Salisbury Cathedral

Timeline

1. 1220New site on Salisbury Plain · WiltshireIn 1220 the cathedral was founded on a new site on Salisbury Plain, freeing it from the constraints of the old royal fortress of Old Sarum, and a unified plan built the Gothic cathedral and new town together in one campaign, marking the formation of an English Early Gothic urban religious center.
2. 1220–1240Salisbury Cathedral construction site · WiltshireBetween 1220 and 1240 the nave, double aisles, and triple-rib vaults advanced rapidly, adopting Early English Gothic forms with well-proportioned bays and plain arcades; the work proceeded continuously with little evidence of later alteration, reflecting a unified design intent.
3. 1241–1258Salisbury Cathedral · WiltshireBetween 1241 and 1258 the choir and east end were completed, and the main body of the cathedral was essentially finished; the ribs, window openings, and stone carving are highly consistent in style, making it one of the very few large Gothic cathedrals in England completed almost simultaneously within a few decades, with 1258 marking the culmination of the building campaign.
4. c. 1300–1320Salisbury Cathedral · WiltshireIn the early 14th century a spire 123 meters high was added, one of the tallest church spires in England, making Salisbury Cathedral a long-distance landmark visible across the plain; the city layout developed around the cathedral and the Close green, continuing to this day.