When Hengist saw that a suitable moment had come for his act of treachery, he bellowed out: Nimet our saxes! He hismself immediately seized hold of Vortigern and held him tight by his royal robe. The moment they heard this signal the Saxons drew their daggers, attacked the leaders standing near them and cut the throats of about four hundred and sixty counts and earls, who were thinking of something quite different. Afterwards the holy Eldadus buried the corpses and said the last rites over them according to the custom of the Christian Church: this not far from Kaercaradduc, which is now called Salisbury, in the cemetery beside the Cloister of Ambrius, who had founded it there himself many years before. [VI.15]

SALISBURY first appears in the Historia as the site of Hengist's infamous massacre of the Britons. The story becomes a rallying-cry before the battle of Maesbeli [VIII.5], and after his successful campaign against the Saxons, Aurelius commemorates the spot where the victims are buried:

Next he went to Winchester, to restore that town as he had restored others like it. As soon as he had repaired everything that needed such attention if the town was to be restored at all, he took the advice of Bishop Eldadus and visited the monastery near Kaercaradduc, which is now called Salisbury. It was there that were buried the leaders and princes whom the infamous Hengist had betrayed. A monastery of three hundred brethren stood there, on Mount Ambrius, for it was Ambrius, so they say, who had founded the monastery years before. As Aurelius inspected the place in which the dead lay, he was moved to compassion and burst into tears. In the end he turned his mind to other considerations, asking himself what he could do to ensure that the spot should be remembered; for it was his opinion that the greensward covering so many noble men who had died for their fatherland was certainly worthy of some memorial. [VIII.9]

Aurelius's advisors suggest that he consult Merlin, and Merlin suggests the transportation of the Giants' Ring from Ireland: this is the story of the building of STONEHENGE. We are later told that Utherpendragon and Aurelius Ambrosius are buried at Stonehenge near Salisbury [XI.3]

Salisbury also appears in the list of attendees at Arthur's plenary court at CAERLEON, and in the list of the king's supporters at the Battle of Saussy:

The leading men from the principal cities were there: Morvid, Earl of Gloucester; Mauron, Earl of Worcester; Anarauth, Earl of Salisbury; Artgualchar, Earl of Guerensis, which is now called Warwick; Jugein from Leicester; Cursalem from Caistor; Kynniarc, Duke of Durobernia; Urbgennius from Bath; Jonathel of Dorchester; and Boso of Rydychen: that is, Oxford. [IX.12]

On the side of the Britons there died Holdin the Duke of the Ruteni, Leodegarius of Boulogne, and the three British leaders Cursalem of Caistor, Guallac of Salisbury, and Urbgennius of Bath. [X.9]

Salisbury's connection with STONEHENGE is dealt with in a separate window. Other famous places associated with Salisbury include its magnificent Cathedral, though the current building is not the Norman foundation with which Geoffrey might have been familiar. The Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum has quite a bit of historical information about the area.