THE WORD 'SARUM'
The word 'Sarum' or 'Sarrum' is traditionally and
rightly explained as an inaccurate extension of the
abbreviation 'Sa [character]' standing for Sarisberia, Sarisbiria, Sarrisbirie (plur.), or some such form. The
inaccuracy is supposed to have arisen in the following
way. In medieval scribal practice words suspended
at a letter, the concluding stroke of which on or near
the base line was approximately horizontal, often
carried as a sign of their suspension an obliquely
curving mark through their final stroke. The letter
most commonly carrying this suspension mark was
that form of r (the Arabic 2) that was consistently
written after a and o. Latin genitive plurals of the
first and second declensions, suspended at the
earliest point at which the grammatical case had
become apparent, are the most usual occasions for
employing the mark. In consequence the 'Arabic 2'
r carrying it [character] in such words or phrases as
'Ebo[]' and 'Bathon' fo[]' came to be wrongly extended as 'Eborum' and 'Bath Forum'. (fn. 1) Of these
strange forms, however, 'Sarum' is the only one that
has gained a wide currency. As a Latin word it was
treated as an indeclinable noun, sometimes feminine
singular, sometimes feminine plural, and sometimes
neuter singular. (fn. 2)
'Sarum' is no recent arrival. It is found on many
medieval seals: on the first seal of St. Nicholas's
Hospital, in use in 1239; (fn. 3) on the first mayor's seal,
in use in 1303; (fn. 4) on the seal of Robert Wyvil, as
bishop elect of Salisbury, used in 1330; (fn. 5) on his
signet, used in 1344; (fn. 6) on the second mayor's seal,
in use in 1338; (fn. 7) on the seal of William Montague,
Earl of Salisbury, apparently in use in 1380; (fn. 8) on
the third mayor's seal, in use in 1398; (fn. 9) on the seal
ad causas of Bishop Metford (1395–1407); (fn. 10) and on
the municipal counterseal for the recognizance of
debts, in use in 1401. (fn. 11)
Its appearance in manuscripts, if more sporadic,
is as early. The curious word 'Sarrūbiriens" occurs
in the close roll of 9 Henry III, (fn. 12) strong evidence
enough that 'Sarrum' was already known in 1225
and its correct extension not understood. The death
of 'Willelmus Lungespe comes Sarum' (1226) has
been entered in the Lacock Annals in a hand that
makes no further entries after 1275. (fn. 13) 'Sarrū' occurs
twice in a verdict returned at the Wiltshire eyre of
1281. (fn. 14) 'Sarum' is found in Archbishop Chichele's
register in wills made in 1425 and 1429, (fn. 15) and
'Sarū' in the Arlingham breviary of c. 1460, (fn. 16) and
in another breviary assigned to the period 1446–61. (fn. 17)
The word also appears in leonine verses inscribed
upon the brass at Wanborough commemorating
Thomas and Edith Poulton (d. 1418). (fn. 18) In this epitaph 'Sarum' occupies such a position in a pentameter
that the line would neither scan nor rhyme internally
if 'Sar" or 'Sarisberia' were to be substituted for it.
Thus at the time the brass was executed the word
was pronounced as it was spelt. 'Sarum' is also found
in a similar position in another set of leonines —
those cut upon the stone slab at Lacock Abbey that
once covered the remains of Ela, Countess of Salisbury, the foundress of that nunnery. Sir Harold
Brakspear thought that these verses were 'no older
than the 14th century', meaning presumably that
they might be of that date. (fn. 19) More recently, however, it has been suggested that they are an 18thcentury composition. (fn. 20)
In the 16th and 17th centuries the forms are met
with too often to justify the recitation of individual
examples. Special mention may, however, be made
of the official imprimatur given to the word in the
heralds' visitation of 1565, (fn. 21) and in the city's
'governing' charter of 1612. (fn. 22) In fact it was by the
name of 'New Sarum' (civitas nostra nove Sarum)
that the city was then incorporated, and this fact
must surely have dictated civic practice ever afterwards. Since the time of Bishop Piers (1577–89)
bishops have signed 'Sarū', or 'Sarum' instead of
'Sar". (fn. 23) The 'use of Sarum' has been so called since
1570, (fn. 24) and any alternative is almost a pedantry.
With so much authority, therefore, on its side it
need cause no surprise that 'Sarum' should be
strongly preferred in 17th century deeds of local
manufacture (fn. 25) or that Shakespeare should have
written about 'Sarum plaine'. (fn. 26) The more accurate
forms 'Salisbury' and 'Sarisberia' and the abbreviation 'Sar' 'were not, however, ousted by 'Sarum'
and have continued in abundant circulation. In the
Victoria History of Wiltshire 'Salisbury' is always
used except when mentioning the extant earthworks
and ruins of the old city, the constituency of Old
Sarum as it existed in 'unreformed' Parliaments, and
any official title in which 'Old Sarum' or 'New
Sarum' occurs. (fn. 27)