Winchester developed from theRoman town ofVenta Belgarum, which in turn developed from anIron Ageoppidum. Winchester was one of the most important cities in England in theAnglo-Saxon period.
The settlement became an important centre for theBritish Belgae tribe; however, it remains unclear how the Belgae came to control the initial settlement. Caesar recorded the tribe had crossed the channel as raiders (probably in the 1st century BCE), only to later establish themselves.[7] The Roman account of continental invaders has been challenged in recent years with scientific studies favouring a gradual change through increased trade links rather than migration.[8][9][10]
To the Celtic Britons, the settlement was probably known as Wentā or Venta (from a commonCeltic word meaning "tribal town" or "meeting place").[11] An etymology connected with the Celtic word for "white" (Modern Welshgwyn) has been suggested, due to Winchester's situation upon chalk.[12] It was the Latinised versions of this name, together with that of the tribe, that gave the town its Roman name of Venta Belgarum.
After theRoman conquest of Britain, the settlement served as the capital (Latin:civitas) of the Belgae and was distinguished asVenta Belgarum, "Venta of the Belgae". Although in the early years of the Roman province it was of subsidiary importance toSilchester andChichester, Venta eclipsed them both by the latter half of the second century.[13] At the beginning of the third century, Winchester was given protectivestone walls.[14] At around this time the city covered an area of 144 acres (58 ha), making it among the largest towns in Roman Britain by surface area.[15] There was a limited suburban area outside the walls.[16] Like many other Roman towns, however, Winchester began to decline in the later fourth century.[15][17]
Despite theRoman withdrawal from Britain, urban life continued much as it had done into the mid fifth century. The settlement was reduced in size, but work was carried out to improve the city's defences. The city may have functioned as a centre for a religious community or a royal palace, as they continued to use the Christian cemeteries established in the Roman period.
Between 476 and 517 AD, the town and surrounding areas seem to have been fortified by severalJutish settlements[20][21][a] and to have operated as part of a larger polity.[22]
The city became known as Wintanceaster ("Fort Venta") inOld English.[23] In 648,King Cenwalh of Wessex erected the Church of St Peter and St Paul, later known as theOld Minster. This became a cathedral in the 660s when the West Saxon bishop's see was transferred fromDorchester on Thames. The present form of the city dates from reconstruction in the late 9th century, whenKing Alfred the Great obliterated the Roman street plan in favour of a new grid in order to provide better defence against theVikings. The city's first mint appears to date from this period.[24]
In the early 10th century there were two new ecclesiastical establishments: the convent ofNunnaminster, founded by Alfred's widowEalhswith,[25] and theNew Minster. BishopÆthelwold of Winchester was a leading figure in the monastic reform movement of the later 10th century. He expelled the secular canons of both minsters and replaced them with monks. He created the drainage system, the "Lockburn", which served as the town drain until 1875, and still survives. Also in the late 10th century, the Old Minster was enlarged as a centre of the cult of the 9th centuryBishop of Winchester, SaintSwithun. The three minsters were the home of what architectural historian John Crook describes as "the supreme artistic achievements" of theWinchester School.[24]
The consensus among historians of Anglo-Saxon England is that the court was mobile in this period and there was no fixed capital.[26][27][28][29]Martin Biddle has suggested that Winchester was a centre for royal administration in the 7th and 8th centuries, but this is questioned byBarbara Yorke, who sees it as significant that the shire was named after Hamtun, the forerunner ofSouthampton.[30] However, Winchester is described by the historian Catherine Cubitt as "the premier city of the West Saxon kingdom"[31] andJanet Nelson describes London and Winchester as Alfred the Great's "proto-capitals".[32]
There was a fire in the city in 1141 during theRout of Winchester. In the 14th century,William of Wykeham played a role in the city's restoration. AsBishop of Winchester he was responsible for much of the current structure of the cathedral, and he founded the extant public schoolWinchester College. During theMiddle Ages, the city was an important centre of the wool trade, before going into a slow decline.[citation needed] Thecurfew bell in the bell tower (near the clock in the picture), still sounds at 8:00 pm each evening.
