Norwich Cathedral

Norwich Cathedral, Norfolk, England, as seen from the cloisters. 

Photo by DLiff (Wikimedia Commons)

For some great 3D panoramas, see Norwich360.com here.

Situated in eastern England in the shire of Norfolk, Norwich is about 100 miles north of London and 44 miles east of King’s Lynn, the childhood home of Princess Diana. The late princess counted amongst her ancient relatives Henry le Despenser, who served as the bishop of Norwich Cathedral from 1370 to 1402.

Norwich pretends to be a typical British city, but in fact Norwich is a magical kingdom all its own, with a very deep and rich history.   Perhaps that is why the makers of the 2013 film Jack the Giant Slayer chose Norwich cathedral for one of their settings.

Roman, Viking, Anglo-Saxon and Norman invaders, after landing on the eastern shores of England, made the Norwich area their home base and center of operations.  Norwich stood at the intersection of several important trade routes, and the hill-fort based there soon became an important administrative center.  The surrounding region of Norfolk, known for its fertile farmland and rolling green hills, proved an ideal place for raising cattle and sheep. This region of England thus became an important center for the manufacture and shipping of woolen goods, textiles and clothing.

By the 11th Century,  Norwich rivaled London and Bristol for sheer size and density of population.  The landed gentry grew exceedingly wealthy, and they crowned their success by building a glorious and massive cathedral, the Norwich Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity.

Above: Norwich Cathedral Spire and South Transept, May 2010.    Source: Wikimedia Commons.

One of the Largest Cathedrals in England

Begun in 1096 and completed a generation later, in 1145, Norwich Cathedral measures 461 feet by 177 ft (140.5 x 54 meters), and its spire, at a height of 315 feet (96 meters), remains the second-tallest cathedral spire in Britain. The Norwich cathedral close (the nearby group of offices, schools and houses) is the largest cathedral close in England, and only Salisbury Cathedral may boast a larger cloister.  

For many years, Norwich Cathedral was the largest building in East Anglia.  Today it’s certainly one of the top heritage sites in Norfolk, and a popular tourist attraction.

 Above: Interior of the Norwich Cathedral cloisters.  Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Virtual Tours

For those who would like a closer look at the cathedral before making a visit, the internet certainly offers many resources, photographs and virtual tours.

First stop, of course, is the Norwich Cathedral home page, here.  

It lists all the local events and provides many photographs. The Visitor's Information tab gives a Practical Site Map on the Maps & Site Plans tab. Those who plan to visit in person may download a PDF leaflet with visitor's information, and the cathedral offers free daily guided tours, group tour brochures, private tours, and tours for school groups.  

Online browsers may enjoy the "History & Heritage" tab, where one may read several illustrated articles on Norwich Cathedral's architecture and archaeology. The cathedral's online shop also provides books about St. Julian of Norwich, and CDs produced by the renowned Norwich Cathedral Choir.

But, unfortunately, there’s no official online virtual tour.

For now, those who yearn for an immersive, 360-degree virtual tour of Norwich Cathedral will need to turn to another website, namely  Spheriscope’s Norwich Cathedral 360 Tours page, here.  Designed by Paul Kent, the Spheriscope site provides three immersive images: Norwich Cathedral - Altar, Norwich Cathedral - Cope and Norwich Cathedral - Transept.  

See also the BBC's 2006 panoramic image of Norwich Cathedral, here,  a 360-degree view of the "crossing" at the center of the cathedral.  Under the heading "Norfolk Fun Stuff" the BBC also provides an immersive 360-degree view from the top of Norfolk Cathedral's tower, here.

Please note that both Spheriscope and BBC require one to install a Flash plug-in.

Those who do not wish to install a plug-in may be happier exploring the two-dimensional photographs and interactive maps at World-Faith.com's Norwich Virtual Church Tour website here.   Norwich Cathedral is the main tour on display -- just click the photo.

For a broader overview of the surrounding area, Panoramic Earth provides an Interactive Map of Norwich and a virtual tour of Norwich.

To view the cathedral grounds and surrounding area from above, try the Wikimapia map of the Norwich Cathedral grounds.  This is a useful tool, with zoom-in and zoom-out capabilities, and a nice supplement to the Panoramic Earth virtual tour of Norwich (above).

