Winchester (England)

...a place in my heart! Winchester is one of England’s most historic cities; it is surrounded by beautiful Hampshire countryside. It is also a great place to study with lot’s to see and do!

University:

I studied at King Alfred’s college, situated in Winchester; King Alfred’s is a small university with a friendly student community. The people in Winchester are very welcoming to students and a lot of the pubs and bars have ...
...the legendary King Arthur, was Winchester ‘Caer Gwent’, Camelot?

Saxons:

Winchester becomes a royal and ecclesiastical city, the centre of Wessex and England.

Normans:

1079: construction begins on current Cathedral.

1089: Doomsday book is compiled in Winchester.

Middle Ages:

1100: Wicked King Rufus is buried below Cathedral Tower and 7 years later ... more

Winchester

I have decided to write a review about Winchester, I lived here throughout my university days and it will always have a place in my heart! Winchester is one of England’s most historic cities; it is surrounded by beautiful Hampshire countryside. It is also a great place to study with lot’s to see and do!

University:

I studied at King Alfred’s college, situated in Winchester; King Alfred’s is a small university with a friendly student community. The people in Winchester are very welcoming to students and a lot of the pubs and bars have student events. For more information about King Alfred’s and the courses available please see: www.wkac.ac.uk

Historic Winchester:

Iron age:

150BC: Hill fort built on St Catherine’s Hill.

Dark Ages:

400-600: The era of the legendary King Arthur, was Winchester ‘Caer Gwent’, Camelot?

Saxons:

Winchester becomes a royal and ecclesiastical city, the centre of Wessex and England.

Normans:

1079: construction begins on current Cathedral.

1089: Doomsday book is compiled in Winchester.

Middle Ages:

1100: Wicked King Rufus is buried below Cathedral Tower and 7 years later it collapses.

1222: King Henry 111 modernizes castle and builds great hall.

1486: King Henry V111’s first Arthur is christened in the cathedral.

Reformation:

1522: King Henry V111 has own image painted on round table.

1603: Sir Walter Raleigh tried for treason at the great Hall, later reprieved.

Civil war:

1642: roundhead tropes ransack cathedral, west window smashed and library raided.#

1651: castle destroyed on Cromwell’s orders.

Restoration:

1714: ‘New’ Guildhall, now a bank, built. Rival members of parliament provide town clock and statue of Queen Anne.

Georgian:

1817: Novelist Jane Austen dies, Winchester.

1819: Poet John Keats visits Winchester and writes his ‘ode to autumn’.

Victorian:

1840: New railway brings prosperity and day tourists.

1863: Royal Hampshire County Hospital built and Florence Nightingale consulted on design.

1887: To mark Queen Victoria’s jubilee a statue commissioned from the sculptor of Eros, Alfred Gilbert. It can be seen in the great hall.

1901: City centre of international celebrations to commemorate King Alfred. A statue by Hamo Thorneycroft is erected in the Broadway.

20th Century:

1937: Controversy as the new by-pass separates city and St Catherine’s Hill.

1987 – 1988: Excavations of Romans, Saxons and Medieval Winchester at the Brooks.

1993: 900th anniversary of the construction of the cathedral.

1994: Old bypass closed as missing link of the M3 cuts controversially throw Twyford.

1999:An archaeological dig at Hyde abbey discovers the likely location of King Alfred’s tomb, in this 1100th anniversary year.

Places of interest:

The Great Hall and Round Table: a great experience and chance to see the medieval table of king Arthur. Open daily 10am – 5pm, admission free. For more information contact: the.great.hall@hants.gov.uk

The Guildhall: The Guildhall always has events and exhibitions going on, it is also available for hire. We used to have our university balls their, and I know that they hire out for wedding receptions. For more information: guildhall@winchester.gov.uk

Theatre Royal: If you are in Winchester for a while you might decide an evening at the theatre is required. The newly restored Theatre Royal shows a range of things including theatre, comedy, dance, concerts, plays and music.

