the longitudinal axis of the cathedral, to form what in England is a separate area, instead of the ambulatory choir which was usual in French cathedrals.
In addition the two transepts only possess a single east side-aisle. From the overall impression it is clear that the individual parts of the building were horizontally articulated and completed straight and flat, all rising upwards in equal degrees and at the crossing tower grouped vertically. Even the impact of the facade is subordinate to this basic principle, with its decorative sculptures - of Christ as world ruler with a hierarchy of patriarchs, apostles and saints - providing almost the only architectural embellishment in an otherwise sparsely decorated building.
According to the "Uses of Old Sarum": as early as 1095, self-government for all the cathedrals in the land was made compulsory by Bishop Osmond until the Reformation. The dean was the chairman of the assembly of canons, who all had equal rights; the procantor was the leader of the choir; the chancellor was responsible for administration and the treasurer for the finances.
Although there a few medieval fragments the stained glass is primarily 19th and 20th century. The Gabriel Loire window in the Lady Chapel is well worth seeing.
The High Gothic cloister and the 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.
Address: Salisbury Cathedral, 33 The Close, Salisbury SP1 2EJ, England
Hours:
April 1 to June 8: 7:15am-6:15pm
June 9 to August 23: 7:15am-7:15pm
August 24 to March 31: 7:15am-6:15pm
Tips: Magna Carter is on view in the Chapterhouse from January to November.
Donations accepted.
Disability Access: Partial facilities for persons with disabilities.
Within the Salisbury cathedral close with its green lawns, separated from the rest of the town by its three gateways, there are some notable Elizabethan and Georgian houses dating from the 14th to 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.
Address: Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum, The King's House 65 The Close, Salisbury SP1 2EN, England
Hours:
July 1 to August 31: 10am-5pm; Sun:2pm-5pm
September 1 to June 30: 10am-5pm; Closed: Sun
Always closed on: Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Disability Access: Partial facilities for persons with disabilities.
The interior of Salisbury Cathedral, which is of bright-colored limestone and darkly gleaming Purbeck marble, displays the horizontal sequencing of the trusses, which is characteristic of English 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.
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Entrance of the Salisbury Cathedral.
Façade of the Salisbury Cathedral.