 

Cathedral Grounds

According to the Wikipedia article on Norwich Cathedral,  the old girl is built on the site of two ancient churches which were abandoned during periods of invasion.  Building commenced in 1096.

“An Anglo-Saxon settlement and two churches were demolished to make room for the buildings and a canal cut to allow access for the boats bringing the stone . . . “

For many years, Norwich Cathedral housed a Benedictine monastery.  

“The precinct of the cathedral, the limit of the former monastery, is between Tombland (the former Anglo-Saxon marketplace) and the River Wensum . . .”

The Norwich Cathedral close “contains a number of buildings from the 15^th through the 19^th Century, including the remains of an infirmary.”

The grounds also “house the Norwich School, the statues of the Duke of Wellington and Admiral Nelson, and the grave of Edith Cavell.”

Cavell, a British nurse, faced a firing squad in 1915 for daring to help more than 200 allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium.  The cathedral's History and Heritage page provides a profile of Edith Cavell and several other historical characters connected to the cathedral.

Above: Statue of Julian of Norwich by David Holgate, west front, Norwich Cathedral, 2012. Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons, Donated by Poliphilo (Tony Grist).

St. Julian of Norwich

St. Julian of Norwich (1342 - 1413), one of the greatest mystics of all time, served as an anchoress or solitary at a church nearby Norwich Cathedral. Her book, Revelations of Divine Love (available as a free Librivox audio book here) is believed to be the first book ever written by a woman in the English language. Dame Julian is commemorated at Norwich Cathedral in both the statuary and two stained glass windows, one in the Bauchon chapel.

The exact date of her death (ca 1413 or 1416) is not certain, but many believe that 2013 marks the 600th anniversary of her passing. A spiritual pilgrimage to St. Julian's Shrine and Church and a visit to Norwich Cathedral sometime between now and 2016 would therefore seem a very appropriate way to honor her memory.

 

 Above: Norwich Cathedral's Nave, 15 March 2008.  Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Architecture: Romanesque, Norman and Gothic Styles

The ground plan of Norwich Cathedral remains “almost entirely as it was in Norman times.” The original Norman tower, constructed with wood and topped with lead, may still be seen today.   . . . The Norman spire was blown down in 1362. . . . The present spire was built in the 15^th Century.” The building of the new spire incorporated elements of late Gothic architecture.

Norwich Cathedral therefore offers to students of architecture a magnificent display of the Romanesque, Norman and later Gothic styles and a testament in stone to the wizardry of master masons from the period of the First Crusade. 

Constructed at the behest of Bishop Herbert de Losinga, the main body of the cathedral “was built from flint and mortar and faced with cream-colored Caen limestone.”  

“The cathedral has an unusually long nave of 14 bays, the transepts are without aisles, and the east end terminates in an apse with an ambulatory.  From the ambulatory, there is access to two  chapels of unusual shape, the plan of each being based on two intersecting circles . . . “

“The crossing tower is the last piece of the Norman cathedral to be completed, in around 1140.  It is decorated with circles, lozenges and interlaced arcading. . . .”

“The cathedral was damaged by riots in 1272 . . .  Rebuilding was completed in 1278, and the cathedral was re-consecrated in the presence of King Edward I ("Longshanks") on Advent Sunday of that year.”

Above: A human figure struggles with a dragon. Norwich Cathedral cloister ceiling detail, July 2011.  Photo Source:  Wikimedia Commons.

Ceiling Bosses without Parallel in the Christian World

“A large two-storey cloister, the only such in England, with over 1,000 ceiling bosses, was begun in 1297 and finally finished in 1430, after the Black Death had plagued the city. . . .”

A fire that started in the nave in 1463 caused such intense heat that some of the Caen limestone turned to a unique rose and pink color.  The fire also did serious damage to the ceiling and the original ceiling bosses.

“In the 15^th and early 16^th centuries, the cathedral’s flat timber ceilings were replaced with stone vaults.  The vaulting was carried out in a spectacular manner, with hundreds of ornately carved, painted and gilded bosses.  . . . Each is decorated with a theological image, and as a group they have been described as without parallel in the Christian world.

“The nave vault shows the history of the world from the creation; the cloister vault includes series showing the life of Christ and the Apocalypse.”

