About Us

Salisbury is a vibrant place, well known for its world-famous cathedral dating  back to the 13th-century,  boasting the tallest spire of a cathedral in Britain,  the city is set in beautiful countryside surrounded by the villages of South Wiltshire. The lively Charter market on Tuesdays and Saturdays  has run since 1227, offering a wide range of foods and goods.  In 2019 Salisbury was chosen by the Sunday Times Best Places To Live guide because it “remains a divinely attractive and welcoming place”.  The challenges today are to maintain those attractive qualities whilst accommodating ongoing changes in population, lifestyle, and the economy.

Pride in our HERITAGE  Enhancing our ENVIRONMENT  Shaping our FUTURE

The Salisbury Civic Society, founded in 1960, works to safeguard the historic buildings and landscape setting underpinning the area’s unique character, whilst promoting  high standards of contemporary design in all aspects of the built environment within Salisbury and South Wiltshire.

We maintain active working relationships with the  Salisbury Conservation Advisory Panel, Salisbury Area Greenspace Partnership, Salisbury Cathedral Close Preservation Society, CPRE, The Countryside Charity, Salisbury Area Greenspace Partnership, Wiltshire Council and Salisbury City Council.   As a non-political organisation, the Society maintains an independent stance on all matters.

Our aims:
Pride in our Heritage
Enhancing our Environment
Shaping our Future

Amongst the many activities of the Society we:
– Monitor and constructively comment on planning applications and development proposals
– Provide a varied  programme of events and activities for members and the public exploring  the area’s heritage, architecture, history and geography
– Maintain an online presence through our website and active participation in social media
– Publish a magazine for members in March, August and December
– Protect and celebrate the traditional chequer names
– Encourage and promote high standards of design, management and maintenance through our annual Building Awards Scheme

During recent years the Society’s achievements have included:

Blue Plaques – Since 1989, the Society has commissioned and erected Blue Plaques around the city, serving as historical markers commemorating a link between that location and a famous person or event.
Heritage Open Days – We participate in the national Heritage Open Days initiative providing a unique opportunity for everyone to explore interesting (and often hidden!) places in Salisbury.
Salisbury in Detail – We researched and published the book Salisbury in Detail, celebrating the richness and variety of the individual bits that go to make up Salisbury’s buildings. Over 2,500 copies have been sold and it has been described as ‘A superbly illustrated study of the city’s architectural gems’ (Book review – The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings).
Annual Open Meeting – Our annual Open Meeting covers current and relevant local issues,  is open to all and free of charge.
A New Sheep – For many years No 51 Salisbury High Street, just outside the High Street Gate into the Cathedral Close, housed the religious bookshop of the SPCK. Above the door into the shop stood a wooden sheep, though this had no religious connection. It dated from the shop’s former function, as an outlet for a firm called Stonehenge Woollen Industries. This had been founded in the early C20th as a semi-charitable organisation, aimed at regenerating the rural economy. Its woollen goods, many knitted at home by women working on a piecework basis, were successful enough for the company to have four other shops, all in London. Click on the following link to read more about the story of the sheep.