Old Sarum

The original Salisbury — an Iron Age hillfort, Norman castle and abandoned medieval city on a dramatic hilltop

Old Sarum is where Salisbury began. This extraordinary hilltop site, 2 miles north of the modern city, has been continuously occupied for over five thousand years — as an Iron Age fort, a Roman town, a Saxon stronghold, and finally a Norman castle and cathedral city that was abandoned in the 13th century in favour of the valley site we know today.

The earthwork ramparts that ring the hilltop are genuinely impressive — several metres high in places and enclosing a wide area. Inside, the foundations of the Norman castle and the original Salisbury Cathedral (predecessor to the current building) are clearly visible. Managed by English Heritage, the site has an informative visitor centre at the entrance.

The views from the top are extraordinary — Salisbury itself visible in the valley below, Stonehenge on the horizon to the north, and Salisbury Plain stretching away in all directions. The wind on the hilltop can be fierce even on calm days in the valley — it's said the clergy abandoned Old Sarum partly because the wind was so relentless.