Poultry Cross (Salisbury) facts for kids

The Poultry Cross viewed from the south-east

The Poultry Cross is a special stone structure in Salisbury, England. It's called a market cross because it marks a place where markets used to be held a long, long time ago. This cross was built in the 1300s and has been changed a few times since then. Today, it stands where Silver Street and Minster Street meet. It's considered a very important historical building by English Heritage, which means it's protected.

What is the Poultry Cross?

The Poultry Cross is a tall, stone monument. It was built in the 14th century, which means the 1300s. It stands in the city of Salisbury, in a county called Wiltshire. Its main purpose was to show where people could buy and sell goods. The name "Poultry Cross" suggests that chickens and other birds were sold nearby.

A Look Back in Time

People have been trading at this spot since at least 1307. The name "Poultry Cross" came about about 100 years later. The stone cross you see today was built in the late 1400s. Over the years, the cross has been updated. For example, some of its original supports, called flying buttresses, were taken away in 1711. You can even see this in an old painting from 1800 by JMW Turner. The supports you see now were added much later, around 1852 to 1854. An architect named Owen Browne Carter helped design these changes.

Other Market Crosses in Salisbury

The Poultry Cross is special because it's the only market cross left in Salisbury. Long ago, there were three other crosses like it!

• One was called the Cheese Cross, where cheese was sold.
• Another was Barnard's Cross, where livestock (farm animals) were traded.
• There was also a cross for selling wool and yarn.

These other crosses are gone now, making the Poultry Cross a unique piece of Salisbury's history.

The Poultry Cross Today

Even today, the area around the Poultry Cross is still used for markets. If you visit Salisbury on a Tuesday or Saturday, you'll find the market happening right there! It's a great example of how old traditions continue in modern times.