Visit the Salisbury Library and local archives

Informazioni

Fatti rapidi: The medieval reading room upstairs still has original oak benches worn smooth by centuries of scholars, and the chain of office worn by the city's mayors since 1227 is kept in the strongroom. Local parish registers dating back to 1538 fill entire cabinets, along with over 40,000 historic photographs of the city.

Punti salienti: Behind the reference desk, a locked cabinet holds the Salisbury Giant, a 12-foot-tall wicker and canvas effigy paraded through streets from 1496 until the 1970s. The archives also house the original 1220 charter that gave Salisbury permission to build its cathedral, complete with King Henry III's wax seal still intact.

Consigli da insider

• Ask the librarian to see the 1698 fire insurance map, easily the most detailed layout of old Salisbury you'll find anywhere.
• Photography without flash is usually allowed in the reading room, but the strongroom is off limits to casual visitors.
• Bring a pencil, not a pen, since ink is strictly forbidden near archive materials.
• Wednesday mornings see fewer researchers, so you can request multiple documents without a wait.

Altre attrazioni a Salisbury

Salisbury Cathedral

Old Sarum

Mompesson House

Salisbury Museum