The presence of a cloister at a cathedral usually signifies that the building was originally built by a monastic order (Franciscans, Carthusians, Cistercians etc). Salisbury Cathedral is an exception to this rule. But, the purpose of the cloister remains the same - to provide a sheltered (often south-facing) enclosed, covered quadrangle around which monks could walk and which kept them separate from wider society. The cloister at Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire, dates from the thirteenth century and features large, alternating cinquefoils and sexfoils.
photo © T. Boughen Camera: Nikon D5300