Tea Shops and Quaint Scenery

Assuming that the Apocalypse does not arrive before tea time, one may also enjoy a tour of the local shops and landmarks.   Wikipedia’s article on Norwich provides a helpful list of local museums, theatres, parks and open places of interest.

Not to be missed are Elm Hill (a cobblestoned medieval street), Cow Tower, Colman’s Mustard Shop & Museum, Dragon Hall, and the Norwich Castle Museum.  One may find the official homepage of Norwich Castle Museum here, and an HDR 360-degree panoramic view of Norwich Castle here.

Speaking of castles, Sandringham House, Norfolk, a favorite holiday home of Queen Elizabeth II, is within easy driving distance.  It was the birthplace of Princess Diana, whose baptismal gown is one of the many historical displays now shown at Norwich Castle Museum.

Oxford Cathedral - Christ Church Cathedral

Oxford Cathedral, more popularly known as Christ Church Cathedral or the Cathedral Church of Christ, "is the cathedral of the diocese of Oxford, which consists of the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire," according to the cathedral's Wikipedia page here. "It is also, uniquely, the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford. "

The name Christ Church Cathedral also refers to a magnificent cathedral in Dublin, Ireland, and the cathedral at Oxford University is therefore called Oxford Cathedral in order to avoid ambiguity and confusion. Indeed, while searching for images of Oxford Cathedral online, one may suddenly find oneself wandering down the nave of the cathedral in Dublin if one does not watch one's step.

One excellent source for images, of course, is the the official homepage for Christ Church, here, but the Picture Gallery tab actually refers one to artworks shown in the cathedral's gallery.  Their Panoramic Virtual Tour, here, is cleverly hidden under the "Visiting" tab. To start the tour, one simply clicks the image of Wolsey's Great Hall, better known to Harry Potter fans as the "dining hall" at Hogwart's School.  Wolsey's Great Hall was used as the setting for many Harry Potter film scenes.

Above: A public domain image of the Nave at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, from Wikimedia commons. If it seems strangely familiar, that is because it was designed and built by the same crew of crafty people who built Wolsey's Great Hall, a setting used in several Harry Potter films.  Popular requests that the cathedral, built at Oxford between 1160 and 1200 A.D. in the Romanesque and Gothic styles, be renamed "Hogwarts Cathedral" have been steadfastly and unaccountably ignored.

For another detailed Virtual Tour of Christ Church, offering several 360-panoramic views, one may visit the University of Oxford's Virtual Tour of Christ Church here, designed by Karl Harrison in 2003.  The tour requires a QuickTime plug-in.

Smallest Cathedral in England?

 

 "Christ Church Cathedral is often claimed to be the smallest cathedral in England," says Wikipedia, "and although it did once hold this distinction there are now smaller cathedrals, as several parish churches were elevated to cathedral status in the 20th century.^[1]

"The nave, choir, main tower and transepts are of the late Norman period. There are architectural features ranging from Norman to the Perpendicular style and a large rose window of the ten-part (i.e., botanical) type."

History of the Cathedral

According to Wikipedia, "The cathedral was originally the church of St Frideswide's Priory. The site is claimed to be the location of the abbey and relics of St Frideswide, the patron saint of Oxford, although this is debatable.

"In 1522, the priory was surrendered to Cardinal Wolsey, who had selected it as the site for his proposed college. However, in 1529 the foundation was taken over by King Henry VIII. Work stopped, but in June 1532 the college was refounded by the King. In 1546, Henry VIII transferred to it the see of Oxford from Osney. The cathedral has the name of Ecclesia Christi Cathedralis Oxoniensis, given to it by King Henry VIII's foundation charter.

"There has been a choir at the cathedral since 1526, when John Taverner was the organist and also master of the choristers. The statutes of Cardinal Wolsey's original college, initially called Cardinal College, mentioned sixteen choristers and thirty singing priests."

Choirs

"The main choir, Christ Church Cathedral Choir consists of 12 men (6 professional 'lay-clerks' and 6 student 'academical clerks') and 16 choristers (boys aged 7 - 13), and is directed by Dr Stephen Darlington. They sing in University term time, at Christmas and Easter, and have an extensive touring and recording programme.

"The Cathedral Singers consists of volunteers and is directed by John Padley. They are usually in residence outside of term time when the main choir choristers and academical clerks are on holiday.
The College choir sings every 1–2 weeks in term time, and is made up of current undergraduates and postgraduates from the College."

