Salisbury Cathedral (England’s most beautiful building?)
American writer Bill Bryson once wrote that he believed Salisbury Cathedral to be England’s most beautiful building (he also is an avid campaigner against litter, saying he cannot believe that people drop sweet wrappers and crisp packets on our green and pleasant land).
The cathedral took 38 years to build, and is a striking example of English Gothic style, with the world’s oldest working mechanical clock, stunning stained glass and peaceful cloisters. The Chapter House displays one of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta. Outside, the lush close is ringed with trees and lawn, and as popular as the cathedral itself.
What makes Salisbury cathedral stand out?
Many English cathedrals are beautiful, but Salisbury looks different straight away. Part of that comes from timing. It was built mainly between 1220 and 1258, which is unusually quick for a great medieval church. Because of that, the whole building feels joined-up, steady, and clear.
It also has the tallest church spire in England, at about 123 metres. That matters because the spire doesn’t just crown the cathedral, it shapes the whole view of the city. Then there’s the setting. Salisbury Cathedral sits in a wide, green close, not pressed into tight streets. As a result, you can see it properly, from a distance and from many angles.
Holding a copy of the Magna Carta
Salisbury Cathedral holds one of the best-preserved original 1215 copies of the Magna Carta. That single fact changes the feel of a visit. You are no longer only in front of a lovely church. You are standing beside one of the country’s most important surviving documents.
The Magna Carta matters because it became a touchstone for ideas about law and limits on power. Salisbury does not need it to be beautiful, of course. Still, it gives the cathedral extra depth. The building holds both visual grace and national memory, and that combination is rare.
The city of Salisbury (Wiltshire)
Known as ‘the city in the countryside’, Salisbury is just 9 miles from Stonehenge. There are over 200 independent shops to discover items you would never find on the high street.
Out walking? Follow the Countryside Code to keep all creatures safe. Keep dogs away from steep banks, mushrooms (and other toxic plants/trees) and on leads during nesting season (and near barnyard friends and wild ponies).
Rock star Sting and his wife Trudie have owned a Grade-1 listed Elizabeth manor house nearby for many years, the selling point being a 350-year old tree in the garden. He has recorded many albums there, and the couple also run an organic farm on the estate grounds.
