TODAY, Salisbury Cathedral is celebrating the 800th anniversary of the laying of the first foundation stones on its present site.

This will be marked with two online events - a service of thanksgiving on the 800th Anniversary of the Laying of the Foundation Stones of the Cathedral Church of New Sarum and a virtual art tour, Celebrating 800 years of Spirit and Endeavour.

The online service starts at 11am and will be streamed from the cathedral's website. 

Canon Anna Macham, Canon Precentor of Salisbury Cathedral said: “On 28 April it will be the 800 anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of our Cathedral, following the decision made by Bishop Richard Poore and the Chapter in 1218 to relocate the Cathedral from its former site at Old Sarum and build a new one in its current location (New Sarum), thus bringing about a new era in the Cathedral’s history and giving birth to the city of Salisbury. We will be celebrating the anniversary more fully later in the year when the Cathedral is open again for public worship, but for the time being we look forward to bringing the Cathedral to you in this celebratory service, in which we give thanks for the many blessings of this beautiful building, built to the glory of God, over the centuries.”

The first reading in the service is one that was read at the blessing of a new ‘foundation’ stone at Chilmark Quarry in February 2020: the stone will be worked by the Cathedral stone masons and laid in the East End of the Cathedral, the first part to be built, at a future date.

The Gospel reading is one used for the original feast day of St Vitalis of Milan which, according to the Register of St Osmund that is held in the Cathedral archive, was the day the foundation stone was laid.

The address during the service will come from the Dean of Salisbury, The Very Reverend Nicholas Papadopulos, and in addition to readings there will be prayers and music taken from recordings made by Salisbury Cathedral Choir.

The spoken parts of the service have been pre-recorded at home by members of the clergy and staff team and a dramatised account of the move from Old Sarum and the foundation of the new Cathedral (taken from material held in the Cathedral archive), is being recorded by the Cathedral choristers with the Bishop of Salisbury, the Right Reverend Nicholas Holtam, playing Osmund, the first Bishop of Sarum. Many thanks to Salisbury Cathedral School’s headmaster, Clive Marriot and teacher, Jake Reynolds for helping make this happen.

Read more about Celebrating 800 years of Spirit and Endeavour here.