Old Sarum

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Old Sarum A Norman castle built within an Iron Age hill fort. Steeped in history and with beautiful views of the surrounding Wiltshire countryside.
(1435)

Discover the story of the original Salisbury and take the family for a day out to Old Sarum, 2 miles north of where the city stands now. The mighty Iron Age hill fort was where the first cathedral once stood and the Romans, Normans and Saxons have all left their mark. Today, 5,000 years of history are told through graphic interpretation panels on site. Families, heritage lovers and walkers can enjoy a great value day out at Old Sarum - you could even bring a picnic and enjoy the fantastic views across the Wiltshire countryside. The gift shop has a delicious range of ice-creams and exclusive English Heritage gifts and produce. Wooden bows and arrows are also on sale to help the kids imagine what life was like all those years ago! Don't miss:

The spectacular view from the ramparts at Old Sarum to the 'new' cathedral in the centre of Salisbury. Our interesting interpretation panels bringing 5,000 years of history to life. Old Sarum's literary connections- you can buy some of the famous books written about the site in our shop.

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It's officially the 1st November! Sarum didn't let us forget what a great Halloween Half Term we have had - we were gree...
01/11/2026

It's officially the 1st November! Sarum didn't let us forget what a great Halloween Half Term we have had - we were greeted this morning with a spooky Sarum sleeping in the mist! 🎃

A lot of English Heritage sites will now be closing for for the winter, or going to reduced opening. Don't worry though, our local sites still have plenty to offer you! Farleigh Hungerford Castle and Old Wardour Castle are still open at weekends, and we and Stonehenge are open everyday! Come in and say hello! ⚔️🛡️

Happy Half Term Everyone!As the clocks have gone back, reminder to all those visiting, we are now closing at 4pm, last a...
25/10/2026

Happy Half Term Everyone!

As the clocks have gone back, reminder to all those visiting, we are now closing at 4pm, last admission 3:30pm.

Don't worry though, we still have plenty of fun for our visitors!
In addition to our always-on trail, there are some additional items to find across the castle.

A friendly witch has flown over Sarum, bit because of the high winds, she has dropped her pumpkins. Luckily, she wrote her names on her belongings 🧙‍♀️🧹

Each pumpkin has a letter on the back - help the team to unscramble the words to find out what her name is!

Foggy mornings at the castle are the best! There is something so special about being able to wander around the castle wh...
04/10/2026

Foggy mornings at the castle are the best!

There is something so special about being able to wander around the castle whilst it's peaking above the fog - it feels like you're on clouds! ⛅️⛅️

What's your favourite part about visiting?

27/09/2026

Old Sarum is now open for day time operation. Thank you for everyone's patience whilst we removed the mess

27/09/2026

Attention⚠️

Due to vandalism on site overnight we will be delaying opening the site this morning until all debris is removed.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused to your visit

Wow, good morning Old Sarum, thank you for the view!Sometimes there are benefits to getting into work early - a great wa...
21/09/2026

Wow, good morning Old Sarum, thank you for the view!

Sometimes there are benefits to getting into work early - a great way to start the day! ☀️

Did you know that it's Self-Care Awareness Month? 🤔We often get so bogged down by everyday life, and forget to treat our...
10/09/2026

Did you know that it's Self-Care Awareness Month? 🤔

We often get so bogged down by everyday life, and forget to treat ourselves and make ourselves feel good.

One of the best ways to take time for yourself and give yourself some cheap self-care is to get out and about in nature for a bit - taking a walk, planning a picnic, garden etc.🌲🌳🌿🍁🍂

Here at Old Sarum we have loads of great walks around the Outer Bailey and Iron Age Ramparts. If you fancied a longer one, there is a lovely walk from Old Sarum into Salisbury along the water meadows, or, if you really enjoy your hikes, Old Sarum is a stop along the Greay Sarsen Way! 🚶

Whatever sounds good to you, we have it. Why not grab an ice cream for yourself whilst you visit for a walk in the sunshine? 🍦☀️

We are missing the summer weather, and our summer events!Throwback to our Tale of Two Cathedrals event this June, we had...
04/09/2026

We are missing the summer weather, and our summer events!

Throwback to our Tale of Two Cathedrals event this June, we had an awesome time demonstrating medieval crafts from our amazing volunteers.

Did you know, had this been the actual medieval period, there would have been so many more people working and living around the castle and outer bailey here at Old Sarum? We were once a thriving royal castle with a town around the outside, both filled with crafts people, staff and servants to the royal castle. And this doesn't even include the added footfall from pilgrims, canons and financial supporters that would have lived and worked around the old cathedral too - talk about a busy place!

It's World Photography Day today!English Heritage sites make great backdrops for some stunning photographs - whether you...
19/08/2026

It's World Photography Day today!

English Heritage sites make great backdrops for some stunning photographs - whether you are an avid photographer or someone who prefers the occasional pic, our sites are always worth getting the camera out for!📷

Our staff love to take loads of photos of Old Sarum - if you've got any, share them in the comments below 👇

A huge thank you to all of the local residents and dog walkers who helped us clean up this morning!Last night, there was...
09/08/2026

A huge thank you to all of the local residents and dog walkers who helped us clean up this morning!

Last night, there was an event held at Old Sarum that we staff were not aware of, and a large amount of rubbish was left on our outer bailey, including damage to the ground.

We want to extend our gratitude to all the locals that helped collect the rubbish and informed staff of what they had found - your kindness has not gone unnoticed.

Address

Castle Road
Salisbury
SP13

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