Winchester High Street in the mid 19th century.
Jews lived in Winchester from at least 1148, and in the 13th century the Jewish community in the city was one of the most important in England. There was anarcha in the city, and theJewish quarter was located in the city's heart (present day Jewry street). There were a series ofblood libel claims against the Jewish community in the 1220s and 1230s, which was probably the cause of the hanging of the community's leader, Abraham Pinch, in front of the synagogue of which he was the head.Simon de Montfort ransacked the Jewish quarter in 1264, and in 1290 all Jews wereexpelled from England.[33] A statue ofLicoricia of Winchester, described as "the most important Jewish woman in medieval England", located in Jewry Street, was unveiled by the then Prince of Wales on 10 February 2022.[34][35]
The City Cross (also known as theButtercross) has been dated to the 15th century, and features 12 statues of theVirgin Mary, other saints and various historical figures. Several statues appear to have been added throughout the structure's history. In 1770,Thomas Dummer purchased the Buttercross from the Corporation of Winchester, intending to have it re-erected atCranbury Park, nearOtterbourne. When his workmen arrived to dismantle the cross, they were prevented from doing so by the people of the city, who "organised a small riot",[36] and they were forced to abandon their task. The agreement with the city was cancelled and Dummer erected alath and plaster facsimile, which stood in the park for about sixty years before it was destroyed by the weather.[37] The Buttercross itself was restored byGeorge Gilbert Scott in 1865, and still stands in the High Street. It is now aScheduled Ancient Monument.[38]
Thecity walls were originally built in the Roman period covering an area of around 138 acres (56 ha), and were rebuilt and expanded in sections over time. A large portion of the city walls, built on Roman foundations, were demolished in the 18th and 19th centuries as they fell into ruin and the gates became a barrier to traffic and a danger to pedestrians, with only a small portion of the original Roman wall itself surviving.[39][40] Of the six gates (North, South, East, West, Durn, and King's Gates), only theKingsgate andWestgate survive, with sections of the walls remaining around the two gates and near the ruins ofWolvesey Castle.[41]
Three notable bronze sculptures can be seen in or from the High Street by major sculptors of the 19th and 20th centuries, the earliest a monumental statue ofQueen Victoria, now in theGreat hall, by SirAlfred Gilbert (also known as the sculptor of 'Eros' in London's Piccadilly Circus),King Alfred, facing the city with raised sword from the centre of The Broadway, byHamo Thornycroft and the modern strikingHorse and Rider byDame Elizabeth Frink at the entrance to the Law Courts.
The novelistJane Austen died in Winchester on 18 July 1817 and is buried in the cathedral.[42] While staying in Winchester from mid-August to October 1819, the Romantic poetJohn Keats wrote "Isabella", "St. Agnes' Eve", "To Autumn", "Lamia" and parts of "Hyperion" and the five-act poetic tragedy "Otho The Great".[43]
In 2013, businesses involved in the housing market were reported by a local newspaper as saying that the city's architectural and historical interest, and its fast links to other towns and cities, had led Winchester to become one of the most expensive and desirable areas of the country and[who?] ranked Winchester as one of the least deprived areas in England and Wales.[44]
Winchester is situated on a bed ofCretaceous lower chalk with small areas of clay and loam soil, inset with combined clay and rich sources offuller's earth.[citation needed]
As with the rest of the UK, Winchester experiences anoceanic climate (KöppenCfb). The nearest Met Office station is inMartyr Worthy, just outside the city.
