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History of the Cathedral

1075 - 1092 Norman Cathedral built at Old Sarum
1215 Magna Carta sealed
1220 New Cathedral started on Salisbury Water Meadows. Foundation Stone Laid by Bishop Poore
1240 - 1270 Cloisters Built
1258 Cathedral dedicated and most Canonries built. Old Deanery built and became residence of the Dean
1263 - 1284 Chapter House built
1265 Bell Tower Built. West Front finished (approximate date)
1327 Licence granted to build Close Wall from stone taken from Cathedral at Old Sarum.
1330 Completion of Tower and Spire (approximate date)
1331 Wall around The Close was built
1370 Construction of Tower Scaffolding
1612 James I lodges at King's House
1624 Taverns and ale houses in The Close
1714 Wren Hall, the Old Choristers School is completed
1788 - 1791 Restoration of the Cathedral by James Wyatt. Demolition of Bell Tower and levelling of churchyard to grass
1823 The artist John Constable paints his famous view of the cathedral from the grounds of the Bishop's Palace
1860 - 1878 Restoration of the Cathedral and some Close houses by Sir George Gilbert Scott
1945 - 1951 Top 30 feet of spire rebuilt
1947 Bishop's Palace became Cathedral School
1981 Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museums established in King's House
1985 Spire Appeal started to raise £6,500,000 for the repair and conservation of the Spire, Tower and West Front
1991 Commencement of the Major Repair Programme, a 20 year, £20 million programme partly funded by English Heritage
2000 Redevelopment of "The Plumbery" providing new shop and restaurant facilities under a glass roof giving new views of the Spire
2000 Completion of the repair and conservation of the Spire, Tower and West Front
2000 New statue of second Angel installed on West Front
2001 New statue of St Aldhelm installed on West Front
New Cathedral Statutes and Constitution
2003 New statue of poet George Herbert installed on West Front
2004 Present Dean - the Very Revd June Osborne installed
New Cathedral Chairs (Howe 404 - designer David Rowland)
2004-5 New embroidered cushions on plinths in Chapter House
2006-7 New stained glass window for the Army Air Corps Memorial
2008 750 Anniversary year
Relighting of Cathedral. Won the Lighting Design award in the Heritage category.
New statue of Canon Ezra installed on West Front
Permanent Font installed, designed by William Pye and consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at a special 750th Anniversary service on 28 September
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