Salisbury Cathedral

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The original cathedral was located at Old Sarum, about 2 miles north of the present city. In 1197 bishop Herbert Poore determined on a relocation, but this was not taken forward until the episcopate of his brother, Richard Poore, in the early 13th century. Foundation stones for the new building were laid on 28 April 1220 by the Earl and Countess of Salisbury. By 1258 the nave, transepts and choir were complete. The only major additions were the cloisters (added 1240), the chapter house (1263), and the tower and spire (completed by 1330). At its completion it was the third highest in England, but the collapse of those at Lincoln Cathedral and Old St Paul's Cathedral in the 16th century saw Salisbury become England's tallest.

Reader's Guide

Salisbury Cathedral is significant as a remarkably consistent example of Early English Gothic architecture, built in a single campaign over 38 years. Its spire, at 404 feet, is the tallest in England. The cathedral close is Britain's largest, described by Pevsner as 'the most beautiful of England's closes'. The cathedral contains a clock among the oldest working examples in the world and holds one of the four surviving original copies of Magna Carta. In 2008, the cathedral celebrated the 750th anniversary of its consecration. In 2023, a programme of external restoration begun in 1985 saw the removal of scaffolding that had stood for some 37 years. The cathedral also has a history of peregrine falcons nesting on its tower, and in 2021 it was used to accommodate the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Did You Know?

• The cathedral's spire, at 404 feet, is the tallest in England.
• The cathedral holds one of the four surviving original copies of Magna Carta.
• The cathedral contains a clock which is among the oldest working examples in the world.
• The cathedral close is Britain's largest, described by Pevsner as 'the most beautiful of England's closes'.
• Peregrine falcons have been recorded at the cathedral between 1864 and 1953, and more arrived in 2013, hatching every year since on the tower.

Common Misconceptions (Editorial)

Some assume Salisbury Cathedral's spire was part of the original 13th-century construction, but the spire was a later addition, completed by 1330, after the main body of the cathedral was finished in 1258. Others may think the cathedral was always at its current location, but it was originally built at Old Sarum, about 2 miles north, and relocated under bishops Herbert and Richard Poore.

Why It Matters (Editorial)

Salisbury Cathedral endures not only as a masterpiece of Early English Gothic design, built with rare architectural unity in just 38 years, but also as a living repository of history. It safeguards one of the four surviving original Magna Cartas and houses one of the world's oldest working clocks, reminding us that medieval innovation and the pursuit of justice remain relevant across centuries.