#SalisburyCathedral #Salisburychurch #PillarsoftheEarth
We are in Salisbury, England visiting the Salisbury Cathedral and we are giving you the top 5 things that maybe you did not know about this magnificent gothic cathedral. That has inspired one of my favorite novels, The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, but more on that at spot number 2.
So here is our list of top 5 things to know about Salisbury Cathedral in England.
5. Salisbury Cathedral has the tallest spire in Britan. and the second talles spire in Europe. The spire is 404 feet tall and weighs in at 6,500 tons. In fact the entire construction of the cathedral is pretty amazing. for starters the entire fondation of Salisbury Cathedral is only 4 feet deep because of the high water table. So this soft soil has been supporting the weight of this magnificent church since the first stones were laid in 1220. Also it is one of the quickest built gothic cathedrals buit at that time, takig only 38 years
4. There is a natural bee house located on the grounds of the cathedral. The bee house is a replica of the magnifecent cathedral. But these lucky bees are not the most famous residents. Peregrine Falcons have been making the cathedral their nest. There have been records of peregrines nesting at Salisbury Cathedral since 1864. For nearly 90 years, these birds lived peacefully on our Tower, until the use of harmful pesticides (such as DDT), and persecution, led to a lengthy absence.
n 2014 a mated pair of peregrines nested, producing and fledging four chicks successfully in a nestbox built by the Works Yard team. Since then peregrines have hatched and fledged from the Tower every year except for 2018, when a territorial battle between two females prevented laying.
Salisbury Cathedral YouTube livestreams of the peregrines nesting are watched by thousands of people across the world every Spring.
3. The worlds oldest clock is inside the Cathedral. Many people just pass by this World record holder because it doesn't look much like a clock because it dosent have a face. But it does strike every hour.
2. Salisbury Cathedral was the topic of the novel "The Spire" and it was the inspiration for Ken Pullett's "The Pillars of the Earth" . The story of The Pillars of the Earth is about a town trying to construct one of the most incredible churches the world has ever known. The Pillars of the Earth was turned into a popular 8 hour minute miniseries. The finishes church was shot at Salisbury Cathedral with CGi mashing it up with Wells Cathedral in Wells, England about an hour away.
1. Our top spot had to go to the Magna Carta. Salisbury Cathedral is home to one of 4 surviving copies of the Magna Carta and is the one in best condition out of the 4. The historic document is in the Chapter House room. This is a beautifu octogon room surrounded by stainglass windows and an incredible fan ceiling.
Salisbury Cathedral really is an iconic monument in England and should be visited. Not for the facts mentioned abouve but you should visit this cathedral because of the way it makes you feel. You feel the powere of something bigger than ones self.
