Salisberie.
("Doomsday Book.")
Salisbury affords a remarkable instance of the complete transference of
the cathedral followed by the ultimate desertion of the city in the
change from old Sarum, the original site, to New Sarum, another within a
short distance--one might almost say within a stone's throw. In the old
days of prosperity Old Sarum, now simply a conical mass of ruins, was
peopled with the Belgae, who came from Gaul and ousted the original
inhabitants. How this site ever came to be chosen as a desirable place
of settlement seems to be rather a mystery, for even in those early days
constant difficulties arose with regard to the insufficiency of water.
They aptly called it "the dry city," which is supposed to be the meaning
of the old name Searobyrig, which later underwent a further
contraction--Scarborough. This arid spot, however, received the
attention of the Romans, who possibly were attracted by the natural
advantages of defence offered by the conical mound rising abruptly, as
it does, from the valley. They carried on the old name and Latinised it,
as they invariably seemed to have done, or rather made a compromise
between the native and their own formation, and arrived at Sorbiordunum.
The scarcity of water seems not to have deterred them in any way, as
witness the many evidences of their fossae, extensive ramparts, and
fortress--signs which indicate that in their hands Old Sarum was held to
be of considerable importance. Roman roads branched out of it, no doubt
pointing to the four cardinal points, in accordance with regular custom,
though their whereabouts may be difficult to define, seeing that several
centuries have passed since the desertion of Old Sarum.
With their passing away the Roman conquerors have left behind them many
relics, possibly in their day considered worthless, but the unearthing
of which has caused, for many a year, unalloyed joy and given a
priceless treasure to the unwearied antiquaries. Another great source of
speculation to the archaeologists has been the temple of the Druids
erected some time at Stonehenge. It lies beyond the city on the great
Salisbury plain. This primitive form of architecture takes us back to
many years before Christ, when the early Britons wore no clothes, save
the skins of animals they slew in the chase, and when they could neither
read, write, weave, nor do anything which would be considered nowadays
as civilising. They were to all intents and purposes mere savages, kept
in control by their priests and lawgivers, the Druids, whom they held in
the greatest respect. The Britons, we are told, had the additional
discomfort of dwelling in holes burrowed in the ground, or in miserably
constructed huts. In view of this poor state of domestic architecture,
how they ever managed to erect roofless temples, as at Stonehenge and at
the island of Anglesea, and to overcome, what must have been to them a
very great engineering feat, the setting up of the heavy blocks of stone
_in situ_, seems marvellous and not easy of explanation.
[Illustration: SALISBURY