Climate data forMartyr Worthy,[b] (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1959–2002)
Between the last two censuses (held in 2011 and 2021), the population of Winchester increased by 9.3%, from just under 116,600 in 2011 to around 127,400 in 2021.[47]
Indirect election,ex officio ward councillors from town wards
Meeting place
Guildhall, The Broadway, High Street, Winchester, SO239GH
From 1835 to 1974, Winchester was governed as amunicipal borough of Hampshire.[48] Until 1902 the city's affairs were also administered partly by its parishes: St Lawrence, St Mary Kalendar, St Maurice, St Michael, St Peter Colebrook, St Swithin, St Thomas, St John, St Bartholomew Hyde, Milland, St Faith, and St Peter Cheesehill, and its extra-parochial areas: Cathedral Precincts, St Mary's College Precincts, St Cross Hospital Precinct, and Wolvesey.[49] Historically, the south of the city had come under the "Liberty of theSoke", and was thereby self-governing to a large extent.[50][51]
In 1889, the city came under the newHampshire County Council, and the city was later administered by WinchesterUrban District. Since 1974 the area has been governed as part of the widerCity of Winchester district ofHampshire. The district has 16 electoral wards, five of these cover the former Urban District itself: St Barnabas, St Paul, St Luke, St Bartholomew, and St Michael;[52] they have three councillors each apart from St Luke, which is a two-member ward. ForHampshire County Council elections, the City of Winchester district is made up of 7divisions, with Winchester Westgate and Winchester Eastgate covering the town area.
Whilst the remainder of the district is parished, most of the five city wards constitutes anunparished area. As a result, they now make up Winchester Town Forum, which matches the former Winchester Urban District. Legally an area committee, it oversees the Town account and acts as a council committee to steer some decisions affecting the town. Unlike parishes, members are not directly-elected, but instead are the city councillors who were elected to the respective wards, who sitex officio on the town forum.[53][54]
The current ward boundaries were adopted in2016, when all seats were up for election. Since then,Winchester City Council elections take place in three out of every four years, with one third of the councillors elected in each election. From the2006 election until the2010 election the council was led byConservatives.[55] In 2010 it was controlled for a year by theLiberal Democrats, before being led again by the Conservatives from 2011 until2019, since when the Liberal Democrats have again been in control. The wards are:
St Barnabas (part under Littleton and Harestock Parish)
St Barnabas predominantly coversHarestock,Weeke and Teg Down. Harestock is part ofLittleton and Harestock Parish whilst the remainder is part of the unparished area, but the entire ward is part of the Town Forum. The remaining wards are all completely unparished; St Bartholomew is predominantly composed ofAbbotts Barton,Hyde, andWinnall; St Luke is predominantly composed ofStanmore and Winchester Village; St Michael is predominantly composed ofBar End, Highcliffe, Saint Giles Hill,St Cross, and much of the city centre including theCathedral Close; St Pauls is predominantly composed of Fulflood, Sleepers Hill, and West Hill.
The office ofMayor of Winchester currently exists as a ceremonial role, but dates back at least as far as the late 12th century.[56] The mayoral term length is currently one year, and is the chair ofWinchester City Council, covering the wider district since 1974.
Winchester Cathedral Close contains a number of historic buildings from the time when the cathedral was also apriory. Of particular note is theDeanery, which dates back to the 13th century. It was originally the Prior's House, and was the birthplace ofArthur, Prince of Wales in 1486. Not far away isCheyney Court, a mid 15th-centurytimber-framed house incorporating the Porter's Lodge for the Priory Gate. It was the Bishop's court house.
The earliesthammer-beamed building still standing in England is situated in the Cathedral Close, next to the Dean's garden. It is known as thePilgrims' Hall, as it was part of the hostelry used to accommodate the many pilgrims to Saint Swithun's shrine. Left-overs from the lavish banquets of the Priors (the monastic predecessors of the later Deans) would be given to the pilgrims, who were welcome to spend the night in the hall. It is thought by Winchester City Council to have been built in 1308. Now part ofThe Pilgrims' School, the hall is used by the school for assemblies in the morning, drama lessons, plays, orchestral practices, Cathedral Waynflete[clarification needed] rehearsals, the school's Senior Commoners' Choir rehearsals etc.