The Christ Church Cathedral Choir home page, found here, offers links to the choir's upcoming programs, discography, videos, and photo gallery.  As one might expect, the choir at Oxford has often performed for BBC4 "Sunday Worship" program and BBC's "Choral Evensong" broadcast as well.  The choir has a 500-year tradition of excellence, and it is therefore world-famous amongst classical musicians.  A listing of the Christ Church Cathedral Choir's CDs may be found at the webpage for the choir's online store, here. 

Peterborough Cathedral

Peterborough Cathedral, Cambridgeshire, UK

Photo donated to Wikimedia Commons by DLiff.

 A Romanesque/Gothic cathedral built by the Anglo-Saxons between 1118 and 1237 A.D., Peterborough is located north of London in the province of Canterbury, Cambridgeshire, England.  It is directly east of Birmingham and northwest of Cambridge University.  A Wikimapia view of the cathedral grounds may be found here.

For reasons that become very clear as one explores the interior, Peterborough Cathedral is one of the UK's Top 10 landmarks.  Additional video views and 360-degree Full-screen Virutal Tours may be found at Peterborough Cathedral's home page here. 

According to Wikipedia's Peterborough Cathedral article, the church is "properly the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Andrew -- also known as St. Peter's Cathedral," and it is the seat of the Bishop of Peterborough.  "With Durham and Ely cathedrals, it is one of the most important 12th-Century buildings in England to have remained largely in tact, despite extensions and restoration."

Above: The Hedda Stone, an excellent example of Anglo-Saxon art, has been kept in Peterborough Cathedral since the 8th Century, when the cathedral was a monastery known as Medeshamstede.  Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Below: The grave of  Katharine of Aragon, Queen of England (1485 - 1536), is at Peterborough.  Those who have read Shakespeare's Henry VIII, who have watched The Other Boleyn Girl (2003) or who have seen the TV-series The Tudors (2007 - 2010) will recognize Katharine as the long-suffering first wife of King Henry VIII. 

In 1587, Mary Queen of Scots was also once buried at Peterborough, after her execution at nearby Fotheringay Castle, but Mary was later removed to Westminster Abbey by her son, King James I.

Rochester Cathedral

Rochester Cathedral in England

Above:  A 360-degree panorama of the second oldest cathedral in England, Rochester Cathedral, established by St. Justus and St. Augustine of Canterbury at Rochester, Medway, Kent in 604 A.D.  Panorama by Gary Davies courtesy of 360Cities.net.

The official Rochester Cathedral page offers an interesting history timeline page here, and buried at the bottom of that page one may find a hyperlink to a truly excellent 360-degree panoramic tour here.  An interactive map seamlessly combines several 360-degree panoramas, allowing one to choose one's point of view within the cathedral plan.  This 360-pano tour was created in 2004 to celebrate the cathedral's 1400th anniversary.

According to the cathedral's Wikipedia article, Rochester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, was  "founded by Saint Justus, one of the missionaries who accompanied Saint Augustine of Canterbury to convert the pagan Southern English to Christianity in the early 7th century."

Originally an Anglo-Saxon church built on land donated by King Ethelbert of Kent, the church was already 400 years old and dilapidated when William the Conqueror and the Normans invaded in 1066.  Consequently, it was rebuilt 

In 1082, Rochester became the Benedictine Priory of St Andrew, established by Gundulf of Rochester, himself a Benedictine from Bec, France, and the first Norman Bishop of England.  Gundulf designed several castles and other buildings for King William, including Rochester, Colchester and the White Tower of the Tower of London.

Work on the Norman cathedral's new nave was begun in 1083.

The new cathedral was consecrated on Ascension Day in 1130 and King Henry I attended the ceremony.  Rochester Cathedral remained a Benedictine priory until the dissolution of the monastery in 1540.

Above: Rochester Cathedral seen from the west.  Source: Wikimedia commons.


Only seven years after its consecration, in 1137, fires destroyed the wooden roof of the Nave and damaged the Quire.  In 1180, work began on re-building the cathedralk in the Gothic style, starting with the Quire.

In 1201 the bloody murder of a simple Scottish baker took place in Rochester, and the moving story of William of Perth (later known as Saint William of Rochester) transformed Rochester Cathedral into a famous shrine and pilgrimage site. Largely thanks to St. William, Rochester remains a popular pilgrimage site to this day.

