If I could move anywhere in the United Kingdom (without having to worry about a job), I would move to Salisbury. (However, I also like the Cotswolds, so that's a contender.) I fell in love with Salisbury in 2000, when a past boyfriend took me there to visit as he lived down the road in the New Forest and his parents worked in Salisbury; Salisbury was their nearest big city and the closest with a train station, and I'd find myself traveling down on the train from London on Friday evenings to see him every other weekend. I also worked there for a few months. I've visited the town now and again over the course of the last decade, so when I learned about the Baron's Charter sculpture trail last year, I knew that I'd be paying the city another visit this summer.
MC 800 Baron - Mark Elling
The Baron's Charter sculpture trail consists of 25 painted sculptures in the shape of a baron. They commemorate 800 years since the signing of the Magna Carta (1215), a set rules/laws for society of that time, which influences current civilisation. Salisbury Cathedral displays one of the remaining signed Magna Carta documents. Only four of these are in existance today, and the others can be seen at Lincoln and the British Library.
The Magna Carta Baron - Donald Brown
The trail is on display until the 6th of September. After it finished, the barons will be auctioned off for charity Trussell Trust, to provide food for those who need it. Below are photographs of the barons from the sculpture trail.
Stained Glass Flower Baron - Louise Luton
Salisbury Market Baron - Lee O'Brien
Stonehenge Winter Solstice Druid - Mandii Pope
Traditional Tribal Baron - Jake Cook
The Salisbury Baron - Jodie Silverman
Discworld Knight - Paul Kidby
Astro Baron - Jenny Leonard
Quintessentially British - David Graham
Baron Button - Laura Fearn
Additionally, we happened to visit Salisbury during an archaeology event. We were able to go into the Salisbury Museum, which has gotten larger since my last visit and is well-worth a visit with a large selection of prehistorical items. I'll be posting more on Salisbury at some point, but we saw some archaeologists that have been on television. I heard a thick Somerset accent (I used to work near Bristol) and the bloke recognised Phil Harding, who has been on Time Team and other shows. I took a sneaky few photographs.
Phil Harding from Time Team and other programmes
The Baron's Charter sculpture trail will be in place until 6 September, so do go and see the sculptures. They are all within walking distance of each other and are centrally-based. (There are two that are accessible from the centre for those who wish to walk a little further.) For more information, visit: http://www.thebaronscharter.org.uk
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