Things to do in Hampshire
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HMS Victory
As resplendent as she is venerable, the dockyard's star attraction is HMS Victory, Lord Nelson's flagship at the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar and the site of his infamous 'Kiss me Hardy...' dying words when victory over the French had been secured. This remarkable ship is topped by a forest of ropes and masts, and weighted by a swollen belly filled with cannon and paraphernalia for an 850-strong crew.
Clambering through its numerous decks is a stirring experience, though these days cannon fire is replaced with the dull thuds of visitors so in thrall that they forget the low overhead beams. There are excellent 40-minute tours.
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Great Hall
Winchester's other showpiece is at the cavernous Great Hall, the only part of 11th-century Winchester Castle that Oliver Cromwell spared from destruction. This hall was the stage for several dramatic English courtroom dramas, including the trial of adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh in 1603, who was sentenced to death but reprieved at the last minute. Outside, near the hall's entrance, there's also a section of the old Roman wall, built around AD 200.
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Black Boy
A celebration of English eccentricity, this adorable old pub is filled with obsessive and sometimes freaky collections, from pocket watches to wax facial features, bear traps, sawn paperbacks and tobacco pipes. Even the women's toilets cheekily sport gynaecological clamps and fish murals.
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Lemon Sole
At Lemon Sole you get to pick your own piece of fish at a counter then choose how you want it cooked. Try the seafood chowder, devilled mackerel or stunning shellfish platters (£45 for two). It's all tucked away in a lemon-yellow interior with a whole wall full of wine bottles at the end.
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Winchester Cathedral
Almost a thousand years of history are crammed into Winchester's cathedral, which is not only the city's star attraction but also one of southern England's most awe-inspiring buildings. The exterior, with a squat tower and a slightly sunken rear, isn't at first glance appealing, despite a fine Gothic facade. But the interior contains one of the longest medieval naves (164m) in Europe, and a fascinating jumble of features from all eras.
The cathedral sits beside foundations that mark the town's original 7th-century minster church. The cathedral was begun in 1070 and completed in 1093, and was subsequently entrusted with the bones of its patron saint, St Swithin (bishop of W…
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New Forest
Less than 30 minutes from Southampton is an ancient swathe of wild heath and woodland grazed upon by wild ponies, donkeys and deer. A unique place, the not-so-New Forest has an even more singular history and fascinating archaic traditions that date back almost 1000 years.
Wild ponies mooch around its picturesque scrubland, paying no attention to the walkers and cyclists that pant past. Deer flicker in the distance and rare birds flit among the foliage. A scattering of genteel villages dot the landscape and a web of walking and cycling trails connects them.
The New Forest is the only area of England to remain relatively untouched since Norman times, thanks in large part to…
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Mary Rose Museum
The remains of 16th-century warship and darling of Henry VIII, the Mary Rose, is the only such ship on display in the world - it's adjacent, and equally thrilling, to HMS Victory. This 700-tonne floating fortress sank off Portsmouth after a mysterious incident of 'human folly and bad luck' in 1545. In an astoundingly ambitious piece of marine archaeology, the ship was raised from its watery grave in 1982.
It now presents a ghostly image that could teach Hollywood a few tricks, its vast flank preserved in dim lighting, dripping and glistening in a constant mist of sea water.
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Wolvesey Castle
The fantastic, crumbling remains of early 12th-century Wolvesey Castle huddle in the protective embrace of the city's walls, despite the building having been largely demolished in the 1680s. It was completed by Henry de Blois, and it served as the Bishop of Winchester's residence throughout the medieval era. Queen Mary I and Philip II of Spain celebrated their wedding feast here in 1554. According to legend, its odd name comes from a Saxon king's demand for an annual payment of 300 wolves' heads. Access is via College St. Today the bishop lives in the (private) Wolvesey Palace next door.
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Mary Rose Museum
You can bear witness to the Herculean salvage operation that raised the 16th-century Mary Rose and see many of its recovered treasures at this fascinating museum, which is filled with fascinating facts and audiovisual insights. Every half an hour there's a 15-minute film about the raising of the ship, which is a must for all who didn't see coverage of the astonishing event in 1982. Purchasing a single-attraction ticket to this museum includes admission to the ship itself.
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King Arthur's Round Table
Crowning the wall of the Great Hall like a giant-sized dartboard of green and cream spokes is what centuries of mythology have called King Arthur's Round Table . Before you get too excited, it's a 700-year-old fake, but a fascinating one nonetheless. It's thought to have been constructed in the late 13th century and later painted in the reign of Henry VIII (King Arthur's image is strangely reminiscent of Henry's youthful face).
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Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower
If its things that go bang that float your boat, head straight to Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower, 1.5 miles from the ferry in the opposite direction. An old gunpowder magazine built in 1771 houses this museum of munitions and ordinance.
