At times Sarum was a pleasure to read, following the cleverly intertwined lives of the Mason, Godfrey and Porter families through the generations. At other times I felt that it was a chore, a challenge, a marathon - and this time it wasn't going to beat me!!!

Sarum Edward Rutherfurd

Ancient Wilts," — Sir R.C. Hoare, speaking of Stonehenge, expresses his opinion that "our earliest inhabitants were Celts, who naturally introduced with them their own buildings customs, rites, and religions ceremonies, and to them I attribute the erection of Stonehenge, and the greater part of the sepulchral memorials that still continue to render its environs so truly interesting to the antiquary and historian." Abury, or Avebury, is a village amidst the remains of an immense temple, which for magnificence and extent is supposed to have exceeded the more celebrated fabric of Stonehenge; some enthusiastic inquirers have however, carried their supposition beyond probability, and in their zeal have even supposed them to be antediluvian labours! Many of the barrows in the vicinity of Sarum have been opened, and in them several antiquarian relics have been discovered. In short, the whole county is one of high antiquarian interest, and its history has been illustrated with due fidelity and research. This has led more recent scholars to doubt the original inhabitants were actually Celts. It is now believed they may have been the much earlier "Beaker People", so named for the beaker-shaped pots they made. In 1917, during World War I, farmland about 1 mile (1.6km) north-east of Old Sarum, along the Portway, was developed as the 'Ford Farm' aerodrome. That became Old Sarum Airfield, which remained in operation with a single grass runway until at least 2019 [39] with a small business park which developed along the north edge of the airfield. As of January 2023 the airfield is still operational, but only by prior arrangement. [40] Some Western Rite Orthodox congregations have adopted the use due to its antiquity and similarities with the Byzantine Rite. [14] This includes Western Rite members of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, as well as the Old Calendarist Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of North and South America and the British Isles. A masterpiece of breathtaking scope—a brilliantly conceived epic novel that traces the entire turbulent course of English history.Medieval Sarum also seems to have had industrial facilities such as kilns and furnaces. [8] Residential areas were principally located in the two southern quadrants, built up beside the ditch protecting the inner bailey and Norman castle. [15] Henry II held his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, prisoner at Old Sarum. In the 1190s, the plain [ clarification needed] between Old Sarum and Wilton was one of five specially designated by Richard I for the holding of English tournaments. [30] The first half of the book I enjoyed more than the latter half. By the end I was bored. The book’s magic had fizzled out. It no longer gave me much that was new. The language is very easy to read, and events (such as the wars) are not presented in a Tolstoyian philosophical fashion. The narrative hooks you in, and it was a nightmare to put the book down at times. However, having conquered the first of the Rutherfurd tomes in my bookshelves, I now look forward to reading some more of him. I have never been to Salisbury, but now I feel I need to pay the place a visit. This is a book about life in England, not just the location where Stonehenge came to be. We start at one little spot but as the world progresses and changes occur, the focus expands. Today the whole world is one’s oyster. The book’s setting grows in the same way-- Stonehenge, Sarum, Salisbury, Wessex, England, the British Empire and then the entire world.

Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd | Waterstones

This is another book that gets 5 stars for being a great big hunk of enjoyable cheese. But it's historical cheese! In covering such a wide span of topics, locations and time, the book spreads itself thin. This is merely my view of course! Webber, Teresa (2011). Osmund [St Osmund] (d. 1099), bishop of Salisbury. doi: 10.1093/ref:odnb/20902. {{ cite encyclopedia}}: |work= ignored ( help) Oxford Jesus College MS.111 (The Red Book of Hergest). (in Old Welsh). Cardiff, Wales: University of Cardiff. 2014. p.147r, col.600. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Trioedd Ynys Prydain, Cas Bethau, Enwau ac Anrhyfeddodau Ynys Prydain It also helps that the book is broken down into what actually amounts to a collection of short stories with common characteristics. It needs to be for obvious reasons if one's story spans over 10,000 years. Any one person's life is but a blink of an eye during such a time span. In fact, so is the existence of a whole family unit.Further, the final third abandoned the previously mentioned delightful recurring device, and the reader feels cheated as it had been set up as a device that one expects to see again and again.

Sarum: The Novel of England by Edward Rutherfurd | Goodreads

This is truly a jewel of a book, the first book by Rutherfurd in his line of epic history-oriented novels that span the centuries of a whole country or a single city. For me, it's the second I read by the author (the first one being The Princes of Ireland). It is truly amazing; though, just like the scope of the storyline, I can barely start to explain why. If all history books were written in the manner of this masterpiece, children would adore the subject at school. It will stand side by side with Winston Churchill's volumes on English history on bookshelves throughout the world.' Climb the mighty ramparts for views over the Wiltshire plains and imagine the once thriving town of Old Sarum. Stand in the footprint of Salisbury's original cathedral, conquer the royal castle which stood high on the motte, and discover the awe-inspiring Iron Age hill fort where it all began. Unearth over 2,000 years of history and find out how the Romans, Normans and Saxons have all left their mark on this impressive landscape. Judgement: If you have a LOT of spare time, and love historical fiction, then I totally recommend this book. If not... I would recommend his shorter novel, "Princes of Ireland", or maybe just another author with shorter books. 3/5 stars.So, on 1 August 1086, William hosted a great gathering at Old Sarum. According to the royal chronicler:

Sarum | English Heritage Old Sarum | English Heritage

By the summer of 1086 this process would have been completed and its results available to the king. This may have been deliberately timed to coincide with the ceremony on 1 August, to emphasise the fact that all land tenure depended ultimately on the king.The nice concept (though far-fetched) that Rutherford employs here is common traits; physical, mental and psychological that subsequent generations of a family share and I enjoyed the rise and fall in fortunes of the various clans through the ages. Joseph, James R. (2016). Sarum Use and Disuse: A Study in Social and Liturgical History (Thesis). University of Dayton. Sarum (also titled Sarum: The Novel of England) is a work of historical fiction by Edward Rutherfurd, first published in 1987. It is Rutherfurd's literary debut. It tells the story of England through the tales of several families in and around the English city of Salisbury, the writer's hometown, from prehistoric times to 1985. [1] Characters [ edit ] Mayer, Jean-François (2016). " 'We are westerners and must remain westerners': Orthodoxy and Western Rites in Western Europe". In Hämmerli, Maria (ed.). Orthodox Identities in Western Europe: Migration, Settlement and Innovation. London: Routledge. pp.267–290. doi: 10.4324/9781315599144. ISBN 978-1-315-59914-4.