Winchester - the ancient capital of England
The city of Winchester lies in the county of Hampshire, south of
London. While London is a
city of worldwide fame, Winchester remains virtually unknown to
many visitors to the United
Kingdom.
The city began life in Roman times (during which time it was
known as Venta Belgarum) and
achieved great fame in the Saxon era thanks to the presence of
King Alfred the Great.
In 1066, following his success at the Battle of Hastings,
William the Conqueror made
Winchester his capital, rebuilding an existing Palace and also
constructing a castle to
defend the city.
1079 saw the Normans destroy the existing Old Minster Cathedral
and build a new cathedral
on the same site. The cathedral remains, to this day, the
outstanding landmark in the city
and one of the finest cathedrals in the entire country.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the city became associated with
historical figures who are
still studied by schoolchildren to this day. In 1554, for
instance, Queen Mary chose
Winchester as the site of her wedding to King Phillip of Spain.
In later years, Oliver Cromwell was to attack the city during
the English civil war of the
17th century. His men were to vandalise the cathedral and
destroy the castle - with
hindsight, a sad loss to history.
The city's association with royalty continues however: King
Charles II was extremely fond
of Winchester and even decided to build a royal palace in the
city. Alas, the plan was
never to come to fruition.
Winchester remains a stunning city, with its architecture
harking back to its glorious
past. Indeed, some would describe it as being quintessentially
English. Many tourists pass
it by, in favour of other well-worn tourist routes. That, it
must be said, is very much
their loss.