Our picture this week shows an event which happened at Salisbury Guildhall in 2015 when a re-enactment took place of the granting of the Freedom of the City to Admiral Lord Nelson.

It was in 1800 that the already famous Horatio Nelson was given the Freedom of the City, some five years before his greatest victory at Trafalgar.

Of the 22 towns and cities that made Nelson a Freeman, Salisbury was one of the very few places that he visited in person to collect the award.

The Right Hon. Lord Nelson, accompanied by Sir William and Lady Hamilton, the Mother of Lady Hamilton, an Italian Lady, and two foreign gentlemen arrived in the city at noon having slept the preceding night at the Star and Garter, Andover.

They were met near the Winterslow Hut, by some gentlemen of the Corporation, and escorted in from there by the Salisbury troop of Yeomanry Cavalry.

The party alighted at Mr Alderman James Goddard’s in the Market Place and Lord Nelson walked to the Council Chamber where he was introduced to the Mayor.

His Lordship participated in social conversation with the gentlemen of the Corporation for about an hour, partaking of a cold collation provided for him.

At the request of some gentlemen he appeared at the window and bowed to the assembled crowd; the compliment was returned by the people with loud hurrahs.

As he was walking back to rejoin his friends at Mr Goddard’s, he was accosted by a sailor who had been wounded at the Battle of the Nile, and who was acknowledged by the gallant Commander with a present of a guinea; he also gave another guinea to a maimed soldier, and presented 20 guineas to the Town Clerk to be distributed among the poor.

The noble Admiral was dressed in his uniform, and wore the insignia of different orders. His affability and simplicity of manners generally endeared the man to those who had before merely admired the hero.