Wikipedia tells the story of William of Perth as follows:

"He went to Mass daily, and one morning, before it was light, found on the threshold of the church an abandoned child, whom he adopted and to whom he taught his trade. Later he took a vow to visit the Holy Places, and, having received the consecrated wallet and staff as a palmer, set out with his adopted son, whose name is given as "Cockermay Doucri", which is said to be Scots for "David the Foundling". They stayed three days at Rochester, and purposed to proceed next day to Canterbury (and perhaps thence to Jerusalem), but instead David willfully misled his benefactor on a short-cut and, with robbery in view, felled him with a blow on the head and cut his throat.

"The body was discovered by a mad woman, who plaited a garland of honeysuckle and placed it first on the head of the corpse and then her own, whereupon the madness left her. On learning her tale the monks of Rochester carried the body to the cathedral and there buried it. He was honored as a martyr because he was on a pilgrimage to holy places. As a result of the miracle involving the madwoman as well as other miracles wrought at his intercession after death, he was acclaimed a saint by the people."

Pilgrims visiting St. William's shrine brought in money to help the monks re-build the cathedral, and in 1201 the Presbytery was begun and roofed in by 1214.

The cathedral was plundered when King John held it against the rebel barons.  It was later desecrated by Simon de Montfort’s troops when they captured the city.

The new Quire was consecrated in 1227 and the North Transept completed in 1240.  Hamo de Hythe, bishop of Rochester, vaulted the Transepts, raised the central tower and spire, and re-decorated the Quire.  The Chapter Library door depicts his soul rising to heaven.

In 1440 the present Nave clerestory replaced a smaller Romanesque one, and the Great West window was put into place.

Above:  The Great West Door, which has remained substantially unchanged from Ernulf's time. Photo Credit:  Wikimedia Commons, donated by Chris O.

 In 1490, "the present Lady Chapel, the latest part of the cathedral, was enlarged as a Quire for the new-style polyphonic choirs who sang at the Lady Chapel altar in the South Transept."

The cathedral was damaged by Oliver Cromwell's soldiers in 1642.

Major restoration work was carried out by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1872.   Scott was an English leader of the Gothic revival movement in the 19th century.

After the 2004 celebration of the Cathedral's 1400th anniversary, the cathedral began a Musical Endowment fund in an effort to "ensure the continuity of Rochester's choral tradition."  Albums and works produced by the Rochester Cathederal Choir may be found here.  Free music and mixes may also be found on the Rochester Cathedral Choir's My Space page here.

St. Albans Cathedral

St Albans Abbey Cathedral in England

A classic Benedictine abbey built in the Romanesque and Gothic styles between 1077 and 1893, St. Albans Abbey became a cathedral in 1877 and is now officially titled The Cathedral and Abbey Church of St. Alban.

The second largest abbey in England, after Winchester, St. Albans still acts as a parish church within the Church of England. Nevertheless, British Express gives the cathedral a four-star rating as a Heritage site, both for its extraordinary architecture and fascinating history.

St. Albans humbly boasts the longest nave of any cathedral in England, and much of its architecture dates from Norman times.

It is built near the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Verulamium, about 22 miles north of London, in Hertfordshire. Indeed Alban was a simple pagan peasant living near the Roman hill fort settlement at Verulamium ca. 300 A.D., when he ran afoul of the Roman authorities.

The Venerable Bede tells us that when "the cruel emperors first published their edicts against the Christians" Alban committed the crime of providing shelter for a Christian in his home.  According to a 3rd-century manuscript found in Turin:  

"Alban received a fugitive and put on his garment and his cloak that he was wearing and delivered himself up to be killed instead of the priest  …  and was delivered immediately to the evil Caesar Severus."

Above: A window in St. Albans cathedral portrays Alban's martyrdom.  Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Enfuriated by the deception and the escape of the priest, the local magistrate asked Alban if he himself were a Christian. Alban declared, "I worship and adore the true and living God who created all things."

Dragged to the top of a nearby hill, Alban was beheaded.  He  thus became the First Christian Martyr of England.  Scholars have recently suggested that he might make a worthy replacement for St. George as the patron saint of England.

St. Albans Cathedral is believed to be built on the very hill where Alban was executed.  Local legends say that the first executioner was so shaken by Alban's self-confidence that he immediately converted to Christianity and refused to strike the blow.