It's in Gosport, on the other side of Portsmouth Harbour, which is easily reached by ferry from The Hard, and taxis and buses wait on the other side to whisk you around.
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Royal Navy Submarine Museum
Features a bona-fide ex-service submarine – clambering aboard provides a revealing insight into the claustrophobic conditions. The museum is in Gosport, a 20-minute ferry ride west from the Hard.
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Southsea Castle
Next door to the D-Day Museum (9282 7261; www.ddaymuseum.co.uk; Clarence Esplanade) by the water is ugly grey Southsea Castle, built by Henry VIII, and by all accounts from where he would have watched his beloved Mary Rose sink. The castle was much altered in the early 19th century and there's now a lighthouse plonked on its top.
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The Point
Some 500m south of Gunwharf Quays, the Point (also known locally as Spice Island) is home to characterful cobbled streets dotted with salty sea-dog pubs; their water-side terraces are top spots to spend some time gazing at the Spinnaker Tower and the passing parade of ferries and navy ships. You can clatter up the steps of the Round Tower (originally built by Henry V) and stroll along the old fort walls to the Square Tower, which was built in 1494. Underneath, cavernous vaults frame Sally Ports, historic openings in the defences that give access to the sea and a strip of shingle beach.
To walk to the Point follow the chain link design set into the pavement from Gunwharf Qu…
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Spinnaker Tower
Soaring to 170m above Gunwharf Quays, the Spinnaker Tower is an unmistakable symbol of Portsmouth's new-found razzle-dazzle. Its two sweeping white arcs resemble a billowing sail from some angles, and a sharp skeletal ribcage from others.
As the UK's tallest publicly accessible structure, it offers truly extraordinary views over Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight, the South Downs and even Chichester, 23 miles to the east. Observation Deck 1 has a hair-raising view through the glass floor, while the roofless Crow's Nest on Deck 3 allows you to feel the wind on your face.
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Jane Austen's House
A stone's throw from the Winchester Cathedral is Jane Austen's House , where Jane Austen, one of England's best loved authors, spent her last six weeks before she died in 1817. It's now a private residence. There's also the opportunity to walk over her bones; her grave is near the entrance of the cathedral in the northern aisle.
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Royal Naval Museum
This huge museum has five galleries of naval history, ship models, battle dioramas, medals, paintings and much more. Audiovisual displays re-create the Battle of Trafalgar and one even lets you take command of a battleship - see if you can cure the scurvy and avoid mutiny. One gallery is entirely devoted to Lord Nelson.
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Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
This is Portsmouth's blockbuster attraction. Set in the heart of one of the country's most important naval ports, it comprises two stunning ships and a cluster of museums that pay homage to the historical might of the Royal Navy. The ticket price also includes a boat trip round the harbour; together it makes for a full day's outing. The last admission is 1½ hours before closing.
The Ships As resplendent as she is venerable, the dockyard's star sight is HMS Victory, Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) and the site of his infamous dying words 'Kiss me, Hardy' when victory over the French had been secured. This remarkable ship is topped by a forest of rop…
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Winchester Cathedral Library & Triforium Gallery
Once inside, it's worth being sidetracked by the Winchester Cathedral Library & Triforium Gallery, which affords a fine elevated view of the cathedral body and an up-close view of the dazzling illuminated pages of the 12th-century Winchester Bible - its colours as bright as if they were painted yesterday.
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Cathedral of St Thomas of Canterbury
In Old Portsmouth, adjoining the Point, this airy structure retains fragments of its 12th- and 17th-century incarnations. But a striking modern makeover includes quirky statuettes by Peter Eugene Ball; look for Thomas Becket with a sword through his mitred head.
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HMS Warrior
Anywhere else the magnificent warship HMS Warrior built in 1860, would grab centre stage. This handsome fella was at the cutting edge of technology in its day, riding the transition from wood to iron and sail to steam. Visitors can wander freely around its four decks to imagine life in the Victorian navy.
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Maritime Museum
Set in a 14th-century waterfront warehouse, this museum tells the tragic story of the Titanic and the effect its sinking had on Southampton. The building was once a prison – look out for the inmates' names carved in the impressive timber roof.
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Westgate Museum
This is one for fans of the grisly bit of history. Set in a medieval gateway that was once a debtors' prison, it boasts a macabre set of gibbeting irons used to display an executed criminal's body in 1777 and, scrawled crudely all over the interior walls, the 17th-century graffiti of prisoners.
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Action Stations!
Stumble into this warehouse-housed interactive experience and you'll soon be controlling a replica Merlin helicopter, commanding a warship, upping periscope or jumping aboard a jerky simulator. The whole setup is a thinly disguised recruitment drive for the modern navy, but a fun one nonetheless.
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Guided Walks
A wide variety of 1½-hour guided walks are organised through the tourist office. From May to September, evening walks also leave every Tuesday and encompass subjects as diverse as Jane Austen's Winchester and a spooky 'Bring out your dead' plague tour.
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