D. Salisbury

Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England, situated at the confluence of three rivers and near Salisbury Plain. Its history stretches back to ancient British settlements, with its name evolving through Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods. The city's development is intrinsically linked to its cathedral, with Old Sarum initially serving as a fortified settlement and later the site of the first cathedral. The relocation to the current site led to the establishment of New Sarum in the 13th century, which grew to become Wiltshire's largest settlement by the 14th century.

The city has witnessed significant historical events, including royal meetings, parliamentary sessions, and periods of civil unrest. Its strategic location and the presence of its magnificent cathedral, known for its tall spire and ancient clock, have made it a place of enduring importance. The cathedral itself houses one of the best-preserved copies of Magna Carta. The city's name has a complex etymology, derived from ancient British and Roman terms, evolving through Anglo-Saxon and Middle English into its modern form.

The area that became Salisbury has a long history of settlement, with evidence of early occupation near Neolithic sites like Stonehenge. It was known as Cair-Caratauc among the Ancient Britons, with variations appearing in the Welsh Chronicle of the Britons as Caer-Caradog, Caer-Gradawc, and Caer-Wallawg. By the Roman period, the name transformed into Sorbiodūnum, where '-dūnon' signified 'fortress'. During the Anglo-Saxon era, around the late 9th century, it was called Searoburg, a partial translation of the Roman name, with 'burg' meaning 'fort'. This evolved through Middle English to Sarisberie, abbreviated to Sar, and eventually Latinized as Sarum.

The hilltop of Old Sarum, strategically positioned between rivers and ancient trade routes, was fortified as a hillfort between 600 and 300 BC. It was captured by King Cynric of Wessex in 552 and later refortified by King Alfred during Viking invasions. After being abandoned and sacked in 1003, it became the site of Wilton's mint. Following the Norman Conquest, a castle was built there. In 1075, the first bishop of Salisbury was appointed, and the construction of the first Salisbury Cathedral began at Old Sarum, though completed by his successor, Saint Osmund, who was also responsible for codifying the Sarum Rite and compiling the Domesday Book. Bishop Roger later expanded the cathedral and began constructing a royal palace before his arrest.

The relocation of the cathedral from Old Sarum to its current valley site was initiated by Bishops Herbert and Richard Poore, with approval from King Richard I, though delayed by various conflicts. Bishop Peter of Blois advocated for the move, describing the existing site as a 'captive within the walls of the citadel'. In 1220, Richard Poore moved the cathedral to his estate at Veteres Sarisberias, a meadow near the confluence of the Rivers Nadder and Avon, establishing a new town known as 'New Sarum'. The town was designed on a grid layout, and construction of the present Salisbury Cathedral commenced in 1221. The cathedral, a masterpiece of Early English architecture, features the UK's tallest spire and houses one of the world's oldest surviving mechanical clocks and a well-preserved copy of Magna Carta.

New Sarum received its city charter in 1227 and by the 14th century was the largest settlement in Wiltshire. The city walls, built from stones taken from the old cathedral, were constructed in the 14th century. The city hosted parliamentary meetings in the 14th century and experienced riots in 1450, coinciding with Jack Cade's rebellion, which led to the murder of Bishop William Ayscough. In 1483, Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, was executed in Salisbury after leading a rebellion against Richard III. The River Avon was made navigable to New Sarum in the 17th century, though the project was short-lived. During the Great Plague, Charles II held court in Salisbury, and in 1688, James II assembled his forces there to resist the Glorious Revolution.

“Let us descend into the plain! There are rich fields and fertile valleys abounding in the fruits of the earth and watered by the living stream. There is a seat for the Virgin Patroness of our church to which the world cannot produce a parallel.”