Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
SITE OF OLD SARUM
Antiquaries Exploring His
toric English Lands.
SOME RARE RELICS FOUND
Digging Out a Town Trodden by An
cient Briton, Roman, Saxon
and Dane.
From the London Standard.

rom the London Standard.
A small army of workmen, under the
direction of skilled antiquaries, are now
excavating on the historic site Of old
Sarum, the ruins of which are situated
two miles to the north Of Salisbury, or
New Sarum The place is marked by
the footsteps of the ancient Briton, the
Roman, the Saxon. the Dane. the Nor
man, and was connected with many STIR
ring events Of early English history. I'm
til the Society of Antiquaries took pos
session nothing remained of old Sarum
but an elevated plateau, ringed by deep
fosses or bitches and covered by soft
springy turf. the growth of ages.
Even now it is easy to realize the
early military Importance of this strong
hold. The garrison, securely intrenched
were masters of a fertile slice OF land,
and, as even the scanty records in exist
ence show. the fortress was coveted by
invader and defender alike The earliest
authentic history reveals old Sarum in
the possession of the Belgae. Vespasian' s
legions recognized the advantageous po-
sition Of the fortress, and. ousting the
Belgae, turned 1t into a strong Roman
fort under the title Sorbiodunum. After
the Romans came the Saxons and Alfred
the Great. in his successful resistance
of the invasion of the Danes, strength
ened the citadel. Great national councils
were convened there by William the
Conqueror, William Rufus and Henry 1,
and some believe that here the British
parliament took it's rise. The old city
did not reach it's browning glory until
after the translation of the episcopal see
thither in the reign of William the Con-
queror. and. as it attained it's greatest
prosperity under the successive bishops
Herman. Osmund. Roger. Jocelinde. Bal
SO it's fortunes declined when the ecclesi-
astical establishment withdrew. The
place gradually fell into decay. and the
process was fastened by the builders Of
the new city, who ruthlessly treated the
old city as stone quarry. They broke
down the walls of the old cathedral, the
fortress and houses existing there. and
bore away the masonry with which to
build new habitations Out of the chaos
present-day excavators are producing
something like order
Massive Masonry.
Col H. Hawley, F. s. A., is in charge
of the excavations. and he has had the
assistance of Mr.. ST John Hope and Mr..
Montgomery, both well known men,
bers of the Society of Antiquaries.
BY the time this seasons work was
commenced the citadel or fort, encircled
by what was at one time deep moat,
was laid bare. and the visitor obtains
good idea of the great walls and battl e.
ments. The original level of the court
yard has been preserved and all around
it are the walls dividing the apartments
of the garrison. Workmen from his mai
esty's office of works are now engaged
rendering these eXcavated walls perma-
nent. Ancient pottery and coins have
been discovered in plenty, but the inter-
est of the excavations is in the uncover
ing of the massive masonry, some in sur
prisingly good condition.
In the center of the castle the exca-