After successfully decapitating Alban, the second executioner's eyes fell out of his head.  See the illustration found in an ancient manuscript at Dublin's Trinity College, below.

As the executioner took a moment to gather what this meant, St. Alban's head went tumbling down the hill and picked up speed as it went. Where it finally stopped a well sprang up. To this day there is a well nearby the church, and the road leading to the cathedral is called Holywell Road.

Above: The Shrine of St. Alban at St. Albans Cathedral.  Photo by: Michael Reeve (Wikimedia Commons)

Alban is often portrayed in religious iconography as holding his head between his hands. According to the Wikipedia article on St. Alban:

The Fellowship of Saint Alban and Saint Sergius is named in part after Alban.

Every year on the weekend closest to his feast day [June 22],  St Albans Cathedral holds the "Alban Pilgrimage" with huge puppets re-enacting the events of Alban's martyrdom.

Salisbury Cathedral

Salisbury Cathedral in England

Above:  A 360-degree panoramic view of the southwest exterior of Salisbury Cathedral, in Wiltshire, England, one of the greatest Anglican cathedrals in the United Kingdom. Built from 1220 to 1258, its Chapter House contains one of the original copies of the Magna Carta.  Photo Credit: Randy Myers, from the 360 Cities website. 

For an online gallery of photos and a 360-Degree virtual tour of the cathedral's interior, please see the official home page of Salisbury Cathedral.  One may find an overhead map of the cathedral grounds at Wikimapia here.

Formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Salisbury Cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Salisbury, and seat of the Bishop of Salisbury.  It is considered one of the greatest examples of Early English Gothic architecture.

The cathedral has the tallest church spire in the United Kingdom (404 ft), according to the Wikipedia article on Salisbury Cathedral here.  "Visitors can take the 'Tower Tour' where the interior of the hollow spire, with its ancient wood scaffolding, can be viewed. The cathedral also has the largest cloister and the largest cathedral close in Britain (80 acres)^. The cathedral contains the world's oldest working clock (from AD 1386) and has the best surviving of the four original copies of the Magna Carta (all four original copies are in England)."

 

Above: The Salisbury Cathedral plan.  Source: Wikipedia

Old Sarum Cathedral: Salisbury Cathedral's Invisible Ancestor

Above: A museum model of what Old Sarum Cathedral must have looked like, ca. 1200 A.D.  Photo source: Wikimedia commons.

Two miles north of Salisbury, England, and only six miles from Stonehenge lies an empty field that was once the site of Old Sarum Cathedral, the administrative seat of William the Conqueror and, for more than 4,000 years, one of the holiest sites in all of Britain.

A zoom-in zoom-out Wikimapia overview of the Old Sarum grounds may be found here.  For photos, visit the English Heritage Old Sarum page, the Old Sarum Facebook Page or more than 70 visitor photos posted at TripAdvisor.co.uk's Old Sarum Page.

According to Sacred Destinations.com, “Old Sarum was occupied since about 3,000 B.C. by a Neolithic community who built communal burial places, stock enclosures, and large ritual enclosures known as henges (the same sort of structure, on a less monumental scale, as nearby Stonehenge and Avebury Henge).

“From about 500 B.C., during the Iron Age, the hilltop site was given further protection with double ditches and used as an administrative center and fort.  It was later settled by the Romans (from c. 60 A.D.) who called it Sorviodunum. “

The Roman soldiers probably built a shrine to one of their gods on the top of the hill, and Sorviodunum remained a key military stronghold because it was located near a major intersection of several Roman roads, notably the roads from Winchester to Exeter, from Silchester, and from the Severn via the Mindip Hills.

After the withdrawal of Roman troops from Britain, Saxons took over the Old Sarum hillsite around 552 A.D.  They renamed it Searobyrig.  It became a royal estate of the Saxon kings, who re-fortified the hill and used their hill-fort to protect the local farmers and townsfolk for more than 500 years.

After the Norman conquest of 1066, William the Conqueror immediately recognized the importance of Old Sarum, chose it as his residence and began constructing a wooden castle on the site in 1069.  It became the seat of the Norman king’s court and the county government in Salisbury from 1070 forward.  The Norman cathedral that became known as Old Sarum Cathedral was built next to the king’s castle between 1075 and 1092.  Wikipedia provides an Old Sarum Cathedral article with model and maps here.

