Architecture,  England,  History,  Monday walks

Wanderings around Winchester

July 29, 2025 / 44 Comments

Back in the ninth century AD King Alfred the Great made Winchester the capital of England. It had been founded by the Romans who called it Venta Belgarum, and later became a prominent Saxon settlement. Under King Alfred it achieved national importance, firstly as the capital of Wessex and then of all Anglo-Saxon England. He obliterated the original Roman street pattern to make it more easily defended against the Vikings, and turned it into the political and cultural centre of his kingdom.

The city remained influential through the medieval period, thanks to its cathedral and royal connections, before eventually being eclipsed by London. But while arguably eclipsed in size and importance it remains a beautiful and historic city. It also holds a special place in the hearts of many lovers of English literature, mine included, as the final resting place of Jane Austen.

We recently visited this historic English city to catch up with old friends over what was bound to be a lengthy lunch! We decided to stay overnight to give us plenty of time with them. That gave us a chance to explore a place I once knew well, having spent six weeks in the area on work experience during my long-ago university days.

The Guildhall, Winchester

Exploring the city

When we said goodbye to our friends late afternoon on our arrival day, we decided to take advantage of what was a glorious summer day to take a walk around some of my old haunts. We later spent a lovely evening on the pavement terrace of a pub near the cathedral while enjoying the sounds of the bell-ringing practice there. The next morning however was very different in terms of the weather. It was still warm but grey and drizzly; a perfect morning for visiting the cathedral. Our walk inevitably, in such a compact historic centre, covered some of the same ground as the previous afternoon. I’ve chosen to merge the two to guide you on a logical route around this, one of my favourite English cities. So I have to beg your indulgence in overlooking any discrepancies in lighting and sky colour during this Monday Walk!  

High Street

This mainly pedestrianised street runs west to east through the city centre. It is lined with shops, a mix of independents, and well-known brands leaning towards the higher end. There are a few coffee shops too and plenty of pubs and restaurants. At its western end is the Westgate. This fortified medieval gateway was once part of the walls that encircled the city. Today it houses a museum, which we didn’t visit as our time was rather limited. I found it hard to photograph as there was a constant stream of people passing through! To one side of the arches is a more recent addition in the shape of a Victorian drinking fountain, with the inscription ‘This fountain was erected by and during the Mayoralty of W. Hutchinson, 1859’.

Westgate drinking fountain, Horse and Rider by Elizabeth Frink, Butter Cross

Just inside the city gate is a much more modern sight, a bronze sculpture by Elizabeth Frink. It is called ‘Horse and Rider’ and dated 1975. Part way along the street we are reminded again of Winchester’s history. The Butter Cross dates back to the early 15th century, though it was restored in 1865.

According to a website devoted to the city:

There are now twelve figures on the monument. Each face of the monument has a large figure about halfway up, surmounted by two smaller figures in niches. The eight figures at high level represent The Blessed Virgin, and the Saints Bartholomew, John, Lawrence, Maurice, Peter, Swithun, and Thomas.

Of the four large figures, three are relatively new. According to records at The Historic Resources Centre the figures are representations of William of Wykeham, Lawrence de Anne (an early Mayor of Winchester), Aelfred the Great, and the oldest statue is of St John the Evangelist.  There are, however, records that also indicate that this figure may be of St Amphibalus. St Amphibalus was one of the first British Martyrs (died 25th June AD 304) and Winchester Cathedral was under his patronage before it was dedicated to St Swithun, so there is some connection to support this hypothesis.

The name of Saint Swithun will be familiar to British visitors at least. The legend attached to that saint originated here. According to the story, the saint’s remains were moved, against his dying wishes, from their resting place in a simple tomb in the grounds of the cathedral to a splendid shrine in the inner sanctum. It then proceeded to rain for 40 days as a sign of his displeasure. Now, if it rains on the saint’s day (15th July), it is said to herald another 39 days of wet weather.

King Alfred

King Alfred the Great

Further east the High Street changes its name to The Broadway. We pass the Victorian Gothic Guildhall on our right and soon after that arrive in front of the statue of King Alfred the Great, one of the most recognisable symbols of Winchester.

The statue is 2.5 times life size and stands on a pedestal of Cornish granite engraved simply ‘AELFRED’. The king’s right hand grasps a cross-hilted sword, the symbol of Christianity in its battle against the power of heathenism. His left hand rests lightly upon a Saxon circular shield and he wears a Saxon helmet and long cloak.

Alfred, as King of Wessex, won a decisive victory against the Vikings in the Battle of Edington in 878. He made an agreement with the Viking leader Guthrum, dividing England between Anglo-Saxon territory and the Viking-ruled Danelaw to the north and east. In 886 he seized London back from the Vikings and restored it, replacing the old Roman street plan with a new one and improving the fortifications.

It was his re-capture of London for the Saxons that led to a unification of a large part of the country under his rule. He styled himself King of the Anglo-Saxons and he is generally considered therefore as the first king of England.

The River Itchen

Beyond King Alfred the road crosses the River Itchen over a narrow stone bridge, from which we have a view of the City Mill. The mill is owned by the National Trust and is one of the oldest watermills in the UK. There has been a mill on this site since Saxon times, although this building dates from the mid 18th century. It is free to enter, housing a café and information centre.

