Sights in Winchester
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Hospital of St Cross
Monk, bishop, knight, politician and grandson of William the Conqueror, Henry de Blois was a busy man. But he found time to establish this still-impressive hospital in 1132. As well as healing the sick and housing the needy, the hospital was built to feed and house pilgrims and crusaders en route to the Holy Land. It's the oldest charitable institution in the country, and is still roamed by 25 elderly black- or red-gowned brothers in pie-shaped trencher hats, who continue to hand out alms. Take a peek into the stumpy church, the brethren hall, the kitchen and the peaceful gardens. The best way to arrive is via the one-mile Keats' Walk. Upon entering, claim the centuries-o…
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City Museum
Whizzes through Winchester's Roman and Saxon history, lingers on its Anglo-Norman golden age, pays homage to Jane Austen, and reconstructs several early 20th-century Winchester shops.
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City Mill
See the city's 18th-century water-powered mill in action and buy stone-ground flour in the shop.
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Royal Green Jackets Museum
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Gurkha Museum
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Winchester College
Winchester College gives you a rare chance to nosey around a prestigious English private school. It was set up by William Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester in 1393, 14 years after he founded Oxford's New College. Hour-long guided tours trail through the school's medieval core, taking in the 14th-century Gothic chapel, complete with wooden vaulted roof, the dining room (called College Hall), and a vast 17th-century open classroom (called School), where exams are still held. It's all deeply atmospheric and unshakably affluent; a revealing insight into how the other half learns. Tours start from the Porter's Lodge.
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The Round Table & Great Hall
Winchester's other showpiece sight is the cavernous Great Hall, the only part of 11th-century Winchester Castle that Oliver Cromwell spared from destruction. Crowning the wall like a giant-sized dartboard of green and cream spokes is what centuries of mythology have dubbed King Arthur's Round Table. It's actually a 700-year-old copy, but is fascinating nonetheless. It's thought to have been constructed in the late 13th century and then painted in the reign of Henry VIII (King Arthur's image is unsurprisingly reminiscent of Henry's youthful face).
This hall was also the stage for several dramatic English courtroom dramas, including the trial of adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh…
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Military Museums
Of Winchester's clutch of army museums, the pick is the Royal Green Jackets Museum, which has a mini rifle-shooting range, a room of 6000 medals and an impressive blow-by-blow diorama of Napoleon's downfall, the Battle of Waterloo. The Gurkha Museum features the regiment's history, combining a jungle tableau with a history of Gurkha service to the British crown.
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Horsepower
Horsepower gallops through the combat history of the Royal Hussars, from the Charge of the Light Brigade to armour-clad vehicles.
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