The Guildhall

Today’s Guildhall stands on the site of Salisbury’s first, medieval guildhall which was built in the early 1300s. This Bishop’s Guildhall was a reminder that it was the Church that held power over city life. As Salisbury's merchants gained in wealth and influence there were disputes between Church and City Corporation. In anticipation of gaining independence from the Bishop, the city built a magnificent new Council House in the late 16th century close to where the war memorial is today. But on 16 November 1780 it was engulfed in fire following a mayoral banquet. With the Bishop’s Guildhall also in poor condition it was decided to demolish both buildings and a build a new civic Guildhall and that is the building that we see today.