Salisbury ~ recent titles

Salisbury, history around us, by John Chandler

Since its first publication in 1992 this history and guide has provided residents and visitors with a succinct but highly readable introduction to one of England’s most interesting and attractive cities. A new edition published in a different format appeared in 2004 but has been out of print for several years. Now thoroughly revised, expanded and illustrated in full colour throughout, Salisbury, history around us provides a clear and fascinating explanation as to how the city, its cathedral, Close and surrounding area have evolved, and how they fit into the pattern of regional and national history. As well as following Salisbury’s story through time, it also offers guided strolls around the Close, city centre and eastern chequers, and a longer walk from Old Sarum through the city to Harnham, which can be undertaken separately or in combination. March 2020, 173pp, colour illustrated, paperback, £12.95, ISBN 978-1-906978-80-8.

The Origins of Photography in Salisbury, 1839-1880, by Anthony Hamber

This is the first comprehensive study of the rise of photography in Salisbury from its beginnings up to 1880. It includes the failed attempt to set up a commercial photography studio locally in 1846, through the nascent period of the 1850s, to the explosion in commercial photography during the 1860s, by which time there were twelve commercial photographers in the city. Profusely illustrated from his own and institutional collections, Anthony Hamber’s study includes an overview of image making in Salisbury prior to the introduction of photography, a case study focusing on Salisbury Cathedral, and an appendix that lists both the amateur and the professional photographers active during the period. May 2019, 144pp, illustrated (some colour) large format hardback, £20.00, ISBN 978-1-906978-73-0.

Sidney Herbert: Too Short a Life, by R. E. Foster

Christian philanthropist and patron of Florence Nightingale, Sidney Herbert was hailed in his own times as a statesman, administrative reformer and co-founder of the modern Liberal party. Strangely neglected since his death, this biography brilliantly recaptures, through its subject, some of the many paradoxes of Victorian Britain. At once both Irish landlord and ‘one of the most worthy Wiltshiremen who ever lived’, arguably only fatal illness deprived Sidney Herbert of the keys to Downing Street. March 2019, 528pp, illustrated paperback, £16.95, ISBN 978-1-906978-69-3 (also available as a jacketed hardback, £25, ISBN 978-1-906978-70-9).

The Public Houses and Inns of Salisbury: a History, by Edwin M Garman

A compendium of detailed historical information about 270 premises in Salisbury that are or have been inns, alehouses, taverns, public houses and beerhouses, with explanations of terms, a reprint of a series of 19th-century articles about old inns of Salisbury, cross-references and notes. This is the essential handbook for every Salisbury pub-goer, and anyone interested in the city’s rich and colourful history. July 2017, 330 pages, illustrations by Fred Fieber, paperback, £14.95, ISBN 978-1-906978-43-3.

Salisbury ~ older titles

Putting on Panto to pay for the Pinter: Henry Marshall Pantomimes at Salisbury Playhouse, 1955 to 1985, by Chris Abbott. Foreword by Stephanie Cole.

Hilarious and sometimes moving account of a fondly-remembered thirty-year run of pantomimes, drawn from interviews with performers, and including a complete transcript of Henry Marshall’s gagbook, a unique pantomime survival. November 2012, 316 pages, illustrated, paperback, £14.95, ISBN 978-1-906978-26-6.

In the Shadow of Salisbury Spire: Recollections of Salisbury Cathedral Choristers and their School (1826-1950), edited by Peter L Smith.

This book of memories spans 125 years in the lives of choristers and others closely involved in the music of Salisbury Cathedral. Recalled are not only daily life in the cathedral and school, but also events that made life rather more exciting. Stories abound of the bishop tobogganing on Harnham Hill; hair-raising Guy Fawkes’ Night fireworks mayhem in Salisbury market place; ferrying a piano precariously up the river on a wooden punt; and ghostly apparitions in the boarding house. These, together with the more serene moments of life spent in close contact with that glorious cathedral; or astute and sometimes acerbic observations on the eccentricities of teachers and clergy alike; or meeting great musicians or composers in the daily round of prayer and music; all have been collected and presented by the school’s honorary archivist. June 2011, 356 pages, illustrations, £14.95. ISBN 978-1-906978-17-4.

If I Did it, I Don’t Remember: Salisbury’s Edwardian Murder Mystery, by Jeremy B Moody and Bruce S Purvis.