Entrance for pedestrians to the Northgarth of the cathedral is via the Norman arches of Saint Maurice's tower, in the High Street.[58]
Wolvesey Castle was theNorman bishop's palace, dating from 1110, but standing on the site of an earlier Saxon structure. It was enhanced byHenry de Blois duringthe Anarchy of his brother KingStephen's reign. He was besieged there for some days. In the 16th century, QueenMary Tudor and KingPhilip II of Spain were guests just before theirwedding in the cathedral. The building is now a ruin (maintained byEnglish Heritage), but the chapel was incorporated into the new palace built in the 1680s, only one wing of which survives.
Winchester is well known for the Great Hall ofits castle, which was built in the 12th century. The Great Hall was rebuilt sometime between 1222 and 1235, and still exists in this form. It is famous forKing Arthur'sRound Table, which has hung in the hall from at least 1463. The table actually dates from the 13th century, this it is still of considerable historical interest and attracts many tourists. The table was originally unpainted, but was painted forHenry VIII in 1522. The names of the legendaryKnights of the Round Table are written around the edge of the table surmounted by King Arthur on his throne. Opposite the table arePrince Charles's 'Wedding Gates'. In the grounds of the Great Hall is a recreation of amedieval garden. Apart from the hall, only a few excavated remains of the stronghold survive among the modern Law Courts. The buildings were supplanted by the adjacentKing's House, now incorporated into thePeninsula Barracks where there are five military museums.[59] (The training that used to be carried out at the barracks is now done by theArmy Training Regiment Winchester, based at theSir John Moore Barracks, 2 miles (3 km) outside the city).[60]
Thealmshouses and vastNormanchapel of theHospital of St Cross were founded just outside the city centre byHenry de Blois in the 1130s. Since at least the 14th century, and still available today, a 'wayfarer's dole' of ale and bread has been handed out there. It was supposedly instigated to aid pilgrims on their way toCanterbury.
The City Museum, located on the corner of Great Minster Street and The Square, contains much information on the history of Winchester. Early examples ofWinchester measures of standard capacity are on display. The museum was one of the first purpose-built museums to be constructed outside London.[61] Local items featured include the RomanVenta Belgarum[62] gallery, and some genuine period shop interiors taken from the nearby High Street. Other places of cultural interest include the Westgate Museum (which showcases various items ofweaponry), and the Historic Resources Centre, which holds many records related to the history of the city. In 2014 ownership of the City museum was transferred to the Hampshire Cultural Trust as part of a larger transfer of museums fromHampshire County Council andWinchester City Council.[63]
Between Jewry Street and St Peter's Street isSt Peter's Catholic Church. It was built in 1924 and designed byFrederick Walters. Next to it is Milner Hall, built in the 1780s, which was the first Catholic church to beconsecrated since 1558.[66]
Winchester has a variety ofChurch of England primary schools, including both state and private provision schools. St Peters Catholic Primary School had the highest SATS results, after achieving a perfect score of 300 in 2011.[70]
Independent junior/preparatory schools areThe Pilgrims' School Winchester, the Prince's Mead School andTwyford School, which is just outside the city and claims to be the oldest preparatory school in the United Kingdom.[72] There are two major independent senior schools in Winchester,St Swithun's (a day and boarding school for girls from nursery to sixth form) andWinchester College, apublic school.[73] Both schools often top the examination result tables for the city and county.[74]
Osborne School is a state-fundedspecial school for pupils aged 11 to 19 which is located in Winchester. Shepherds Down Special School is a state funded special school for pupils aged 4 to 11, located just outside of the city in the boundaries ofCompton.
