Old Sarum Cathederal

Until I visited Old Sarum I never knew it was a hillfort let alone have a cathedral there but the place is huge and the place dates back to 400BC. The Normans took it over and built a Motte & Bailey Castle along with a Royal Palace and Great Cathedral. It lasted 300 years till the Salisbury Bishop fell out with the Wiltshire sheriff causing the removal of the church to where the present Salisbury is now.English Heritage now own the site and the outline of the cathedral is still there

This is a model of Old Sarum Cathedral which is part of a bigger one at Salisbury Cathedral picture is from Wickipedia  so it will give you an idea as to what I will be showing you in the rest of the blog.

The picture shows the Cathedral from the North so the chancel is on the left hand side beside that you can see the cloisters. 

This is what is there now just the outline

there is an information board telling you about the Cathedrals 

an another telling you about the fellow who had it moved.

 This looks from the east end of the site where the chancel & altar would have been

This to the old east gate of the castle 800 years ago I'd have been looking at a huge support pillar had I been stood in the same place

This view would be looking down the nave to the chancel

which they think looked like this according to the board in the photo

The information is on the right and you should be able to read it if you click on the photo

 Same view only from outside the west end wall

The South Transept 

If you remember the first picture you can see a building in front of the North Transept, well this is what is left of that.

This was the Vestry or Treasury  there were windows as we can see from the dips in the stonework, just beyond you can see the outline of the Cloister

the place was supported on these pillars

 Small alcove in the wall

Looking along to the Cloister end of the vestry

 This was one of the windows that let light in the place

The outer wall of the Cathedral and part of the cloister looking to the Vestry

and this was part of the cloister with the vestry at the end

The new cathedral can be seen in the distance and that is where all the robbed stone from the original went so if you visit the new one you will also be walking in parts of the old one

Hope you have enjoyed my little trip round Old Sarum Cathedral
Have a good Weekend

St Mary Builth Wells

Some of the following photos were taken a few years ago on one of my visits to Builth Wells. The visit was cut short as you can see later in the blog. All the photo's were taken handheld with out the tripod. I have now added photo's from my latest visit in 2025

The churchyard at St Mary Builth Wells. John Wesley preached in the churchyard on the 3rd May 1743

 

 2025 some updated photos

One of the paths through the churchyard

St Marys church  from across the churchyard

The churchyard looking towards towards the church hall, the spire if from another of the towns chapels

Going in the porch you can see this tomb effigy

Latest photo of the effigy which is John Lloid of Towy 1st Sheriff & Justice of the peace in Wales & servant of Queen Elizabeth I. He died in 1585

Really nice tomb slab or memorial which dates back to 1606, must be the oldest I have seen

 

Roll of honor in the porch

The entrance to St Mary with the font to the right

 

Looking across from the nave to the south asile

 

 

Carving on the west wall
 

Inside you can see this bell which was cast in 1764 and rehung in 2002 for the Queens Golden Jubilee. The plaque on the right tells you more

The Font with carved cover near the entrance

 

There is also some great stained glass windows in the church, this one I think is at the back

 The rose window

 

This is a rather impressive window which depicts the nativity
 

These are the windows showing the Annunciation and the Birth of Christ  which were in the last shot 

 

 

Figures in the four smaller windows

 

 sowing people from the bible

 

 

This one is has an inscription. "Dedicated to all little ones, in Memory of Harold Carpenter.

 

This stained glass window is in  the South Aisle

 

The nave looking towards the chancel

 

2025 and they have now put an altar in front of the chancel arch

 

 

Which gives it a different look

 

 Looking down the nave in 2025

 

 

First time  when I went to take photos of the chancel I noticed a coffin and promptly stopped what I was doing. At this point I felt I was intruding and after saying a prayer left the church. I felt some one should have been with the coffin and after regretted not staying a while RIP.

 

 This time I was able to get a photo of the chancel

 

 Updated photo 2025

 and the chancel window

 

The carved wooden Altar

 

 Alter and east window

 

 

View back down the nave to the back of the church

 

Organ in the chancel

Eagle Lectern which is looking to the Roll of Honor

 

 The carved wooden pulpit 

 

Pulpit view 

 

Fall of poppies

 

 

South aisle

 View from the entrance door

 

The churchyard looking across to the South side of the churchyard












Looking across to the North side of the churchyard

 

Looking up to the Church tower which dates back to 1300

Taken in 2025

Have an enjoyable Weekend