Old Sarum Norman cathedral aerial view
Seen from above, the foundations of “Old Sarum”’s Norman cathedral emerge with extraordinary precision — a pale outline etched into the Wiltshire chalk. These are the remains of the first Salisbury Cathedral, begun around 1075 under Bishop Osmund, nephew of William the Conqueror’s half-brother, and consecrated in 1092. Osmund’s cathedral served as the seat of the Diocese of Salisbury for more than a century, its canons and clergy living and working within the fortifications of this great hilltop citadel.
The site itself is far older. The vast outer ramparts, enclosing some 29 acres, were first raised during the Iron Age (around 400 BC) and later occupied by Romans, Saxons, and finally Normans, who transformed it into one of the most formidable strongholds in medieval England. William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a royal castle here soon after 1069, entrusting it to Sheriff William of Eu, and by the 11th century it had become both a fortress and an administrative centre. The Domesday Book of 1086 was partly compiled at Old Sarum, and William I and William II (Rufus) both held royal councils on the site.
The original cathedral, built of Chilmark stone with a wooden roof, measured about 185 ft (56 m) in length and featured a single tower. Despite its significance, relations between the castle’s soldiers and the clergy deteriorated badly — the clergy complained of restricted access to water and limited space for processions. These tensions, combined with exposure to wind and lack of expansion room, led Bishop Richard Poore to obtain royal permission from King Henry III to build a new cathedral on lower ground beside the River Avon. Construction of the new Salisbury Cathedral began in 1220, marking the birth of “New Sarum” and the gradual abandonment of the hilltop site.
Today, only the footprints of the cathedral remain — the nave, transepts, and choir forming a perfect cruciform pattern visible even from the air. The outlines of associated buildings, including the bishop’s palace and cloister, can also be discerned. Beneath the golden evening light, these ancient foundations offer a haunting glimpse into England’s Norman past — a fusion of royal power, ecclesiastical ambition, and enduring landscape memory.
Old Sarum cathedral aerial view
Old Sarum Norman cathedral aerial view
Seen from above, the foundations of “Old Sarum”’s Norman cathedral emerge with extraordinary precision — a pale outline etched into the Wiltshire chalk. These are the remains of the first Salisbury Cathedral, begun around 1075 under Bishop Osmund, nephew of William the Conqueror’s half-brother, and consecrated in 1092. Osmund’s cathedral served as the seat of the Diocese of Salisbury for more than a century, its canons and clergy living and working within the fortifications of this great hilltop citadel.
The site itself is far older. The vast outer ramparts, enclosing some 29 acres, were first raised during the Iron Age (around 400 BC) and later occupied by Romans, Saxons, and finally Normans, who transformed it into one of the most formidable strongholds in medieval England. William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a royal castle here soon after 1069, entrusting it to Sheriff William of Eu, and by the 11th century it had become both a fortress and an administrative centre. The Domesday Book of 1086 was partly compiled at Old Sarum, and William I and William II (Rufus) both held royal councils on the site.
The original cathedral, built of Chilmark stone with a wooden roof, measured about 185 ft (56 m) in length and featured a single tower. Despite its significance, relations between the castle’s soldiers and the clergy deteriorated badly — the clergy complained of restricted access to water and limited space for processions. These tensions, combined with exposure to wind and lack of expansion room, led Bishop Richard Poore to obtain royal permission from King Henry III to build a new cathedral on lower ground beside the River Avon. Construction of the new Salisbury Cathedral began in 1220, marking the birth of “New Sarum” and the gradual abandonment of the hilltop site.
Today, only the footprints of the cathedral remain — the nave, transepts, and choir forming a perfect cruciform pattern visible even from the air. The outlines of associated buildings, including the bishop’s palace and cloister, can also be discerned. Beneath the golden evening light, these ancient foundations offer a haunting glimpse into England’s Norman past — a fusion of royal power, ecclesiastical ambition, and enduring landscape memory.
Old Sarum cathedral aerial view