If you are looking for somewhere to go for a weekend outside of London, then I highly recommend Salisbury, a town in the county of Wiltshire and about a 2 hour drive from South West London.
The first thing you see before entering the town of Salisbury, sitting well above the tree tops is the tall spire from its famous Cathedral. At 123 metres, it is the tallest in Britain.
But this isn't the only thing that makes Salisbury Cathedral so unique. It also houses one of only four surviving original Magna Carta's (1215), the worlds oldest mechanical working clock (1836) and the earliest surviving complete choir stalls (1236).
I think you're starting to get the idea...... it's old.
I actually got inspired to come and see this cathedral after watching a program on the ABC back in Oz called The Pillars of The Earth. If you haven't seen it, find yourself a comfy corner on the couch one rainy Sunday and soak up a story line that holds intrigue, drama, as well as being based on the history of the times.
Back to the Cathedral and Salisbury....
The cathedrals foundation stones were laid in 1220, the quire, transepts and nave were completed in 38 years (which is relatively quick for a medieval cathedral apparently) and the ornate frontage was finished in 1265. The tower and spire were added between 1297 and 1320. It is because it was built so quickly that the cathedral remains in one architectural style of Early English Gothic. Here are some more pictures for you;
We also visited Old Sarum which was the sight of the first cathedral and a castle built here by William the Conqueror in around 1070.
If you do fancy a trip here and are looking for somewhere to stay, then I highly recommend the Cathedral View B&B. This Georgian townhouse is walking distance from both the cathedral and town centre. It has modern facilities, the hosts are extremely helpful and can give you guides on where to go and what to do and lastly (most importantly) the breakfast in the morning was one of the best I've had at a B&B for a long time.
You also might like to know that not far from Salisbury is the also famous Stonehenge. Be prepared for traffic queues if you're visiting here on a weekend.
I wonder where my next weekend away will be... think I might go to France.
The first thing you see before entering the town of Salisbury, sitting well above the tree tops is the tall spire from its famous Cathedral. At 123 metres, it is the tallest in Britain.
But this isn't the only thing that makes Salisbury Cathedral so unique. It also houses one of only four surviving original Magna Carta's (1215), the worlds oldest mechanical working clock (1836) and the earliest surviving complete choir stalls (1236).
I think you're starting to get the idea...... it's old.
I actually got inspired to come and see this cathedral after watching a program on the ABC back in Oz called The Pillars of The Earth. If you haven't seen it, find yourself a comfy corner on the couch one rainy Sunday and soak up a story line that holds intrigue, drama, as well as being based on the history of the times.
Back to the Cathedral and Salisbury....
The cathedrals foundation stones were laid in 1220, the quire, transepts and nave were completed in 38 years (which is relatively quick for a medieval cathedral apparently) and the ornate frontage was finished in 1265. The tower and spire were added between 1297 and 1320. It is because it was built so quickly that the cathedral remains in one architectural style of Early English Gothic. Here are some more pictures for you;
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| West front |
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| The water feature is a modern addition |
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| The cloisters |
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| Probably a bit too hard to read but lists all the Deans starting from 1091 |
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| One of the many tombstones, a Thomas Price Architect surveyor and clerk of the Cathedral |
If you do fancy a trip here and are looking for somewhere to stay, then I highly recommend the Cathedral View B&B. This Georgian townhouse is walking distance from both the cathedral and town centre. It has modern facilities, the hosts are extremely helpful and can give you guides on where to go and what to do and lastly (most importantly) the breakfast in the morning was one of the best I've had at a B&B for a long time.
You also might like to know that not far from Salisbury is the also famous Stonehenge. Be prepared for traffic queues if you're visiting here on a weekend.
I wonder where my next weekend away will be... think I might go to France.
