Sights in Salisbury
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Doom Painting
In St Thomas's Church, the amazing doom painting is above the chancel arch, painted in 1475. It depicts Christ on the day of judgment, sitting astride a rainbow flanked by visions of heaven and hell; on the hell side, look out for two naked kings and a nude bishop, a miser with his moneybags, and a female alehouse owner, the only person allowed to hang on to her clothes.
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Salisbury Cathedral
England is endowed with countless stunning churches, but few can hold a candle to the grandeur and sheer spectacle of Salisbury Cathedral. Built between 1220 and 1258, the cathedral bears all the hallmarks of the early English Gothic style, with an elaborate exterior decorated with pointed arches and flying buttresses, and a sombre, austere interior designed to keep its congregation suitably pious.
Beyond the highly decorative West Front, a small passageway leads into the 70m-long nave, lined with handsome pillars of Purbeck stone. In the north aisle look out for a fascinating medieval clock dating from 1386, probably the oldest working timepiece in the world. At the easte…
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St Thomas's Church
This elegant church was built for cathedral workmen in 1219 and named after St Thomas Becket. Modified in the 15th century, its most famous feature is the amazing doom painting above the chancel arch, painted in 1475. This depicts Christ on the day of judgment, sitting astride a rainbow flanked by visions of Heaven and Hell; on the Hell side, look out for two naked kings and a nude bishop, a miser with his moneybags, and a female alehouse owner, the only person allowed to hang on to her clothes.
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Market Square & Poultry Cross
Markets were first held here in 1219, and the square still bustles with traders every Tuesday and Saturday. The narrow lanes that surround the square reveal their medieval specialities (Oatmeal Row, Fish Row, Silver St) but today the action is confined to the square, where you can pick up anything from fresh fish to dodgy digital watches. The 15th-century Poultry Cross is the last of four market crosses that once stood on the square.
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Cathedral Close
Salisbury Cathedral is surrounded by one of the country's most beautiful medieval closes. Many of the houses date from the same period as the cathedral, although the area was heavily restored during an 18th-century clean-up by James Wyatt. The close is encircled by a sturdy outer wall, constructed in 1333; the stout gates leading into the complex are still locked every night.
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Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum
The highlight of the Cathedral Close is at the Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum, in the King's House, is the interactive Stonehenge gallery, but there are also some interesting artefacts recovered from Old Sarum and lots of ceramics, historical artefacts and paintings, including a dreamy watercolour of Stonehenge by JMW Turner.
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Malmesbury House
With a façade by Wren, Malmesbury House was a canonry in the 13th century and later the residence of the earls of Malmesbury, visited by notables including Charles II and Handel. It's still a private residence, but can be visited on pre-booked tours from April to October.
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Mompesson House
Built in 1701, this fine Queen Anne building boasts magnificent plasterwork ceilings, exceptional period furnishings and a wonderful carved staircase. All that made it the perfect location for the 1995 film Sense and Sensibility.
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Magna Carta
One of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta, the historic agreement made between King John and his barons in 1215, is kept in the cathedral's Chapter House.
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Wardrobe
Military buffs will enjoy the Wardrobe, home to the official museum of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment.
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College of Matrons
Just inside narrow High St Gate is the College of Matrons, founded in 1682 for widows and unmarried daughters of clergymen.
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Bishop's Palace
South of the cathedral is the Bishop's Palace, now the Cathedral School, parts of which date back to 1220.
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Salisbury Museum
The hugely important archaeological finds here include the Stonehenge Archer (the bones of a man found in the ditch surrounding the stone circle – one of the arrows found alongside probably killed him). Add gold coins dating from 100 BC and a Bronze Age gold necklace, and it's a great introduction to Wiltshire's prehistory.
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Rifles
Collections include ranks of medals, Victorian redcoat uniforms and displays on 19th- and 21st-century conflicts in Afghanistan.
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Market Square
Markets were first held here in 1219, and the square still bustles with traders every Tuesday and Saturday, when you can pick up anything from fresh fish to discount digital watches. The narrow lanes surrounding the square reveal their medieval specialities: Oatmeal Row, Fish Row and Silver St. The 15th-century Poultry Cross is the last of four market crosses that once stood on the square.
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Cathedral Close
Salisbury's medieval cathedral close, a tranquil enclave surrounded by beautiful houses, has an other-worldly feel. Many of the buildings date from the same period as the cathedral, although the area was heavily restored during an 18th-century clean-up by James Wyatt.
The close is encircled by a sturdy outer wall, constructed in 1333; the stout gates leading into the complex are still locked every night. Just inside narrow High St Gate is the College of Matrons, founded in 1682 for widows and unmarried daughters of clergymen. South of the cathedral is the Bishop's Palace, now the private Cathedral School, parts of which date back to 1220. The close is also home to three mu…
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