Old Sarum |
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The great earthwork of Old Sarum stands near Salisbury on the edge of Wiltshire's chalk plains. Its mighty ramparts were raised in about 500 BC by Iron Age peoples, and later occupied by the Romans, the Saxons and, most importantly, the Normans.
William the Conqueror paid off his army here in 1070, and in 1086 summoned all the great landowners of England here to swear an oath of loyalty. A Norman castle was built on the inner mound, and joined soon afterwards by a royal palace. By the middle of the 12th century a new town occupied much of the great earthwork, complete with a noble new Norman cathedral, the mother church of a huge diocese.
But Norman Sarum was not destined to thrive. Soldiers and priests quarelled, and life on the almost waterless hilltop became intolerable. The solution was a move downhill to the new settlement now known as Salisbury, where a new cathedral was founded in 1220.Thereafter Old Sarum went into steep decline. Its cathedral was demolished and its castle was eventually abandoned. But the largely uninhabited site continued to 'elect' two MPs, becoming the most notorious of the 'Rotten Boroughs' swept away by the 1832 Reform Act.
Today, the remains of the prehistoric fortress and of the Norman palace, castle and cathedral evoke memories of thousands of years of history, which are interpreted by graphic panels throughout the site.
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Opening Times
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(2011 times)
1st - 30th September:Daily 10.00 - 17.00 1st - 31stOctober: Daily 10.00 - 16.00 1st November - 23rd December: Daily 11.00 - 15.00 24th - 26th December and 1stJanuart: Closed 27th - 31st December: Tuesday - Saturday 11.00 - 16.00 2nd - 31st January 2012: Daily 11.00 - 15.00 1st - 29th February: Daily 11.00 - 16.00 1st - 31st March: Daily 10.00 - 16.00 |
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Admission Charges
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(2011 prices)
Adult £3.70.Child £2.20. Child under 5yrs Free. Concession £3.30. English Heritage Member Free. |
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Directions
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Road Access: 2 miles N of Salisbury, off A345 Train Access: Salisbury 2 miles Bus Access: Wilts & Dorset/Stagecoach in Hampshire, 5-9 from Salisbury. Old Sarum is now included in The Stonehenge Tour, a special all-inclusive package from Salisbury railway station and city centre which includes a bus tour with commentary and admission to Stonehenge and Old Sarum. For details visit www.thestonehengetour.info or call 01722 336855 |
| Show map of Old Sarum ... |
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Old Sarum Postcode for SatNav: SP1 3SD |
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Nearby Attractions
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Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum
(2 Miles)*
Let Salisbury Museum take you on a journey through one of the most fascinating areas of Britain. |
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Salisbury Cathedral
(2 Miles)*
Salisbury Cathedral is a building of world importance. Set within the elegant splendour of the Cathedral Close it is probably the finest medieval building in Britain. |
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Wilton House
(2 Miles)*
Wilton house, 450 year old home to the Earl of Pembroke, provides a fascinating insight into British history. |
| more attractions in Salisbury and things to do in Salisbury ... |
| more things to do in Wiltshire and days out in Wiltshire... |
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Nearby Hotels
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Nearby Self Catering
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National Trust | Estate Agents |
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