Salisbury Cathedral

Begun in 1220, building was completed in just 38 years - thus uniquely consistent in style
The spire, added in 1334, stands 404 feet high - the tallest in England. As it contains 6000 tons stone, and the foundations penetrate only six feet into marshy ground, its survival is miraculous!
Sir Christopher Wren (architect of St Paul’s Cathedral) surveyed it and found the spire was leaning 29½ inches out of true: when the iron tie-rods he inserted were replaced in 1951, the spire had moved no further
70,000 tons of Stone were used to build the Cathedral; 28,000 tons of oak to construct the roof; and 420 tons of lead covering 4 acres used on the roof
In the north aisle of the nave is the oldest working clock in Europe (1386)
The library has one of only four original copies (brought back by one of the witnesses to the sealing by King John in 1215) of Magna Carta - which formed the basis of the US Constitution # The surrounding cathedral Close is the largest and finest in Britain - its gateways and many of the buildings inside are medieval
A full-time team of stonemasons works on preserving the fabric
Salisbury Cathedral website