Salisbury

Monday 10^th Feb 2014

Had a great night’s sleep as it wasn’t windy. Checked our emails first thing and - yes - our licences have been mailed from Australia (so just waiting now). Organised another night here tonight and booked another site nearer to Christchurch (where our licences will arrive) for tomorrow night (Orchard Lakes Bashley near New Milton). Walked into Fordingbridge (about 2 miles) and got the bus to the city of Salisbury (30min £14 return for both). What a lovely city so much better than what we expected, thought it would just be The Cathedral, but the rest of the city was very Olde worldy and quaint. We witnessed some flooded homes on the way in from the bus and the river in Salisbury was very high and running fast. Inside The Cathedral they pulled out a 6 inch square piece of stone set in the floor at the centre of the cathedral and with a 2 metre rod tested the height  of the water underneath - the water level was only about 6 inches below the floor (a bit of a concern for them I think). It is all built on loose gravel so not so much of a concern with movement (this is why they don’t have a crypt underneath). We were very lucky to have witnessed, in The Cathedral, one of the originals of The Magna Carta 1215 (only 4 have survived out of 13) it is written with a quill from a female swan (a female swan is called a Pen - so maybe that is where the name came from). And does anyone know where the Magna Carta was signed? At the bottom of course!!! Bet you all thought it was Runny Meade! Shopped around a bit and got more stuff for Priscilla then back on the bus. Walked from Fordingbridge up to Gorse Farm for a very much needed cup of tea. Another big day! Worn out! Made homemade soup and think an early night is in store.

Could not beleive he is buried here-in the cathedral! He had a house just opposite.

Picnic lunch here