ribed Old Sarum as
"barren, dry, and solitary, exposed to the rage of the wind; and the
church (stands) as a captive on the hill where it was built, like the
ark of God shut up in the profane house of Baal."[8]

Such are a few of the chronological data of the principal events in the
history of Old Sarum; these, however, will suffice to elucidate the
antiquity of the city, and from their historical importance cannot fail
to make the preceding engraving a subject of general as well as of local
interest, especially as it represents the old city, previous to its
reduction in 553.

Scarcely a vestige of human habitation now remains of Old Sarum, as we
have shown once a place "of great importance--and a city adorned with
many proud structures--a splendid cathedral and other churches--a castle
with lofty towers and ramparts--regular streets and houses--and once the
residence of a numerous population." But all these have passed away, and
nought is left to tell the tale of their greatness, but a few crumbling
wrecks of massy walls; whilst vast fosses and elevated ramparts remain
to mark it as the site of desolating war. The contrast of time-worn
ruins with their surounding scenes of luxuriant nature is affecting even
to melancholy. A recent visiter to the area of Old Sarum describes "a
field of oats flourishing on the very spot where the crowded street had
formerly extended itself; and a barrier existing to the further progress
of agriculture, by the remains of the cathedral, castle, &c. forming
heaps of rubbish barely covered with scanty and unprofitable verdure."

The space occupied by the ancient city is stated to have been nearly
2,000 feet in diameter, surrounded with a fosse, or ditch, of immense
depth, and two ramparts, inner and outer: on the inner, which was much
higher than the outer, stood a wall nearly 12 feet thick at its
foundation, of flint and chalk, strongly cemented together, and cased
with hewn stone, on which was a parapet with battlements. In the centre,
on the summit of the hill, stood the castle or citadel, surrounded with
a very deep intrenchment and a high rampart; and in the area beneath,
forming a wide space between the inner and outer ramparts, stood the
city, divided into equal parts, north and south; near the middle of each
division was a gate--these two being the grand entrances, with a tower
and mole over and before each. Besides these were ten other towers, at
equal distances round the city; an