Rank : 9.0 (average on 1 votes)Coordinates : 51.060854, -1.313082 (
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Subjects : Winchester is an ancient English Cathedral city that was the Roman Venta Belgarum and then became the capital of Wessex (Anglo Saxon times) and its Cathedral has the longest knave in Europe. Originally built in 1079 the cathedral has taken many additions and its diocese remains one of the strongest and largest outside Canterbury. The surrounding steep hillsides carry many ancient Pilgrim's paths, which joined Winchester with Salisbury and Exeter in the west and Canterbury in the east. The Cathedral Close is a fascinating and photogenic area too, interesting old houses and gardens and walkways. Winchester College is one of the most influential and sought after - and highest achieving public (fee paying) schools in all of the UK. The architecture around these parts is ancient and superb and the way of student life even today can be fascinating.Winchester Castle - here within the Great Hall hangs since 1463 A.D King Arthur's Round Table, featuring places around its circumference for the famous Knights of the Round Table, though it actually predates 1463.Wolvesey Castle - ruins now, run by English Heritage.King Alfred 'The Great' had a big hand in shaping the early origins of post Roman Winchester and has a large distinctive statue dedicated to him. St Catherine's Hill - an Iron Age Fort with steep sides and excellent views about 2 km to the south east of the city. Excellent for an invigorating walk at any time of year. It also has a (much more modern) mizmaze near its summit. The River Itchen flows through the chalk valley and was the focal point for settlements throughout the centuries and thus there are many water mills, of which the City Mill still operates grinding corn, in the city centre. Run by the National Trust.Hospital of St Cross - to my mind - and to my lenses, the best parts of Winchester are along the Itchen watermeadows, where it is possible to walk for hours mostly alongside stunningly beautiful crystal-clear waters with views across wonderful old architecture, including this Hospital from the 12th century, which looks like an ancient church, with superb Almhouses. Winchester is on the very western tip of the South Downs National Park. It is over 150km to walk its entire length, eastwards, to Eastbourne!. There is a theatre and quite a cultured sector within Winchester, with street festivals occurring during the year, such the annual Hat Fair. There is also a prison and a major hospital (both best avoided!!!) Similarly, the High Crown Law Courts, which are important enough to hold major cases, such as murders...There is surprisingly good architecture around the old Army barracks in Winchester and there a quite a few military museums, as well as the city's main museum, which was one of the first in the country to be opened outside London. Buskers often perform in the pedestrianised and historic High Street. Throw in a couple of coins in their hat or guitar/violin/saxophone case and snap away!
Recommended equipment : The Cathedral is huge and in places very dark, in others, quite bright. Tripods are NOT allowed, so something wide and something quite fast is best. Otherwise, general kit covering the most used focal lengths for walking about and street shots. An f2.8 70-200mm should be good also for picking out architectural detail inside and outside the cathedral as well other buildings and narrow streets as well as those street shots of characters and musicians.
Best months : Christmas sees the lit up chalets in the cathedral close and when the hills that surround the city make it all feel more cosy. To me, the river and its surroundings are a huge part of Winchester, so that's from spring right through summer and to Autumn.The Hat Fair, according to Wikipedia, is the longest running street comedy and theatre festival in the UK, is held the first week in July. I must try and see this for myself in 2016!
How to get there : There are excellent links for all modes of transport.The M3 motorway linking London with Southampton and the south coast actually dissects Winchester only one km to the east. You can usually hear the faint hum of traffic from this when in Winchester. This makes commuting to London easily possible for its residents and thus many well known people live in Winchester. Winchester has topped the best place in Britain in which to live more than once, in national surveys.Southampton airport is just 10km or so to the south and the main London to Southampton railway runs through and is a major station, with Basingstoke to the north and Southampton to the south where one changes from other stations on the network.
Visits : See 'subjects', above. All, including the Cathedral charge an entry to visit. The Cathedral is around 10 Euro, but that lasts a year. Not much good if you're only visiting for the day but these huge vast old cathedrals cost a fortune to keep upright and to maintain, of course. The Hospital of St Cross is not open to the public but just walking nearby is a delight. Obviously, King Alfred's Statue is just a statue and you can see that anytime, day or night!There are many wonderfully old, characterful pubs, shops and restaurants. Generally, it is a very wealthy city and can be a very expensive place to visit, eat and drink in. Annoyingly, there are no cheap supermarket shops in the city centre, apart from one, which is quite big but a nuisance if all you want is a sandwich and a bottle of water.
Notes : Perfect for a weekend break, Winchester can definitely feel like a tourist town at times, especially at weekends. Because many of its attractions are open and attract visitors all year round, it can always seem busy, whatever the month, at times. However, a twenty minute walk in any direction will have you out in the countryside, some of it most beautiful, including the South Downs and an Iron Age fort. Like any city or town, there can be rough sleepers and beggars who might spoil the picturesque views and they can create antisocial behaviour. But they usually move on as the day goes on.
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