More boggling at the feats of our ancestors

[charlie_cochrane]

We had our next adventure in our "walk something historical then have a slap up lunch" series on Sunday, going round Old Sarum. What a stunning place, not least for sheer scale.



We are still in awe of people's ability in constructing these places without mechanisation:





Have to admit we had a real "Well, duh!" moment. It's been a debating point between me and Mr C about how they kept these places supplied with water. Half way round the ramparts I said, "They had a well. Of course!" Talk about missing the bleedin' obvious.

Comments

[chris-quinton.livejournal.com]

Yup, they had A Well, but the main one was under the control of the Castle-folk, and there was an ongoing tug of war between them and the Cathedral-folk. Hence Bishop Whatisname deciding to move the cathedral down to church land in the valley. Legend has it he shot an arrow and said he'd build wherever it landed. Must have been a damn-good following wind - and it not only came down on church land, but also on the main gravel bank in the river's flood plain... :-)

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

LOL Shades of Robin Hood. Thanks for the details - we saw the castle well, but not one in the main part!

[helenajust.livejournal.com]

It is an amazing place, isn't it? The church applied for leave from the Pope to build the cathedral in a new place because they had no room for the monastery to grow in Old Sarum (and there were conflicts as Chris says), and then Salisbury grew up around the Cathedral. But that steep ditch and rampart are amazing, and were they not once bright with exposed chalk?

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

I think they were, to impress the neighbours. Stu on Time Team was talking yesterday about how they used terraces on slopes to construct ramparts - we are going to do an experiment when we're next at the beach!

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I had no idea it was so huge!

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Neither had we. An entire town there, though.

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

Old Sarum is excellent indeed.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

I have no idea why it took us so long to go there!