InfoBritain

Winchester, Hampshire

Winchester is perhaps best known for its connection with the ninth century Anglo Saxon king Alfred The Great, a fanciful statue of whom, erected in 1901, dominates the central square. But the city has a history that goes back much further, to around 150BC, when a hill fort was built on St Catherine's Hill in the western part of today's Winchester. Some kind of trading settlement grew up near the fort, using the fort's earth ramparts as a refuge in times of crisis. After the Roman invasion in AD43 the old hill fort and its settlement became a fortified city known as Venta Belgarum. Venta endured as a successful market town for four hundred years, until the Roman withdrawl in the early fifth centiry. Then like so many other Roman towns, the sophisticated city of Venta simply fell to pieces. The present street pattern of Winchester shows a Roman town in reverse, since medieval buildings were erected on the firm and ready made foundations of Roman roads, while roads tended to run where Roman buildings once stood.

In the post Roman period, as successive waves of Angle Saxon invaders came into Britain, the country settled into an uneasy pattern of eight kingdoms, constantly at war with one another. Winchester became an important town in the southern kingdom of Wessex. Christianity which hastened the disintegration of the Roman Empire, ironically provided one of the few unifying forces in Medieval Europe. The Wessex king Cynegils bought Christianity to Winchester in the 630s, and by the 640s Winchester was becoming a religious centre with the building of its first Christian Church, known as the Old Minster. This link with a powerful emerging religion assured Winchester's continued importance as a town. By the ninth century, King Alfred of Wessex, whose leadership was strongly influenced by Christian belief, made Winchester one of his chief towns. Alfred was engaged in a desperate struggle with Scandinavian invaders, and as part of his defensive strategy he created fortified towns known as burhs. Winchester established itself as one of Alfred's most important burghs. When Alfred died in 899 he was buried at Winchester, in the New Minster, built next door to the original Old Minster. In the twelfth century Alfred's remains were transferred to the New Minster's successor Hyde Abbey, which lay just beyond the city walls. The gateway to Hyde Abbey still survives. Winchester remained the ceremonial centre of Wessex and then England, the place where kings were crowned and buried. The mortuary chest of eleventh century monarch King Canute can be seen in Winchester Cathedral, his name visible in the third line of text on the side of the chest.

Ironically the present cathedral, Winchester's biggest and most impressive building, marks the end of the town as England's capital. Winchester Cathedral's construction took place in the eleventh century right at the end of Winchester's time as a capital city. Edward the Confessor was the last king crowned in Winchester, in 1043. Edward was then responsible for building Westminster Abbey in London. which took over as the main focus of English royal ceremonial. According to historian Ian Walker it is likely that Edward's successor, King Harold was crowned at Westminster Abbey in January 1066. When Harold was famously defeated at the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror leader of the Norman invaders, was to confirm his power by staging a lavish coronation at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. So if any one day marks the end of Winchester as England's ceremonial centre, it is Christmas Day 1066.

Winchester Cathedral

Much of the cathedral is dedicated to memorials of bishops of Winchester, who in their day were powerful people. One of these bishops, St Swithin, had a festival on 15th July. The weather on this day was held to show the weather for the next forty days. The cathedral was used as a location for the films The Da Vinci Code and Elizabeth the Golden Age.

Address: Winchester Cathedral, 1, The Close, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9LS.

Opening Times: The cathedral is open 9am - 5pm Monday to Saturday and 12.30 - 3pm Sunday. The Visitor Centre, cafe and shop are open 9.30am - 5.30pm.

Access: the ground floor of the cathedral is accessible to visitors in wheelchairs. There is a T-loop and a Touch and Hearing Centre. Contact the cathedral to discuss your needs.

Contact:

telephone: 01962 857200

fax: 01962 857201

e-mail: cathedral.office@winchester-cathedral.org.uk

web: www.visitwinchester.co.uk

Winchester Castle

Only the great hall of the thirteenth century castle remains above ground. It was built between 1232 and 1240 by Henry III . "King Arthur's Round Table" hangs on the wall here, but in reality this round table was made during the reign of Henry VIII. If you pass through the Great Hall you will see Queen Eleanor's Garden behind the hall. This is a garden recreated in a thirteenth century style, and named after the wife of Henry III's son, Edward the First.

Address: The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8PJ.

Opening Times: Winchester Castle is open daily all year, 10am - 5pm.

Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day with closure at 3pm Christmas Eve. Do ring ahead to check as some short notice closures are possible during the year.

Access: wheelchair access is good.

Contact:

telephone: 01962 846476

e-mail: the.great.hall@hants.gov.uk

The Brooks Experience is an exhibition dedicated to Roman and medieval Winchester. Excavation at the site of the present Brooks shopping centre unearthed a Roman town, and later medieval remains. Street plans of medieval Winchester have been recreated, and artifacts discovered at the site are on display in realistic settings. Children can have a go at doing their own Roman mosaics, and navigating their way round the medieval streets of Winchester.