Saint Ann's Gate & Cathedral Close Walls, Salisbury

Saint Ann’s Gate is one of the historic entrances to the Cathedral Close, built around 1331 after Edward III granted permission for the precinct to be enclosed by a fortified stone wall. The gate controlled access to the cathedral precinct, while its upper room was a chapel dedicated to Saint Ann. Passing through it also meant entering the Close’s historic “Liberty,” governed by church authority.

The gate and surrounding walls were built using stone reused from the abandoned cathedral at Old Sarum. Careful observation reveals Norman carved fragments and mouldings incorporated into the later medieval masonry. The gates are still locked each night. Beside Saint Ann’s Gate, Malmesbury House contains a secret panel and staircase linking the house to the room above the gateway.

During the 18th century, the room above the gate became a music room used by James Harris, and local tradition holds that George Frideric Handel stayed and performed there. In 1665, Charles II stayed at nearby Malmesbury House during the Great Plague and is said to have addressed locals from its oriel window. Its 1749 gilded sundial bears the line “Life’s but a walking shadow,” while local lore links the Blue Drawing Room to his ghost.