Ask someone to name a few cities in the UK and the chances are
Salisbury will not be one of them, but at one time this town in Wiltshire was the seventh largest in England. Originally called New Sarum, it came into existence when the Bishops of the cathedral at
Old Sarum decided to build a new cathedral several miles away from the Iron-age Hill Fort. The foundation was laid in 1220 and the cathedral was consecrated in 1258. In the meantime a thriving community built up around it eventually leading to the abandonment of Old Sarum.
While the terms city and town tend to be used interchangeably, in the UK official city status is granted by a royal charter and was historically given to those towns with a cathedral. Salisbury was recognized as a city in 1227, long before many of the more well known cities of today!
Not surprisingly, the highlight of Salisbury is the
cathedral.
