Winchester Accommodation

The statue of King Alfred the Great erected in 1899
King Arthur's Round Table in the Great Hall
Georgian fronted houses in College Street Winchester
Winchester College's medieval architecture
The grand Great Hall - the only remainder of Winchester Castle
Military museums at Peninsula Barracks
The Gurkha's Museum is just one of six military museums in Winchester
Winchester's medieval town walls and gates are still part of the town's infrastructure
Find out about local history at Winchester City Museum

Winchester Tourist Attractions King Arthur Round Table Winchester College Military Museums

Winchester is an historic city having first been settled at St Catherine's Hill prior to the Iron Age hill fort that followed. The Romans came next and developed Winchester, then known as Venta Belgarum, into an important market centre and fortified the settlement with defensive walls. The Saxons made Winchester a major religious capital in their Kingdom of Wessex by establishing Winchester Cathedral and moving the bishop's throne from Dorchester in Dorset to Winchester.

When the Normans invaded, William the Conqueror built a castle on the hill to the west of the city. Winchester was also where the Domesday Book was compiled and written although the town itself didn't feature until much later. By the twelfth century Winchester was the second largest town in England and was highly developed with a population of 8,000. By the thirteenth century there were fifty seven churches within its walls - only one survives today!

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Winchester History and Architecture

Winchester's history has been well researched by excavations in the town that have shown how the Romans, Saxons and Normans influenced the town. A great many historic buildings still exist today exhibiting a the many architectural styles through the ages.

Winchester Cathedral has some stunning examples of Gothic architecture and King's Gate, south of the cathedral, is one of the surviving gateways into the medieval city.

Kingsgate Street has some good examples of Georgian architecture with 8 College Street nearby being the house where Jane Austen lodged just before she died.

The arts have played an important part in Winchester s history with several notable authors and poets having visited the city including Jane Austen and John Keats who wrote "An ode to Autumn" during this stay in Winchester in 1819 where he drew inspiration from his daily walks through the Cathedral Close to the water meadows and St Cross. Winchester has the largest collections of military heritage outside of London with the six military museums at Peninsula Barracks.

The Great Hall and Round Table

The Great Hall is all that remains of Winchester Castle which was originally built by William the Conqueror during the Norman reign of England. The Great Hall that stands now was the largest in England and dates from the thirteenth century when the original castle's hall was replaced. The Great Hall was the first of a new kind of hall that incorporated light and fine furnishings as opposed to the older halls that had been quite Spartan in nature. The hall is typical of early English Gothic architecture with columns made of Purbeck stone from Dorset and high timbered vaulted ceilings. The walls were plastered and painted using bright colours. The Great Hall was used by the King Henry III to discuss affairs of state and to administer justice.

The Great Hall contains the fabled Round Table associated with the legend of King Arthur - well one that was made for Henry VIII in the fourteenth century! The table is 5.5 metre wide and weighs a hefty 1200 kg. It has the names of the twenty four knights including the most famous Sir Galahad and Sir Lancelot.

The Great Hall is at the top of the High Street just to the left of The Westgate. It is open everyday all year round except Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Admission is free although donations help with the upkeep of the Hall.

The Great Hall, The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8PJ. Tel: 01962 846476. Email: the.great.hall@hants.gov.uk

Winchester College

Winchester College was established in 1392 and is the oldest continuously running school in the country. It is another of Winchester's stunning architectural buildings. The medieval core of the College is what attracts visitors, with its original medieval cloister, the fourteenth century Gothic chapel that contains one of the earliest examples of a wooden vaulted roof. Sir Christopher Wren is thought to have designed the red brick schoolroom in the seventeenth century.

One hour tours run several times a day Monday to Sunday. Small groups and individuals can pick up a tour on the day. Groups will need to book advance. Check the weblinks right for more information on current opening times.

Winchester College, College Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9NA. Tel: 01962 621 209. Fax: 01962 621 166. Email: enterprises@wincoll.ac.uk

Winchester Museums

Winchester is well off for museums. There's the City Museum which contains a wealth of artefacts covering the history in and around Winchester from prehistoric times through all the invasions of Romans, Saxons and Normans right up to recreations of nineteenth and twentieth century shops. Audio guides are available in several languages and admission is free. The museum is open daily throughout the year.

Winchester City Museum, The Square, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9ES. Tel: 01962 863 064. Email: museums@winchester.gov.uk

The Westgate is the other remaining medieval town gate. It houses a small museum above the gateway that tells of its history including its days as a debtors prison where you can still see the prisoner's graffiti on the walls. Other exhibits include a Tudor painted ceiling from Winchester College, weapons and armour. It's also a good place to visit to get panoramic views of Winchester.

The Westgate Museum, High Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9AP. Tel: 01962 869 864. Email: museums@winchester.gov.uk.

Winchester Military Museums

Right next door to the Great Hall and on the former site of the Royal Castle, is Peninsula Barracks which now houses a collection of no less than six military museums!

The site has been the location of an army for 2,000 years since the Romans built an encampment here. The former Guardhouse now acts as a Visitor Centre where you can find out all about the military museums and the history of Peninsula Barracks itself. The museums tell the history and stories of the Royal Gurkhas, the cavalry regiments of The King's Royal Hussars including the Charge of the Light Brigade, The Light Infantry which has been involved in the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Gulf War, The Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum, The Royal Green Jackets and their role in the Battle of Waterloo and The Adjutant General's Corps.

The Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum is housed in the handsome eighteenth century Georgian Serle's House and displays a collection of battalion colours, medals, paintings, uniforms and battle trophies. The Gurkha's Museum tells the 200 story of the Nepalese Gurkha's loyal and courageous service to the British Crown. The Adjutant General's Corps Museum concerns itself with the history of military policing and corrective training, education, law and of women in the Army.

Check the weblinks right for opening times and admission prices (some are free).

Featured Hampshire Accommodation

Mercure Wessex luxury hotel - Winchester

Winchester luxury 4-star hotel in the city centre. Many rooms with views of the majestic Cathedral. Restaurant, bar & leisure facilities. Discounts available.

From £80 Per room, per night