Above: An early wood-cut image of Old Sarum.

An Uncomfortable Place for Christian Worship

According to legend, Old Sarum Cathedral was first completed in 1092, but it was hit by lightning and burnt to the ground only five days after the church’s consecration.  The cathedral was rebuilt with stone, and completed around 1190.  Located within a military hill-fort on a gloomy hilltop, the location proved unpopular with superstitious townsfolk, who believed in local legends about the ancient hill on which Old Sarum was founded.

Soon after completion of the stone cathedral, the local council of bishops petitioned the Pope in Rome for permission to build a new cathedral in Salisbury, a much more popular, comfortable and convenient location.  They cited severe weather amongst their reasons for wishing to relocate.

The Pope granted his permission, and the bishops moved to Salisbury Cathedral in 1219.  Old Sarum Cathedral fell into disuse, and the nearby royal castle was finally demolished by King Henry VIII in 1591.

Sarum Missal Remains Popular

Despite the eventual abandonment and demolition of Old Sarum Cathedral, the Sarum Missal or guidebook for the ritual Mass that was practiced at the Old Sarum Cathedral survives and remains popular to this day. 

The Anglo-Catholic Sarum Missal is seen by modern church scholars as a quaint, curious, peculiar and fascinating gem that clearly reflects Catholic practice in Medieval England prior to the Protestant Reformation.

Free ebook copies of the Sarum Missal in several formats may be found at Google Books here and at Archive.org here.

A Wikipedia article on the Sarum Rite summarizes the Missal’s contents and explains the reasons for the continued popularity of the Sarum Rite amongst English-speaking Catholics and church historians.

Nodal Point of 10 Major Ley Lines

Despite the fact that Old Sarum Cathedral no longer exists, the Old Sarum hillsite remains an English Heritage site of great importance to students of British history, astro-archaeology, sacred geometry and ancient pre-Christian religions.  

For example, Stephen Skinner dedicates an entire section to Old Sarum in his 2006 book Sacred Geometry: Deciphering the Code.  Skinner takes pains to distinguish between “unanchored” landscape geometry (fanciful geometry superimposed on landmarks by wishful thinking) and “anchored” landscape geometry. 

The sacred geometry surrounding Old Sarum’s landscape is very well anchored indeed. According to Skinner, the Old Sarum hillsite remains the focal point of “10 main ley lines that fan out over Salisbury Plain connecting it with other prominent sites such as Stonehenge.”

What are ley lines? 

Skinner says “I believe that ley lines are manmade alignments radiating out from major stone circles and earthwork-ringed settlements . . . . The principle purpose of ley lines was to link major sites, such as Old Sarum and Avebury, with other settlements, hillforts, smaller circles and sacred religious sites . . . .  Effectively the leys formed an intricate and sacred geometry – the geometry of individual sites is related to the horizon points that were determined by the rising and setting points of the Moon and the Sun.  This geometry creates the magic that ties together the whole land, under one chief, king or priesthood.  If this sounds too mystical, then add the additional function of allowing rapid military communication along lines of sight using beacons.”

Skinner lists the following ley lines radiating northward from Old Sarum:

Ley 1: Roman Road toward Dunstable Pond

Ley 2: Toward Figsbury Ring

Ley 3: Portway Roman Road toward Quarley Hill (Fort) then Silchester (pre-Roman town)

Ley 4: Toward Sidbury Camp (Iron Age Fort)

Ley 5: Toward Ogbury Camp, Woodhenge, Durrington Walls

Ley 6: Toward Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, Clearbury Ring, Frankenbury Camp

Ley 7: Toward Yarnbury Castle (Iron Age Fort)

Ley 8: Toward Codford Circle, Wilsbury Ring

Ley 9: Toward Grovely Castle

Ley 10: Toward Bilbury Ring

By comparison with Old Sarum, Stonehenge has only two major ley lines, which indicates that Old Sarum was far more important to the sacred geometry of the British landscape than Stonehenge.  The radiance of so many ley lines from the abandoned field upon which Old Sarum Cathedral once stood suggests Old Sarum was the spiritual and administrative center of the ancient megalithic culture that built Stonehenge and Avebury on Salisbury Plain more than 4,000 years ago.