The Abandoned Hill With Two Members Of Parliament
Old Sarum, in Wiltshire, is a now-desolate hillfort run by English Heritage. But it was once one of the most important sites in southern England: so important that it had two members of Parliament. Then, it became a “rotten borough”: and a warning about power.
Thanks to English Heritage: more information and how to visit: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/old-sarum/
Research and script assistance from Jess Jewell
Drone camera by Jamie Bellinger
Edited by Michelle Martin: https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheCrux
Audio mix by Graham Haerther: https://haerther.net
Filmed safely, following all local and national guidance: https://www.tomscott.com/safe/
SOURCES:
Corfield, P. (2000). Power and the professions in Britain 1700-1850. London: Routledge.
Dodsworth, W. (1814). An historical description of the cathedral church of Salisbury : including an account of the monuments, chiefly extracted from Gough’s “Sepulchral Monuments,” and other authentic documents : also, biographical memoirs of the Bishops of Salisbury, from the earliest period by W. Dodsworth, verger of the Cathedral
English Heritage’s own research page: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/old-sarum/history/research/
http://www.historyhome.co.uk/c-eight/constitu/parlrep.htm
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@TomScottGo
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Strong wind doesn't play well with lockdown hair. I forgot to put the tag at the start of the video, but this was filmed safely, following all Covid guidance and law: you can pull down the description for a link to the precautions I'm taking!
@JamesVCTH
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
I looked this who represented this constituency, and three of my ancestors were the MP for old Sarum in the 1400s. Lmao what a coincidence.
@RealSweetTom
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Proportional Representation anyone? 😅
@RedXlV
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Meanwhile over in the United States, we essentially still have our own version of "rotten boroughs".
@FRADAVE02
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
"In the Game of Thrones, you either win or you die!"
@FilmmakersTalks
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
which microphone did you use?
@KlaxontheImpailr
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
5:00 1928 before it was all adults?! Did I hear that right?
@judymay9801
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
That was fascinating! What a dramatic site for a castle for William the Conqueror.
I was born in Manchester so I was also very interested to hear those additional facts.
@fionaottley4976
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
We visited this site in October, truly amazing place. Hubby however, found it a snooze.
@helenamcginty4920
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Learned about Old Sarum back in history lessons. But only in respect to its MPs.
Thanks for filling out the story.
@charliebramley
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
5:17
@thetessellater9163
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Even today, most MPs represent themselves – British democracy is a sham, nothing much is done to create a fairer society and only the very rich are looked after. It has become a horrid life for most, just existing – give them bread and circuses.
@ahscott2001
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
In the US if you had only 70,000 people in a national district, something would be seriously up. Unless there had just been an earthquake or something of course.
@Cal97g
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
I think fractal is toms favourite word
@timothymclean
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Not to be confused with The Hill With Two Abandoned Members Of Parliament, who are getting rather chilly now that nobody's bringing them tea.
@chrisamies2141
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Came to see the place I didn't visit yesterday because it was chucking it down and who wants to wander round an old hillfort in the rain, stayed to muse why radical history isn't taught much in England.
@thestandingman
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
But why does one place get TWO MPs?
@joeym5243
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Watched this during an intermission in a quiz bowl tournament and a question regarding the reform act was asked in the second half. Thanks mate for making videos so good I'd watch them multiple times
@greenmario3011
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Any abandoned hill can have two members of parliament if you can convince them
@dianefields6056
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
I can only think of links to another Salisbury (no longer) with a nearby New Sarum (airforce base) and people unwilling to give up power. 😢
@davidchurch3472
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Voting was fairer in Wales / Prydain before 500 AD!
@davidchurch3472
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
The population electing the 2 MPs did not die out, they moved to New Sarum, and the voting rights should have moved too!
@davidchurch3472
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
If there was not enough water for a cathedral, how come there was enough water to sustain a hill-fort during a seige?
@TomboTheTornado
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
I knew i'd been there. long way and we stopped by stonehenge too
@taunter8856
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
A rotton borough? you mean a Rubberbutton?
@MarceloVolcato
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
That's why people with power have armies.
@dfitzy
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
I used to work at the airfield which approach/takeoff path your drone is skirting.😮
Though sadly I think it had closed around that time
@herbieklein2271
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Tom has such a calming way to talk, i could listen to him for hours regardless of the topic/s
@SP-ny1fk
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
The British and power don't mix very well.
@duck-cn7rr
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
1:26 ayyo this clip is played backwards
@davidkleinthefamousp
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Research has shown that policy elected by landowners, or non landowners, or men only, or women too, ends up the same
@HumanGreedinc
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
The origins of Manchester united
@hypotheticlz
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
You’re telling me that Tom was climbing up on Solsbury hill?
@AtomicExtremophile
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Got rid of UK's Rotten Boroughs – now we just have rotten politicians…
@Nyerguds
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
I visited Old Sarum! Never knew about this odd history, though.
@robhowell1012
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Somehow more relevant than ever
@dainbramage9508
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
It is extremely difficult to convince someone with power to give it up willingly, as an American I can say we definitely learned that on 6-1-21 (using European date formats dd/mm/yyyy)
@bobafet6064
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
We need to revisit the idea of political reform in today's age.
@jimbo9305
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
I read the title and thought that two members were buried there. It took me over 4 minutes into the video to get the actual meaning.
@corndogrequiem1728
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
There's currently a disputed highway being built in Ontario, which has this exact feel.
Ford is giving a lot of funding to "sketchy" companies to build an alternative to the 401 at the expense of a lot of marshlands.
Probably a dead project with friends of the Premier making cash, then you get that whole lobby-loop going again.
@rob9943
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
"history is fractal" I'm going to steal that quote to sound clever at parties
@seancraig7773
September 13, 2025 at 11:24 pm
Probably worth mentioning that for much of the last hundred years of its life as a rotten borough, Old Sarum was owned by a family (the Pitts) that produced two PMs. So not just some random powerful schmo, but at times the most powerful schmo.
Comments are closed.