Old Sarum

A Norman castle built within an Iron Age hill fort. Steeped in history and with beautiful views of the surrounding Wiltshire countryside.
(1438)

Discover the story of the original Salisbury and take the family for a day out to Old Sarum, 2 miles north of where the city stands now. The mighty Iron Age hill fort was where the first cathedral once stood and the Romans, Normans and Saxons have all left their mark. Today, 5,000 years of history are told through graphic interpretation panels on site. Families, heritage lovers and walkers can enj

oy a great value day out at Old Sarum - you could even bring a picnic and enjoy the fantastic views across the Wiltshire countryside. The gift shop has a delicious range of ice-creams and exclusive English Heritage gifts and produce. Wooden bows and arrows are also on sale to help the kids imagine what life was like all those years ago! Don't miss:

The spectacular view from the ramparts at Old Sarum to the 'new' cathedral in the centre of Salisbury. Our interesting interpretation panels bringing 5,000 years of history to life. Old Sarum's literary connections- you can buy some of the famous books written about the site in our shop.

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08/06/2026

And bishop number three: Jocelin de Bohun (1142–1184). No spectacular fall here, just the long, steady hand who outlasted everyone, finished what Roger started, and gave the cathedral its great west front.

But he comes with a proper mystery. There's a worn medieval effigy near the west door of Salisbury Cathedral. For years it was said to be Bishop Roger. Historians now think it's almost certainly Jocelin, on the evidence of his seal, the noble birth named in the inscription, and the old spelling “Salesberie” carved into the stone.

So next time you're in Salisbury Cathedral, go and find him. You'll be looking at one of the men who built on the very hill we're celebrating.

🗳️ Have you ever spotted the effigy? Let us know in the comments.

06/06/2026

Bishop number two was a great builder and masterful administrator.

As a priest in Normandy this Bishop's efficiency came to Henry I's attention on account of his Speed at delivering the Mass!

Bishop Roger (1102-1139) quickly became King Henry I's right-hand man. He managed the royal finances and the machinery of government, running the country when Henry was frequently away in France.

He poured that influence into building castles and to more than doubling the size of the cathedral here on a scale designed to impress. And then it all came apart. When the royal succession was disputed after Henry's death Roger found himself on the wrong side of the new King's suspicions. He was arrested, his castles and treasure seized, and he died soon after, a broken man.

👉 Power, ambition, a spectacular fall. Find out more at our Tale of Two Cathedrals event on the 13th-14th June!

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/old-sarum-a-tale-of-two-cathedrals-13-to-14-jun/

04/06/2026

Meet the first of our three bishops: Osmund (1078 - 1099). Though, to be fair, he didn't start the Cathedral.

That was his predecessor, Bishop Herman, who moved the see up to Old Sarum and broke ground here. But Herman died in 1078 with little more than the foundations laid. It fell to Osmund, a nobleman and former Chancellor of England, to raise the cathedral, finish it, and give the new community its rules and its books.

Centuries after his death, Osmund was made a Saint, one of the very few English Bishops ever canonised, and pilgrims came to his tomb for generations. To this day he is the patron Saint of the Diocese of Salisbury and you can see his original tomb in the cathedral.

Two more Bishops to meet. One of them was arrested by the king.

02/06/2026

What is the Tale of these Two Cathedrals? An outline of a cathedral can still be traced across the outer bailey at Old Sarum. You can stand right inside where these towering walls once were, or look down over the whole ghostly floorplan from the inner bailey above.

But there is twist behind the name: there weren't really two cathedrals here. One replaced the other, rebuilt so completely that it doubled in size. Bishop Osmund's modest church of around 173 feet became, under his successor Roger, a vast Romanesque building stretching to over 300 feet. Same hill, utterly transformed.

This humungous building, with the latest in technological design, dominated the skyline of the hill – its impact and importance could not be missed. But, in 1226, the whole community simply got up and left for the valley below, where Salisbury Cathedral stands today. Once again, the one cathedral became two…

In our next chapter, discover who built the cathedral, and how they went on to become a saint

30/05/2026

Eight hundred years ago, three Bishops were lifted out of their graves on this hilltop and carried two miles downhill to a brand-new cathedral.

Why move the dead? Why abandon a great cathedral that had stood fir 150 years? And what really happened afterwards (clue: the answer isn't what most people might think)?

Over the next two weeks we will tell you the whole story, chapter by chapter. And on the 13th and 14th of June, we will mark the 800th anniversary of that day, right where it happened.

Follow along

25/05/2026

Happy Bank Holiday! And also, Happy National Wine Day! 🍷🍾

A blisteringly hot day today, why not take the edge off with a cool glass of one of our delicious fruit wines as you soak up the sun?

All available in our shop, with a 20% discount for English Heritage Members this week!! 🥳

15/05/2026

We are nearly at June, where the days are going to be their longest - perfect for drinks and dessert in the evening sunshine! ☀️

We have Members' Week coming up on the 23rd May - 20% off on retail items across English Heritage. A brilliant reason to stock up on the tasty wines and jams ready for summer celebrations! 🌅🍷🍾

11/05/2026

Gloomy skies but the flowers don't seem to mind 🌼☁️

Fingers crossed for no bad weather in June - we have a really exciting event coming up!🥳

On the 13th and 14th of June, we will be celebrating 800 years since the moving of the Bishops from our cathedral down to Salisbury Cathedral in the main town. Over the weekend, we will be holding a Medieval Living History Encampment.

Ever wondered how stained glass was made? Interested in Stonemasonry and the historical changes of some of our most impressive buildings? Or perhaps the idea of chivalry and tournaments is more your thing? All available and more at our event! 👑

Information will soon be on our main website if you are interested in any more detail.

We look forward to seeing you all there! 😁

04/05/2026

Perfect Bank Holiday Weather 🌈☀️🌻

We have had a huge amount of visitors, and we hope that every single one of them has enjoyed the sunshine and wildflowers at Old Sarum today!

Our site is brilliant for picnics and with weather like this, it's a perfect time of your to bring the family up for some ice cream in the sunshine - we also sell dog ice cream for our furry, four-legged visitors! 🍦🐕

Looking for more sites to visit this upcoming summer? Visit our website for inspiration at https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/

25/04/2026

It has been brilliant weather at the castle recently - so wonderful that we are getting some fantastic wild flowers blooming on site! 🌸🏵🌺

On our outer bailey, staff have found a wild apple tree growing just on the side of the moat - fingers crossed for some apples on site in autumn🤞

We also have some Spanish Bluebells growing on the outer Bailey closest to Salisbury. They really brighten the site!

Whilst the weather is this fantastic, why not come a visit for a picnic and enjoy our local flora and fauna 🌱🦋🐞

Address

Castle Road
Salisbury
SP13

Telephone

+441722335398

Website

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/oldsarum

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