Winchester Cathedral is a Church of England, cathedral in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It is one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, with the longest nave and greatest overall length of any Gothic cathedral in Europe. Dedicated to the Holy Trinity,Saint Peter, Saint Paul, and before the Reformation, Saint Swithun, it is the seat of the Bishop of Winchester and centre of the Diocese of Winchester. The cathedral is a Grade I listed building. The cathedral was founded in 642 on a site immediately to the north of the present one. This building became known as the Old Minster. It became part of a monastic settlement in 971. Saint Swithun was buried near the Old Minster and then in it, before being moved to the new Norman cathedral. So-called mortuary chests said to contain the remains of Saxon kings such as King Eadwig of England, first buried in the Old Minster, and his wife Ælfgifu, are in the present cathedral. The Old Minster was demolished in 1093, immediately after the consecration of its successor.
By the early 16th century, much of the Cathedral you see today was complete.New secular names became linked to this place, to add to those of mighty kings and bishops, from the 17th-century angler Izaak Walton to the great early 19th-century English novelist Jane Austen.The 19th century saw much restoration work, including new stone statues for the huge 15th-century Great Screen behind the altar. The Cathedral’s Organ, a cut-down version of a huge organ displayed at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, was bought.By the early 1900s, there were fears that the east end of this ancient building would collapse, after centuries of subsidence. Deep-sea diver, William Walker, worked under water in total darkness for six years to stabilise them.Today, after 12 centuries, this great Cathedral church remains the seat of the Bishop of Winchester and centre of the Diocese of Winchester. Its beautiful spaces continue to echo to the sound of daily prayers and glorious sacred music.It is also a thriving attraction for visitors all over the world, a precious heritage that we seek to conserve for future generations. Please visit us – you’ll find a warm welcome.
The River Itchen is a river in Hampshire, England. It flows from mid-Hampshire to join with Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge in the city of Southampton. The river has a total length of 28 miles (45 km), and is noted as one of the world's premier chalk streams for fly fishing, especially using dry fly or nymphing techniques. The local chalk aquifer provides excellent storage and filtration and the river has long been used for public water supply. Watercress thrives all along the Itchen valley in its once pristine, crystal clear waters, now affected by some farming practices. It is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is noted for its high-quality habitats, supporting a range of protected species including water crowfoot, brown trout, the endangered water vole, otter, brook lamprey and white-clawed crayfish.
The Guild Hall.
A magnificent Victorian building situated in the heart of the city with a family-friendly cafe – Eighteen71 – and an exciting programme of live entertainment and events from tribute bands to craft shows and festivals. The Guildhall is also home to Winchester Tourist Information Centre – where you can buy tickets to most of the Guildhall’s events. Guildhall Winchester is also one of the largest and most flexible meeting room, conference and banqueting spaces in the country. With 12 flexible venue spaces, the Guildhall offers event spaces accommodating up to 600 delegates. It also provides an atmospheric setting for weddings, family celebrations or Christmas parties. The refurbished 19th-century Guildhall, above the Tourist Office, is a wonderful Victorian building in the centre of Winchester, just a short stroll from all major tourist attractions. For many years the Guildhall served as an art gallery exhibiting works by local artists, but now it acts as an event venue, with rooms created from the original 19th-century chambers made for civic government functions. The Guildhall was built from 1871 - 1875 to a design by architects Skiller and Jeffrey. This era was the height of Victorian interest in medieval Gothic architecture so the style is Middle Pointed Gothic, made of sandstone with red stone dressing, under a slate roof. In 1892 a two-storey extension in flint was added to the west end, designed by JB Colson.