The City Mill

But we will turn away from the bridge and the mill to follow a footpath along the river. On the way we will pass more signs of Winchester’s history. These include all that remains of the Roman wall that once enclosed the city and the ruins of the Nunnaminster.

River Itchen, remains of the Roman wall, and Nunnaminster graves

This was one of three monasteries here in Saxon times. It was founded by King Alfred’s wife, Queen Ealhswith, and became one of the foremost centres of learning and art in England. In the late 10th century it was merged with the other two monasteries, Old Minster and New Minster, and was largely rebuilt. By the time of Henry VIII it was known as St Mary’s Abbey. But it went the way of all such institutions under his rule, being dissolved in 1539.

Today little remains but informative signs explain the traces that can be seen from the path. These include a number of graves that would have been in the abbey church’s nave. A sign describes one of the graves, that of a woman aged about 45 who was buried with a staff topped with a bone and elephant ivory head, indicating that she must have held some high office within the abbey.

Winchester Cathedral

Turning away from the river beyond the abbey ruins we come to the rear of the most imposing building in the city, its cathedral. My feature photo was taken here We can follow a path around it to reach the West Front and entrance.

Winchester Cathedral: the West Front

Entry to the cathedral costs £14 (summer 2025 prices) but is good value in my opinion. The ticket is in effect an annual pass so if you’re staying in the area or plan to revisit the city in the coming months, hang on to it! It also includes free guiding from volunteers who can be found in various areas inside. We declined the offer of a full tour, preferring to wander around on our own, but we did drop in (eavesdrop perhaps?) on part of a tour. More about that anon!

Inside the cathedral

Jane Austen’s tomb

My main purpose was to see Jane Austen’s tomb as I’m a huge fan of her books. It’s a simple memorial slab which makes no mention of her work as a successful author (her name was never published on the novels during her lifetime). Instead it focuses on her family relationships and her character.

Jane Austen’s tomb and memorial plaque

On the wall nearby however is a brass plaque noting her contribution to English literature which was erected in 1872 to redress the omission.

Kings & Scribes

Included in your entrance ticket is a visit to the Kings & Scribes exhibit. This is up some stairs in a corner of the south transept. It is a must if you are interested in medieval illuminated manuscripts, as on display there is a beautiful 12th century bible, in three volumes. A docent explained to us how the monks would write the main text, with elegant calligraphy. However the intricate and colourful illuminations were added by travelling artists who moved from abbey to abbey, monastery to monastery. We could see how the third volume remained unfinished, with large capital letters awaiting illumination.

Our visit coincided with the celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. So also on display in this area was a handwritten manuscript of a poem she wrote on the death of her close friend, Anne Lefroy.

Note, no photography is allowed in the Kings & Scribes exhibition area.

William Walker
William Walker memorial

Back in the main part of the cathedral we encountered the small group touring with a volunteer guide. I was intrigued by what he had to tell us about another person closely associated with the cathedral. A rather unusual sculpture of a man wearing a diving helmet is a memorial to William Walker. The guide explained how when huge cracks started to appear in the cathedral’s walls in the early 1900s, there were concerns it could even collapse. The whole structure was sinking slowly into the ground, as it had been built on peat very near the river. The foundations were waterlogged and impossible to strengthen because of all the water.

So 235 pits were dug along the southern and eastern sides of the building, each about six metres deep. William Walker, an experienced deep-sea diver, went down and shored up the walls by putting bags of concrete underneath them. He worked six hours a day, in complete darkness, for six years, and installed 25,800 bags of concrete. The guide passed around a bag weighing the same as the ones Walker used, a not inconsiderable load.

Once Walker had finally finished his work, the groundwater was pumped out and the concrete he had placed held up the foundations. Conventional bricklayers then were able to do their work in the usual way and restore the damaged walls.

If you study the south transept walls, either inside or outside the cathedral, you can see a slight bulge, the result of the settling of the structure prior to being shored up.

More images from the cathedral

Here are some more of my favourite photos taken inside the cathedral. I especially loved the very modern Pieta, and in contrast, the 12th and 13th century frescoes tucked away in a small chapel near the altar.

Tombs, frescoes and memorials

More about Jane Austen and Winchester

We’ll finish our walk with a stroll around some of the streets just south of the cathedral. This is a quiet corner of the city with some lovely old houses.

The Cathedral Close

Our main target is number 8 College Street. This is where Jane Austen spent the last few months of her life, having come here with her sister Cassandra to be close to a doctor who was treating her. The treatment proved unsuccessful and she died in the house on 18th July 1817. A simple plaque on the wall commemorates her stay.

8, College Street, where Jane Austen died

From here we can walk through Kings Gate, the only other remaining city gate. It is unusual in having a small church incorporated into the building. This church is dedicated to Saint Swithun and goes back to the 13th century. A sign in the gate’s archway says that the city once let the church to a man called Allen. He is said to have kept his hogs at one end while his children were born at the other end!

Saint Swithun’s Church, above Kings Gate

And I guess that amusing note is a good one with which to conclude our walk.  

I last visited Winchester in June 2025 when all these photos were taken

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