Stepping back in time
Salisbury Cathedral's magnificent spire – the tallest in England – may be visible for miles around, but it was the intrusive voice of an American woman which was drawing the most attention.
The woman was urging her husband to make sure he got the noticeboard with the cathedral's name on in his photograph. That way, the couple wouldn't confuse Salisbury with all the other great British sights on their whistlestop tour.
To many tourists like this American couple, Salisbury cathedral may be just another quaint relic of our ecclesiastical history to snap away at. In fact, it has something that no other cathedral can boast: the world's best preserved Magna Carta – one of only four remaining copies.
In the rather stark circular confines of the Chapter House the almost 800-year-old charter attracted plenty of passing interest from the sightseeing throng. I am not sure how many of them truly appreciated what it is all about given their busy schedules. Perhaps that's why a charming guide seemed very pleased that I was taking the trouble to learn more.
And this is where seeing the "real thing" beats countless boring history lessons in school.
For what I found so fascinating about Salisbury's Magna Carta – as I stood there taking shorthand notes – was that it was actually written in shorthand, too. Albeit a Latin method in a Gothic script with Arabic symbols. Why? There was no other way for the scribe, Elias Dereham, the then canon, to squeeze 3,500 words on to such a small piece of calfskin.
In the nave you can also see what is probably the oldest working mechanical clock in the world, dating back to 1386. Curiously, it has no hands and no face, but rings a chime of bells every hour, having been built to call the bishops to services.
Salisbury has plenty of other charms beside its cathedral, although the spire rising above the water meadows, as so timelessly captured by Constable, is most people's abiding vision of this city.
There are quaint, half timbered buildings, a bustling market and inviting small shops in the compact city centre. On the outskirts are the remains of the prehistoric fortress of Old Sarum built by Iron Age people in about 500BC. Then there is the rolling countryside with its pretty villages and thatched cottages. No wonder the Americans and Japanese love it here.
By far the biggest draw to Wiltshire, of course, is the World Heritage Site of Stonehenge. While I am the first to admit that Stonehenge certainly has the "wow" factor, I much prefer its near-contemporary at Avebury. For a start, Avebury, 20 miles further north, makes Stonehenge look small. Avebury also has not one, but three, "circles"– and it's older. Best of all, while the boulders at Stonehenge are fenced off for protection against the hordes of visitors, at Avebury you can get right to the heart, physically and spiritually, of much of the huge stone circle.
Fascinating as both these henges are, our daughters had wanted to come to Wiltshire for an altogether different reason. They had heard about Longleat Safari Park, near Warminster, from their big brother. Not the lions for which this beautiful country estate is famous, I hasten to add, but for altogether much smaller creatures.
My son is now in his twenties. To this day, he talks of the monkey which ripped a hole in the vinyl roof of the car that we had at the time of his last visit, aged three. Sophie just had to see for herself how much mischief this next generation of monkeys could make.
Everyone drives at a snail's pace through the park fervently hoping that a few little monkeys will climb onto their cars. It's quite amusing actually to watch the rather worried expressions on the (usually male) drivers' faces while the smaller passengers do their best to attract the cheeky creatures. It just wouldn't be the same if you drove through without the sight of a small pink bottom pressed up against your windscreen or the attempts to pull off your wipers. Our girls were delighted when the raindrops on our bonnet attracted several obviously thirsty monkeys eager to lick them off.
When it came to encounters with the other animals that roam the various themed reserves we weren't disappointed either. Wolves, lions, huge Siberian tigers, camels, eland, deer, giraffe, zebra, white rhino, and water buffalo could all be clearly seen, huddling under trees out of the rain that had set in.
As soon as the sun started to reappear we took off into the gloriously peaceful countryside. At the ancient village of Lacock, about five miles from the pleasant market town of Devizes, we felt like we'd stepped on to a film set. Indeed we had. This National Trust village, often described as "lost in time", is regularly used for film locations, including one of the Harry Potter films and the BBC's Pride and Prejudice. The Abbey and museum dedicated to William Henry Fox Talbot, father of modern photography, were closed at the time of our visit. But the ancient village was well worth a couple of hours' wandering around, although in the failed hope that I might see gorgeous actor Colin Firth, tight breeches and all, emerging from one of the inns.
Other of Wiltshire's claims to fame are the eight white horses etched into its chalky hills. One of the best examples is the 17th century horse cut into the hillside just below the Iron Age fort of Bratton Camp, overlooking the small town of Westbury.
Best viewed from a distance or, better still, from the air, one wonders what our ancestors must have been thinking when they went to all that trouble. After all, this is the UFO triangle, noted for its strange sightings in the sky as well as for its puzzling crop circles. Indeed, the most inspirational sight for me during our trip was that of the paragliders who soared like huge, colourful eagles in the updrafts above the horse at Westbury.
As I watched, in admiration and awe, I couldn't help but ponder the wonders and mysteries of Wiltshire. No one really knows or understands the purpose of its horses and henges, but that's the great attraction of this magical county.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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