Old Sarum
Situated on Salisbury Plain, Old Sarum has been the site of numerous settlements throughout its history, from Neolithic and Iron Age settlers, to the Romans, Saxons, and Norman settlements.
The earliest remains found at Old Sarum date from 3000 BC, making it one of the oldest inhabited areas in Britain. This Neolithic community built enclosures for stock and had communal burial sites in the region. From 500 BC to 50 AD, Old Sarum was populated by Iron Age Settlers who built a hill fort here. By 60 AD, following the Roman conquest, the Romans built a fort at Old Sarum. Parts of its walls have been excavated and Old Sarum provided a strategic link along Roman roads between forts at Winchester and Exeter . After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Saxons settled at Old Sarum, renaming it Searobyrg. The site was fortified and became the centre of a great royal estate. When the Normans invaded England , they chose Old Sarum as a strategic site and built a Motte and Bailey on the site of the old Iron Age fort. In 1070, a stone castle was built at Old Sarum, which housed William the Conqueror .
Beside this royal palace a cathedral was built in 1075, but just five days after it was consecrated, the roof was destroyed during a storm. In 1086, William the Conqueror gathered his noblemen from all over his kingdom to Old Sarum to swear allegiance to him, which cemented his order and Old Sarum’s place in the history books.
However by the 13th century, the cathedral at Old Sarum was abandoned in favour of Salisbury and the fortunes of Old Sarum began to turn. In 1514, King Henry VIII had the castle at Old Sarum demolished and by 1892 the site at Old Sarum was placed into state care.
This attraction is included in the Great British Heritage Pass.
