INTRODUCTION

Salisbury Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, and it is considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture.

The main body was completed in only 38 years and the building of it began in 1220.

The cathedral contains the world's oldest working clock and one of the four surviving original copies of tha Magna Charta.

Although commonly known as Salisbury Cathedral, the official name is the Cathedral of Saint Mary. 

THE ORIGINS

The diocese of Salisbury was created in 1058 by the amalgamation of the dioceses of Sherborne and Ramsbury.

The new diocese was initially centred on the ancient episcopal town of Sherborne but, following the Norman Conquest, a new cathedral was established at Old Sarum in 1075. The reasons for the move were more political than ecclesiastical.

The new cathedral at Old Sarum was completed by Bishop Osmund in 1092.  In the early 12th century the church was enlarged by Biscop Roger, but its situation was proving increasingly unsatisfactory. There was no space at Old Sarum for futher enlargement and so, in the late 12th century, the decision was taken to move the cathedral to a new site: in Salisbury.

In the first place, the site was chosen not just for the new cathedral but also for the house of the canons and for the associated town.

According to legend, Bishop Poore shot an arrow to determine the position of costruction: the arrow hit a deer and the place where he died was chosen to build the cathedral. The site was part of an estate owned by the Bishop Poore.

THE CONSTRUCTION

The papal licence for the new cathedral was finally obtained in 1218. In the following years, a temporary wooden chapel was erected and a cemetery was laid out.

On 28 April 1220, Bishop Richard Poore, William Longespee and other dignitaries laid foundation stones and it is assumed that this marks the end of the first phase of construction.

It is possible, however, that the stones referred to are the Consecration Crosses at the east end.

In 1225 the three eastern chapels were consecrated.

By 1236, the church from the crossing eastwards was complete as timber for the canons'stalls in the choir was being obtained.

The nave, transept and choir were completed from 1258. The West Front was completed from 1265. The cloisters and chapter house were completed aroud 1280.

The only major sections of the cathedral built later were Chapter house, Cloisters, tower and spire.

THE CHAPTER HOUSE

The chapter house is notable for its octagonal shape, slender pillar and decorative madieval frieze.

The frieze depicts scenes and stories from the books of Genesis and Exodus, including Adam and Eve, Noah, the Tower of Babel, and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The chapter house contains also the best-preserved of the four surviving original copies of Magna Carta.

THE SALISBURY CATHEDRAL CLOCK

The Salisbury Cathedral clock located in the aisle of Salisbury Cathedral. Dating from about 1386 and it is the oldest working clock in the world.

The clock has no face because all clocks of that date rang out the hours on a bell.

This clock was then placed in storage and forgotten until it was discovered in 1929 in an attic of the cathedral. It was repaired and restored to working order in 1956.

THE CLOISTER

The Cloister was originally planned to be one bay shorter to the west and south; its southern walk backed onto the churchyard wall which defined the limits of tha churchyard.

In 1263, however, Bishop Walter de Wyle donated additional land to create a larger cloister by breaching the churchyard wall.

THE TOWER AND SPIRE

The tower and spire is the tallest surviving medieval structure in Britain.

Its effect today is extraordinary and at time of their completion, must have been overwhelming. It is all the more remarkable, therefore that there is no secure documentary evidence to date the construction.

As originally designed, the crossing was capped with a squat lantern tower, with, probably, a low pyramidal roof. The interior was open to the roof and was lit by two small windows on each face of the tower. The Cathedral's bells and clock were housed in a separate bell tower, which stood some 60 m north of the north porch and was part of the original overall concept for the cathedral.

The walls of the original crossing tower are about 0.61 m thick at the top and were self-evidently not designed to take an additional 80.7 m of masonry, with an  estimated weight of 6300 tons. The extent which the design of the tower and spire was based on engineering calculations of its ability to support this additional load or on a simple trust in God is an enduring enigma.

Significant changes to the cathedral were made by the architect James Wyatt in 1790, including replacement of the original rood screen and demolition of the bell tower which stood about 320 feet north west of the main building.

In conclusion the Salisbury Cathedral is one ot the most significant cultural sites, religious or secular in th UK.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Russo Ida