Discovery itinerary: in Winchester, southern England

A circa un’ora di treno da Londra, partendo dalla stazione di Waterloo, c’è Winchester, una cittadina ricca di storia e di arte. Il suo primo insediamento fu bretone, ma la prima città vera e propria fu una fondazione romana, Venta Belgarum. Nell’827, con re Egberto, divenne capitale dell’Inghilterra.

Quando Guglielmo il Conquistatore rese anche Londra capitale, fu incoronato in entrambe le città, prassi che fu adottata anche da altri re finché Londra divenne definitivamente la capitale unica del regno.

Guglielmo il Conquistatore inoltre incaricò i monaci di Winchester di redigere il Domesday Book, il grande censimento patrimoniale di gran parte dell’Inghilterra e del Galles.

Winchester può essere esplorata a piedi per ammirare i suoi monumenti e per perdersi nei suoi autentici angoli medievali.

Vedi anche: Inghilterra del Sud, itinerari dell’arte medievale

What to see in Winchester, England

1 Winchester Cathedral

A visit to Winchester is incomplete without the Cathedral, the city’s most important monument and one of the most beautiful churches in England. The first thing that strikes you is the size, especially the length: 167 meters. The dominant style is Gothic, but the transept is a beautiful example of Norman architecture. Inside are exquisite works of art: the chapel tombs of the bishops, including the richly decorated tomb of Bishop Wykheam and that of Bishop Fox; the precious carved stalls from the 14th century; a splendid 12th-century Norman baptismal font made of black Tournai marble, carved with stories of Saint Nicholas; the 13th-century frescoes of the Chapel of Holy Sepulchry and the Guardians’ Angel Chapel.

The Cathedral also houses a double memorial to writer Jane Austen, who spent much of her life in Winchester. When she died, she was not particularly famous, so the inscription on her simple tombstone only mentions the “extraordinary endowments of her mind” (extraordinary endowments of her mind). The posthumous success of her novels earned her another memorial, not large but richer and more ornate, specifically mentioning her talents as a writer.

From the transept, you can access the beautiful 17th-century library and the treasury, which features a 13th-century illuminated Bible. Many volunteers provide free guided tours, highly recommended if you want to discover the secrets and stories of Winchester Cathedral.

2 Around Winchester Cathedral

Leaving the Cathedral, you can admire the various buildings connected to it. You can start by walking along the outside of the right nave, where a passage called The Slype leads to The Close, the bishop’s enclosure partly surrounded by walls. Some Norman arches reveal the past existence of the chapter house that linked the Cathedral transept to the Deanery. Passing the 17th-century buildings of the Long Gallery and Pilgrims’ School leads you to Dome Alley with lovely half-timbered houses. Passing through St Swithun’s Gate, you find the 14th-century Kingsgate on the left, above whose arch is the small church of St Swithun upon Kingsgate.

3 Wolvesley Castle

Next to the current bishop’s palace enclosure, a path immersed in greenery leads to an unexpected place: the ruins of Wolvesley Castle, the medieval bishop’s palace destroyed during the civil war of 1646. Its origins date back to 970, but it was enlarged in the first half of the 12th century.

Its ruins cover a very large area, and you can still recognize the chapel and the hall, which was the setting of the wedding banquet of Queen Mary and Philip of Spain in 1554. What impresses most are the fortifications, added by Henry II in the second half of the 12th century, which give the site the appearance of a castle, hence the name.

4 Great Hall and the Round Table

The only surviving parts of the castle built by William the Conqueror are the foundations of the Round Tower and, above all, the Great Hall, the large central hall, perfectly preserved, famous for housing the Round Table. This is obviously not that of King Arthur, but it is still a remarkable example of 14th-century wooden craftsmanship, possibly created for a tournament, bearing the names of knights and the king’s effigy.

5 High Street

The High Street is the main street of the town and follows the decumanus, one of the axes of the Roman city. It is completely pedestrianized and there are shops and restaurants, often housed in charming half-timbered houses. Access is through the Westgate, which houses a small museum inside, worth visiting for the roof access, from which there is a beautiful view of the city.

The Old Guildhall, with a large clock projecting onto the street, is now home to Lloyds Bank. At the end of the street, on the right, stands the neo-Gothic Guildhall, and in the center, a statue of Alfred the Great from 1901.

6 Winchester College

The city’s most prestigious cultural institution is Winchester College, the oldest private school in England. Founded in 1382, it was originally reserved for the less affluent, while today it is one of the most exclusive schools in the country and internationally renowned.

It houses 80 historic buildings, mostly dating from the late 14th century and regularly in use, spread over a garden of about 45,000 square meters. You can visit the treasury, consisting of a collection of archaeological finds kept in the evocative stables. A guided tour is recommended, which provides the opportunity to discover the most beautiful rooms of the complex.

To discover Winchester College in advance, you can watch this short documentary

7 The Military Museums

Near the Great Hall is Winchester’s Military Quarter, where some late 18th-century barracks house six collections from English regiments from 1702 to today. Here, for example, you can discover the history of the King’s Royal Hussars, the Royal Hampshire Regiment, the Royal Green Jackets, and the Gurkhas of Nepal who served the British Empire for about 200 years. One of the most popular attractions is the diorama of the Battle of Waterloo, displayed at the Royal Green Jackets Museum.

Beyond the specific interest in military history, the Military Quarter site is historically and architecturally significant. It is located where William the Conqueror built his castle, which was partially destroyed after the civil war. In 1683, Charles II decided to build his palace here, modeled on that of Versailles, designed by the famous architect Christopher Wren, the same who designed the St Paul’s Cathedral in London. However, work stopped at the king’s death, and the buildings, after decades of neglect and decay, were temporarily used for military purposes until they officially became barracks from the late 18th century, accommodating 3,000 soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars.

8 The Itchen River and City Mill

Winchester is also a charming water city, with the Itchen River and its canals running through the historic center, offering the chance for lovely walks in the green, like Keats’ Walk. The power of the Itchen water is harnessed in the City Mill, a mill built in 1774 on a previous medieval building. The mill is still operational, and visitors can watch the wheat processing and the flour packaging, which can also be purchased on site.

9 Where to eat in Winchester

Winchester’s cuisine is typical pub fare, with many pubs scattered across the historic center. Some are very old, like The Eclypse Inn, housed in a 16th-century building that was originally the rectory of the church of St Lawrence. The God Begot House, dating back to 1052, hosts an Ask chain restaurant on the High Street side, and the The Royal Oak pub on the very narrow side alley.

For traditional cuisine with a slightly more sophisticated twist, in a cozy designed interior, Pitcher and Piano, next to the Guildhall, is the ideal place.

10 Where to sleep

Winchester can be visited in one day. But if you want to extend your stay for one or more days, some pubs in the historic center, such as The Wykeham Arms and The Old Vine, have rooms upstairs where you can stay and ideally experience the spirit of medieval inns.

For a luxury experience, about 4 kilometers from the town center in the Hampshire countryside, there is Lainston House, a 17th-century villa converted into a five-star hotel.