Investigation into the Unused Doors of Salisbury

The northern approach to Salisbury is dominated by the remains of the hilltop fort called Old Sarum. This was settled continuously since at least 500BC, being used at various times by the Celts, Romans, Saxons and Normans. Sadly little more than the earthworks and the ruins of the Norman keep remain of what once was avbustling settlement, and the original site of Sailsbury Cathedral. Political machinations and tension between the crown and the church saw the cathedral relocated to the meadow below the citadel in 1221 and soon after Old Sarum was in decline, while a settlement called New Sarum grew up around the religious centre. New Sarum remained the official name of Sailsbury until 2009. Its architecture is glorious mix of various epochs of English history including the Cathedral, considered a masterpiece of the style of the time. It is also home to the best preserved of the four remaining copies of the Magna Carta. There are also many doors that aren’t used anymore.

Old yellow building with peeling paint, blue door, small set of stairs, and black handrail, shadows cast on the wall.

A beige building with a black door and window, a street sign that reads 'Exeter Street', some green plants, and a utility box.

A medieval wooden door with metal studs set in an arched stone frame, attached to an aged stone wall.

An old wooden gate with metal hinges set into a brick and stone wall in front of a historic church with stone walls, arched windows, and a tall tower with decorative stonework.

Close-up of an ornate Gothic church entrance with intricate stone carvings and statues surrounding the arched doorway.

Exterior of an old stone church with stained glass windows, a small wooden door, and barred small windows on the wall, with grass and gravel ground.

Green vintage door with ornate ironwork, set in a red brick wall, surrounded by small green bushes.

The entrance of a Gothic cathedral with three pointed arches, decorated with statues and carvings. A woman is sitting on the steps to the left, and a man with a dog is standing nearby to the right.

Front of brick house with white door and large white-framed windows on either side. Small garden with plants and flowers at the base of the house.

An old brick building with two boarded-up windows and a boarded-up central door, all with brick surrounds, and some ivy and fallen leaves at the base.

An old building with a weathered stone facade, a large arched window above a red door, and surrounded by greenery.

Close-up of an old brick wall with moss and lichen growth, showing a rectangular, boarded-up opening.

Old brick and stone wall with a small arched niche and a metal pipe running across it, with some debris on the ground.

Old stone wall with an arch and stepped cutout, possibly a window or niche, showing weathered and aged masonry.

An old stone wall and a large wooden door partially opened, revealing a dark, small space behind it. The door has an ornate design with rectangular and arched panels.

White double door entrance with arched window above, framed by red brick and stone walls.

The entrance of a historic Gothic church with pointed arches, columns, and ornate stone carvings, including devil and human faces, on the facade.

Black front door with decorative white trim on a red brick building. Small signs attached to the door. Two windows above the door and two more on the sides, all with white window frames.