TheUniversity of Winchester (formerly King Alfred's College) is a public university based in Winchester and the surrounding area. It is ranked 10th for teaching excellence in The Times and The Sunday Times 2016 Good University Guide, with a 92% rating, and fourth for student satisfaction in England in the National Student Survey 2015.[75] The university origins go back as far as 1840, originally as a Diocesan teacher training centre. King Alfred's, the main campus, is located on a purpose-built campus near the city centre. The West Downs campus is a short walk away, and houses student facilities and accommodation and the business school.[76]
TheWinchester School of Art was founded in the 1860s as an independent institution and is now a school of theUniversity of Southampton. The School of Art is complemented by the University of Southampton's Erasmus Park student accommodation in Winnall.[77][78]
Peter Symonds College is a college that serves Winchester. It began as aGrammar school for boys in 1897, and became a co-educational sixth-form college in 1974.[79]
Winchester hasWinchester City FC who currently play in the Southern League andWinchester Castle FC, who have played in the Hampshire League since 1971. The local Saturday football league, the Winchester & District League, folded in 2010. The city also has awalking football club, Winchester Walking Football, which was established in April 2021 and plays at the University Sports Ground.[80]
Winchester City Flyers are a girls' and women's football club[81] established in 1996 with nearly 200 members, playing from U9 to ladies football. They play in theSouthern Region Women's Football League.[82]
Lawnbowls is played at several clubs. The oldest bowling green belongs to Friary Bowling Club (first used in 1820),[84] while the oldest bowls club is Hyde Abbey Bowling Club (established in 1812).[85] Riverside Indoor Bowling Club remains open during the winter months.
There are three 18-holegolf courses. Royal Winchester Golf Club is on downland adjacent to theClarendon Way.John Henry Taylor was the club professional when winningthe Open Championship in 1894 and 1895, and there is a room with memorabilia named after him. Hockley Golf Club is located onSt Catherine's Hill. South Winchester Golf Club is another downland course, designed byDavid Thomas andPeter Alliss. The club was established in 1993.[86]
Historically, the city was also served by a line to London viaAlton, which partially survives as theWatercress Line. The closure of this line removed an alternative route between London and Winchester when, due to engineering works or other reasons, the main line was temporarily unusable.
Winchester is located near to theM3 motorway and at the meeting of theA34,A31,A3090 andA272 roads. Once a major traffic bottleneck, the city still suffers from congestion at peak times. It is just to the south of theA303 andA30.
Bluestar provide services toEastleigh and Southampton. Many services are subsidised byHampshire County Council and community transport schemes are available in areas without a regular bus service.
Three different community transport schemes are provided by Winchester City Council; these are:[93]
Dial-A-Ride – A service available from 8:45 am to 4:30 pm within the district for those with a mobility or sensory impairment that would make it uncomfortable or impossible to ride in a taxi or bus. The minibuses are fully wheelchair accessible and do not require that individuals are registered as disabled.[94]
Voluntary Car-Share – These schemes are not exclusive to Winchester area, with many such schemes being offered throughout Hampshire and indeed the UK. A group of volunteer drivers who have their own vehicles offer transport to people in their area that are in need, such as the vulnerable, those with low incomes or for taking people to medical appointments who may be unable to get there themselves.[95]
Wheels to Work – A scheme for use across Hampshire which is designed to allow people without access to public or private transport to find work, to go to vocational trainings or to attend interviews. The scheme offers a moped (50cc, 110cc or electric) on loan to those 16–25 for anywhere from 3–12 months depending on one's circumstances. The scheme requires that the individual already holds a provisional driving licence and has passed theirCompulsory Basic Training (which the scheme also offers to cover the cost for should the individual not have passed yet).[96]
Winchester has a separate districtprobate registry, which is part of theHigh Court.[98] This court is separate from the main court establishment at the top of Winchester High Street and deals only with probate matters.
