Old Sarum

Old Sarum is an archaeological site and Norman castle in Salisbury, England, with extensive earthworks and foundations on a hilltop. The cathedral outline lies within the inner rampart, while the castle remains occupy the highest point and overlook the surrounding plain.

The fort began in the fourth century before Christ as a hillfort and was later settled by Roman troops. After the Norman conquest, the new rulers built a royal castle here and moved the bishop's seat from Sherborne, before everything relocated to New Salisbury in the thirteenth century.

The name Sarum comes from a medieval shortening of the Latin Sarisburia and remains in use today. Visitors find here traces of the separation between castle and church, visible in distinct areas on the hill that speak of the tension between secular and spiritual power.

The path leads uphill over grassy ground, so sturdy shoes are recommended, especially in wet weather. Information panels on site explain the meaning of visible structures and help with orientation between the different areas.

The site remained a parliamentary constituency into the nineteenth century, even though no residents lived here anymore. These so-called rotten boroughs were notorious for allowing individual landowners to effectively appoint members of Parliament, until electoral reform ended the practice.

Location: Salisbury

Operator: English Heritage

Website: https://english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/old-sarum

GPS coordinates: 51.09333,-1.80472

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:05