The Medieval Masterpieces of Salisbury Cathedral‏

Now we wouldn't say we were religious but for the third time in a month we'd found something surprising and very unique inside a cathedral. First it was the ancient world map in Hereford, then the Roman ruins under York Minster and now the Magna Carta in Salisbury.

The "1000 Places To See..." entry concentrates on the 123m spire which, when completed in 1330 made the cathedral the tallest structure in the known world - and still the tallest spire in England. Its immense weight (c6,500 tons) has caused the supporting marble columns to bend quite noticeably when you stare up at them from the nave.

The book mentions one of the cathedral's treasures; the oldest working clock in the world. Dating back to 1386, it's a strange mechanical contraption, without a face, designed to strike a bell to mark each passing hour. Beside the clock is a detailed model of the cathedral in the middle of its construction. Amazingly it only took 38 years to complete, a tremendous achievement in the technically undeveloped 13th century. 

 Quite of few of the original stained glass windows have miraculously survived and are being painstakingly restored to their former glory. The beautifully carved wooden stalls of the Quire are also original, making them the earliest complete set in England.

Abutting the cathedral is the Chapter House where the famous Magna Carta resides. The contract is guarded by a very enthusiastic guardian who pounced on us as soon as we entered the room. She insisted that we shouldn't miss the 13th century carved stone frieze around the octagonal building, depicting stories from the first two books of the bible. Handing over an information sheet explaining each frieze, we dutifully circumnavigated the room before turning to the Magna Carta. And yes, she had more information sheets for us on that. 

 Only four originals of the Magna Carta, written in 1215, survive and the one in Salisbury Cathedral is generally regarded as the best preserved. For a document that has become a symbol of law in this country, and whose major clauses underpin the national constitutions of most democratic countries in the world, including the USA, it is surprisingly small. The 3,500 abbreviated Latin words in the 63 continuous clauses are written on one side of a single piece of vellum (calf skins) about the size of tabloid newspaper. 

Stock photo

Not surprisingly, we weren't allowed to take photographs of the Magna Carta or the Charter House, but when we emerged, the sun appeared from behind the clouds, bathing the cathedral in warm winter sunshine making it glow against the blue sky. Stunning. 

Salisbury Cathedral is a medieval masterpiece in its own right and deserves its entry in "1000 Places..." , but like other cathedrals, it's not just the outside of the building that should garner your interest. It's inside that you find the surprises.