There is a heavily populated Victorian prison,HMP Winchester, opposite the hospital, on the B3040 heading up west from the town centre.[99]
Since 1974 Winchester has hosted the annualHat Fair, a celebration ofstreet theatre that includes performances, workshops, and gatherings at several venues around the city.[100]
Winchester is the home ofBlue Apple Theatre, a theatre company that supports performers with learning disabilities to develop theatre, dance and film productions. It won the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2012.[101][102] Founded in 1997,Platform 4 is a National performance and visual arts company based in Winchester.[103]
Winchester hosts one of the UK's largerfarmers' markets, with about 100 stalls. The market takes place on the second and last Sunday of the month in the city centre. The city also hosts the annualWinchester Cathedral Christmas Market, which runs from mid-November to just beforeChristmas.[104]
Four newspapers are published for Winchester. The weekly paid-forHampshire Chronicle, which started out in 1772 reporting national and international news, now concentrates on Winchester and the surrounding area. TheSouthern Daily Echo mostly concerns Southampton, but does also feature Winchester. It has an office shared with sister paper the Hampshire Chronicle. TheMid-Hants Observer is a free, weekly independent paper for Winchester and nearby villages. Its sister paper, the weeklyHampshire Independent, which covers the whole county, is also based in Winchester. The freeWinchester News Extra closed in 2017. Winchester had its own radio station,Win FM, from October 1999 to October 2007.[citation needed]
In October 2006, theChannel 4 television programmeThe Best And Worst Places To Live In The UK, the city was celebrated as the "Best Place in the UK to Live in: 2006".[44] In March 2016, Winchester was named as the best place to live in Britain by the "Sunday Times Best Places To Live" guide.[105]
^Cunliffe, Barry W.,Iron Age Communities in Britain, Fourth Edition: An Account of England, Scotland and Wales from the Seventh Century BC, Until the Roman Conquest, near Figure 1.4, 2012 (4th edition), Routledge,[1] google preview, with no page numbers]
^Sheppard Frere,Britannia: a History of Roman Britain, third edition, Pimlico, 1987; John Creighton,Coins and power in Late Iron Age Britain, Cambridge University Press, 2000
^The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Worthy Park, Kingsworthy, Near Winchester, Hampshire (Oxford University School of Archaeology Monograph, 59). Hawkes, Sonia Chadwick (2003).
^Two Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries at Winnall, Winchester, Hampshire. Meaney, Audrey Lillian and Hawkes, Sonia Chadwick. (Society for Medieval Archaeology, 1970).
^An Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Twyford, Near Winchester. Dinwiddy, Kirsten Egging. Proc. Hampshire Field Club Archaeol. Soc. 66, 2011, 75-126 (Hampshire Studies 2011).
^"Wintan-ceaster".Anglo Saxon Dictionary. Bosworth-Toller. Retrieved18 June 2014.
^abCrook, John (2014). "Winchester". In Lapidge, Michael; et al. (eds.).The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Anglo-Saxon England (2nd ed.). Wiley Blackwell.ISBN978-0-631-22492-1.
^Naismith, Rory (2019).Citadel of the Saxons: The Rise of Early London. London, UK: I. B. Tauris. p. 11.ISBN978-1-3501-3568-0.
^Lvelle, Ryan; Roffey, Simon; Weikert, Katherine, eds. (2021).Early Medieval Winchester: Communities, Authority and Power in an Urban Space, c.800-c.1200. Oxford, UK: Oxbow Books. p. 4.ISBN978-1-78925-623-9.Contrary to popular belief, though, Winchester has never been a 'capital' of England, or even of Winchester
^Yorke, Barbara (1982). "The Foundation of the Old Minster and the Status of Winchester in the Seventh and Eighth Centuries".Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society (38):79–80.ISSN0142-8950.
^Cubitt, Catherine (2009). "Pastoral Care and Religious Belief". In Stafford, Pauline (ed.).A Companion to the Early Middle Ages: Britain and Ireland c.500- c.1100. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 399.ISBN978-1-118-42513-8.
^Nelson, Janet (2000). "Power and authority at the Court of Alfred". In Roberts, and; Nelson, Janet (eds.).Essays on Anglo-Saxon and Related Themes in Memory of Lynne Grundy. London: King's College London Centre for Late Antique & Medieval Studies. pp. 327–28.ISBN978-0-9522119-9-0.
^Abrams, Rebecca (2022).Licoricia of Winchester: Power and Prejudice in Medieval England (1st ed.). Winchester: The Licoricia of Winchester Appeal. pp. xiii.ISBN978-1-3999-1638-7.
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