Old Sarum, c.1955

Photo ref: O58173

More about this scene

As was the case with many other hillforts, the Roman army proved too efficient for the Celtic defenders. Six hundred years later, another invading army made Old Sarum its defensive home: the inner fortifications now contained a Norman castle and a cathedral. The site was windy, cold and harsh, and the monks were continually falling out with their Norman masters. This prompted them to obtain permission from the Pope to build a new cathedral a few miles away, now the site of the famous Salisbury cathedral. The use of flint was a cheap and essential building material, as can be seen here.