Salisbury, October 31st 1908. This date heralded Salisbury’s most infamous murder case, unsolved to this day. A young boy lay dead, his mother was arrested for the murder, and Scotland Yard was brought in to help investigate. Enter Chief Inspector Dew, who had hunted Jack the Ripper, and two years later would arrest the notorious Dr Crippen to gain worldwide fame – Scotland Yard’s first international superstar! The authors have spent three years researching this case, which attracted international media attention for many months a century ago. Their meticulously documented account includes previously unidentified scene of crime photographs, the personal thoughts of Chief Inspector Dew and fascinating new evidence. October 2008, 264 pages, maps and contemporary illustrations, paperback, £12.95, ISBN 978-0-946418-78-7.

Traumas and Tanks: a Child's War, written and illustrated by Tony Garnett.

As the bombs start to fall over southern England the Mason family try on their gas-masks and take to the air-raid shelter. Wartime life in Salisbury becomes one of shortages, 'make do and mend', and tedious restrictions. When their father leaves for service overseas Tim embarks on a series of adventures, mishaps and near escapes with his brother and friends. The dangers and tragedies of war, followed by the celebration of peace, are vividly portrayed through the eyes of an impressionable young teenager in this beautifully illustrated account of momentous times, based on the author's own experience. November 2009. 244 x 170mm, 132pp, ills, paperback, £9.95, ISBN 978-1-906978-09-9.

Milford, by Richard Durman.

This is the first in a planned series of small books, Sarum Studies, which will describe suburbs and areas of Salisbury, produced under the aegis of the Sarum Chronicle editorial panel. Milford lies on the eastern side of Salisbury, and now consists largely of Victorian and later suburbs. But it has an interesting if somewhat enigmatic history, stretching back to the period before the city of Salisbury was established. Richard Durman, an expert on architectural history who lives in Milford, has provided a readable and informative history which is sure to fascinate residents and everyone who knows and loves Salisbury. 240 x 170mm, 72pp, ills, paperback. 978-0-946418-60-2, £5.95, October 2007

Harnham Mill, by Michael Cowan (Sarum Studies 2).

Harnham Mill is one of Salisbury’s best-known landmarks. Built some five centuries ago as a paper mill, it occupies the site of a medieval fulling mill, and it has in turn been used for making cloth, bone fertilizer and candles. Since the 1930s it has been a hotel and restaurant. This comprehensive account describes not only the building and its evolution, but also the industrial processes and their context within the history of the Salisbury area. March 2008, 52 pages, fully illustrated with photographs and diagrams, paperback, £4.95, ISBN 978-0-946418-67-1.

The Harnham Water Meadows, by Hadrian Cook, Michael Cowan and Tim Tatton-Brown (Sarum Studies 3).

Watermeadows are a fascinating part of England’s landscape heritage. Located at the heart of Salisbury, the Harnham Water Meadows today provide a range of natural habitats. Like watermeadows elsewhere, they are a complicated system for sustainable grassland production that played a major role in the economic development of Wessex. This work presents an account of the history and archaeology of the world famous Harnham system that affords the famous view of Salisbury Cathedral. Hadrian Cook is a hydrologist and soil scientist and an expert on watermeadows. Michael Cowan and Tim Tatton-Brown contribute their knowledge about Harnham and Fisherton Mills respectively. September 2008, 44 pages, illustrated (some colour), paperback, £5.95, ISBN 978-0-946418-67-1.

Endless Street: a History of Salisbury and its People, by John Chandler

Classic social history of one of southern England’s most attractive and historically important cities, first published in 1983, and in and out of print ever since. This is the first time in paperback, reprint of the 1987 edition. November 2010, 229 x 152mm, x, 342 pages + 48 pages of illustrations, paperback, £12.95, ISBN 978-1-906978-23-5. Hardback edition also available, from September 2018, £19.95, ISBN 978-1-906978-61-7.

Walking on Wheels, by Jill Brown.

Daughter of a bishop, the author’s promising career as a physiotherapist was cut short by a rare form of muscular dystrophy; but, accompanied by her assistance dog, she has become a familiar figure around Salisbury supporting numerous cultural and welfare organisations. This is her story. December 2011, 192 pages, illustrated paperback, £9.95, ISBN 978-1-906978-25-9.