Press Release 26 January 2018
Salisbury - The Historic City in the Countryside
A Brief History
Superbly situated in southern England’s rural heartland, medieval Salisbury is the perfect fusion of ancient and modern.
The city lies at the confluence of five rivers and the awe-inspiring sight of the Cathedral with the tallest spire in England is often described as ‘Britain’s best view’.
Voted one of the world’s Top Ten Cities by Lonely Planet, Salisbury is the perfect destination for visitors with its first class arts venues, great shopping, museums, stunning gardens, historic architecture and a huge range of eating options.
The story of Salisbury began 2,500 years ago when an Iron Age hill fort was built at Old Sarum about two miles north of today’s city centre.
The modern city of Salisbury began about the year 1217 when the Bishop decided to move his seat from Old Sarum to land owned by the church south of the hill.
By 1219 Salisbury had a market and an annual fair. Medieval Salisbury was very successful partly because it was on the road from Wilton to Southampton and from London to Exeter.
Work on Salisbury Cathedral began in 1220 and continued until 1258. The tower and spire were added in 1334. The Bishop’s Palace was also built in the 13th century.
Don’t Miss
Find out more about the attractions in and around Salisbury from the spectacular early English gothic Cathedral and best preserved Magna Carta through to the iconic site of Stonehenge, just nine miles north of the city. Salisbury City Guides offer medieval tours of the city and can provide foreign language speaking guides.
Enjoy walking the medieval streets and soaking up the history and heritage from the 18th century merchant’s dwelling Mompesson House to Arundells, the home of former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath, and on to The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum and Salisbury Museum housing one of Europe’s most extensive collections of Stonehenge and prehistoric artefacts. Stroll along footpaths in the pretty countryside surrounding the city, take a walk along the water meadows with stunning views of the Cathedral or take part in other leisure activities from cycling to golf or even skydiving!
Do you have what it takes to solve the clues, puzzles and challenges at two of the city’s Escape Rooms – Salisbury Escape Room and Live Escape Salisbury.
Salisbury has more than its fair share of parks and green spaces where you can relax over a picnic or enjoy a romantic stroll. The Cathedral Close, in particular, is an oasis of peace and tranquillity within its mighty wooden gates and massive stone walls.
Arts venues include Salisbury Playhouse, City Hall and Salisbury Arts Centre and at Fisherton Mill visitors can explore a treasure trove of amazing artwork in the largest independent art gallery in the South West.
Annual Events & Entertainment
The world-renowned Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival takes place at the end of May and beginning of June, with the next festival happening in 2019. The city hosts a free day of celebrations for St George’s Day in April and runs Salisbury Christmas Market in December.
Salisbury has been awarded Purple Flag status which is a ‘gold standard’ for visitor safety at night in the city.
Retail Therapy & Good Food
Salisbury has a wealth of independent shops which can be found on Milford Street, Winchester Street, Fisherton Street and the High Street plus many other locations around the city. To eat out you’ll not only find well-known names like Bill’s but many independent restaurants too. Enjoy al fresco dining at some centrally located restaurants including The Old Ale & Coffee House and Ox Row Inn, dine in style with views of Salisbury Cathedral’s spire from the Refectory Restaurant or head across the water meadows to The Old Mill at Harnham. Find more fabulous places to eat here.
Places to Stay
City Centre: The Mercure White Hart Hotel is just a short distance from the Cathedral Close, whereas the Cathedral Hotel is very centrally located for Salisbury’s markets and nightlife scene and the Best Western Red Lion Hotel is handy for Salisbury's market, shops and other attractions.
Spa: Just a short walk from the city centre and you’ll find Salisbury’s only spa hotel, Milford Hall Hotel & Spa.
Riverside: To the south side of the Cathedral Close lies the Legacy Rose and Crown Hotel with its pretty riverside garden with views over the water meadows to Salisbury Cathedral. Slightly further out, but with ample car parking, is the Grasmere House Hotel, which also offers beautiful riverside views looking towards Salisbury Cathedral.
B&Bs, Farm Stay and Self-Catering apartments: There are several bed and breakfasts, farm stay and self-catering providers in Salisbury including St Anns House, Wyndham Park Lodge, Peartree Serviced Apartments and in the surrounding area is Marshwood Farm which has both B&B and self-catering options.
A selection of Salisbury accommodation can be seen here.
Well Connected
Salisbury is approximately 90 minutes’ drive away from London and around 50 minutes from the ports of Portsmouth, Poole and Southampton. It is on the main train line from London to Exeter. There are regular National Express coach services into Salisbury from London, Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, Bath, Bristol and the Midlands. Salisbury is only 90 minutes from London Waterloo by train.
Nearby Attractions
The World Heritage Site of Stonehenge is nine miles north of Salisbury with its new visitor centre. Visit the iron age fort Old Sarum just two miles to the north of the city or the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at Old Sarum Airfield charting the story of flight in the UK.
- For further information go to www.visitsalisbury.co.uk
For further information or to arrange a press visit please contact Florence Wallace, Travel Trade & PR Manager, flowallace@visitwiltshire.co.uk Tel: 01722 341309 or 07436 588860
Note to editors: VisitWiltshire is the official Destination Management & Marketing Organisation for Wiltshire representing 600 partners. It is a public/private sector membership organisation. VisitWiltshire's priority is to grow the county's Visitor Economy by raising awareness of the destination and generating additional tourism visits and spend. Wiltshire's Visitor Economy currently generates an estimated £1.5billion and supports over 29,000 jobs.
For more information on Salisbury - www.salisburycitycouncil.gov.uk and www.salisburybid.co.uk
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