Winchester Cathedral: I am very proud to say that I actually graduated in the cathedral; it was an amazing day and well worth the 3-year hard slog to get my degree. For visitors the cathedral is open 8.30am – 6pm Monday – Saturday and until 5.50pm on Sundays. A donation is suggested at £3.50 Adults and 50p for children.

Winchester High Street: Winchester high street is a mixture of boutiques, antiquarian bookshops, and art shops next to your favourite high street names. With cobbled paths and beautiful old buildings and statues it makes for a lovely days shopping.

Winchester Nightlife:

Having been a student in Winchester I can give you a fairly accurate account of the pubs/bars! So here I go with my top 10 list!

1/ O’Neil’s Irish Bar: even though O’Neil’s is a change pub it is still a great bar, it is a good size with fab music! At the weekends sometimes different bands play and it gives off a great atmosphere! It is also open till 1am!

2/ Havana (formerly known as Musswel’s): Great Cocktails! And really nice food! Open till 1pm at weekends, more of a wine bar than a pub!

3/ Moloko’s: Vodka Bar, this is the place to go if you are feeling hip and trendy, Vodka available in any flavour you can think of, mars bar, milky way, jelly baby etc….

4/ The Guildhall Tavern: One of the nearest things Winchester has to a night club, open till 1pm good music from different DJ’s, Student nights and drink promo’s!

5/ The Old Goal House: a Weatherspoons, great for cheap drinks and cheap food. A good place to start your night off, it’s a large pub so good for groups to meet in, no music though, so good for a chat but not so good for dancing!

6/ The Royal Oak: This is smack bang in centre of the high street, this is a hog’s head chain, so good for reasonable food. This is the place to go for a quite mid week drink.

7/ The County Arms: Situated near West Downs Student Village, this is a big favourite with the students! With great food and cheap beer! It’s a very nice country pub, great place for a Sunday Roast.

8/ The Exchange: Recently refurbished due to a fire, great food and atmosphere. Situated at the top of the high street.

9/ The Black Boy: A quirky pub with lot’s of interesting décor. Situated at the bottom of town near the river, great to go for a chilled out drink.

10/ The Port House! This like the Guildhall is trying to be Winchesters equivalent of a nightclub! It is dark and dingy! It’s all right if you are already drunk and just want a cheesy laugh!

Winchester unfortunately does not have any Night Clubs. But Southampton and Bournemouth are fairly close by.

Eating out in Winchester:

Pappagello’s: This is a really nice Italian restaurant, great pizza and pasta, a proper little Italy 3,City Road, Winchester.

Charles House: Chinese Restaurant! Yummy! Lot’s of offers including an Eat as much as you can buffet! Sussex Street, Winchester.

Mr So Chinese: Another Chinese, 3 Jewry Street, Winchester.

Noah’s: This is a really nice little diner/café, 32A Jewry Street, Winchester.

Nine The Square: A nice bistro situated near the cathedral 9,Great Minster Street, Winchester.

Pizza Express: An oldie worldly style pizza Express at the bottom of town near the river 1 Bridge Street, Winchester.

Events:

Winchester Hat Fair: The Hat Fair is held in July every year, it it’s Britain’s most established street theatre festival. With lots of things going on performers, stunts, specialist circus acts, clowning, new world music and a variety of craft stalls.

For more information: www.hatfair.com

The Farmers Market: The farmers market comes to Winchester on the last Sunday of every month. It gives you a opportunity to sample and savour traditional Hampshire produce. The market is based at Middle Brook Street, and is around between 10am and 2pm.

For more information; www.hants.gov.uk/farmersmarkets

How to get to Winchester:

By Road: Winchester is connected to the motorway network with easy access from all parts of the country. Drivers approaching Winchester from the north should exit at junction 9 on the M3. At junction 10, motorists can only access and exit the M3 from the south.
Access to Winchester
§ London - M3
§ South Coast - M3 and M27
§ Midlands and North - A34
§ West Country - A303
§ South-East - M20, M25, M3 or A272

By Rail: Winchester is served by the mainline route between London Waterloo and the South Coast. Fast services to London Waterloo take approximately 55 minutes. There are also regular connections to the Midlands and the North.

For more information call National Rail Enquiries: 08457 48 49 50.

 

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