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Nestling in a Hampshire vale of uncommon undulation and beauty, with a background of rising hills, lies the quiet repose the historic city of Winchester. Close by it, as if in significant contrast, the London and Southampton Railway passes, and a traveller destined to the latter place cannot fail to notice, when about twelve miles from his journey's end, the city and cathedral, with its squat Norman tower, embosomed in their verdant setting. The aspect of the city to the casual observer on first view does not present anything so very enticing, as to repay a sojourn. It has a dull, unattractive air, so characteristic of most cathedral cities, that the man of the world feels little or no sympathy for, but which, to the zealous archaeologist and lover of mediaeval art, in whom the sentiment of veneration still lingers, is a charm in itself, despite the shriek of the passing locomotive, the sounds of progress, and the finger of innovation. Few cities possess so unbroken a thread of historic interest as Winchester; few cities are so rich in the memorials of the Mediaeval past. Like most old cities, it has little of that latent vigour necessary for progressive life, and most of those traits which mark it out exclusively as one of the past; but its close connection with our greatest Mediaeval architect, William of Wykeham, is in itself enough to awaken ideas and feelings not of more sentiment, but of intellectual pride.
Like Durham and other old cities, the early history of Winchester is lost in traditionary fable. Britons, Romans and Saxons, and even ravaging Danes, have in turn held the city under their rule. Tradition says the city was founded by one British King, the eighth from Brutus, named Ludor Rous Hudibras, about 892 BC, thus making the foundation of the city of earler date than Rome itself but upwards of a century. Under the Britons, who called the city "Caer Gwent", or the white city, little can be told. Like most places 0f historic interest, it is to the Roman rule we must look for the starting point in Winchester's career. From "Caer Gwent", the Romans gave it the name of "Venta Belgarum", having rebuilt the city (AD 50); and in their occupation it seems to have flourished. Traces of Roman occupation may be discovered in the flint-built walls and outside sepulchres. The Saxons next subjugated Winchester, under Cerdic, about AD 519, who became the first king of the West Saxons, and made this city the seat of government, which it continued till Egbert, in AD 827, united by the kingdom of the Heptarchy, and was crowned "King of all England" at Winchester, which thenceforward became the chief metropolitan city.
It was plundered occasionally by the Danes; Alfred the Great repulsed the marauders, and afterwards rebuilt the city; he was buried at Winchester, and his remains are still preserved. Sweyn, the Danish king, after conquering England, next became master of Winchester, which he made his capital. Canute, his son, afterwards compromising with the Saxons, the kingdom was divided, London becoming the capital of Canute, and Winchester of the Saxons. This treaty was of short duration, for on Edmund's death, Canute became sole king in AD , and Winchester became his capital. He also was buried in the cathedral. In passing we may observe that it was at Southampton, not far distant from this city, that Canute reproved the flattery of his courtiers by commanding the waves at the seashore to retire.
Again Winchester passed in the hands of the Saxons on the accession of Edward the Confessor, whose remains lie here also. The Saxon rule at last died out, and the city became subject to the Normans, and continued to be the metropolitan city of England, till the growing importance of London took the palm in the 12th century, and became the Royal residence in the reign of Edward I. Winchester appears, however, to have been highly favoured by royalty up to a late period. The city reached the summit of its prosperity in Henry I's reign; it was surrounded by walls, and defended by castles on the west and east, the Royal palace, Mint, monasteries, and other buildings adding to its importance; and its cathedral is said to have contained the remains of more royal personages than any other place in the kingdom. The next reign seemed to have commenced Winchester's decline; the violent contentions between Stephen's queen and the Empress Matilda, carried on as they were in the streets of this city for some time, devastating the northern part of it, the royal palace, and many churches, helped to bring about the change.
In no cathedral, perhaps, is the progressive development of the Mediaeval styles of architecture to be traced so clearly as at Winchester. It has on this account been aptly termed a complete "school of Gothic architecture". To give a thorough description of the cathedral would be to write several articles such as this. We will content ourselves with a few brief notes of its salient features. The cathedral has undergone many transformations. Lucius, the Christian converted King of the Belgae, in 177, is said to have built a cathedral here on the site of a Pagan Temple in the Grecian style, which was destroyed during the Dioclesian persecution. In 313 another was built - the Pagan Cerdie remodelled it for Pagan rites; Kinegils, a converted Saxon king, rebuilt it in 635. Nearly destoyed by the Danes, it was subsequently repaired by Alfred about 880. St Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester, is said to have rebuilt it again on a larger scale, finished it in 980, dedicating it to St Swithin. Bishop Walkelyn, to whom the present Norman Tower and part of the transepts are due, rebuilt large portions of the cathedral. Antiquarians are puzzled to know how much of the Saxon building of St Ethelwold remains.
West Middlesex Advertiser and Family Journal. 05 June 1858
Winchester - As this ancient city with many other towns and places on the south-west shores of our sea-girt island, will be more frequently visited by our readers in consequence of our new bridge and railroad, we shall give occasionally give a brief history of each, so that sojourners my not be altogether ignorant of their local associations.
Winchester is about 60 miles distant from London, in the county of Southampton, resting on the declivity of an eminence at the base of which runs the river Itchen. It was called by by the early Britons, Caer Grwent, or the White City; and by the Romans, Venta Belgarum. The Saxons gave it the name of Wintanceastre, hence our Winchester.
This town became a principal Roman station, and two Roman temples existed here, one dedicated to Apollo, and the other to the goddess of Concord. Traces of Roman Fortifications are still discoverable.
Our suspension bridge and railway will make the old city a place of more frequent resort, and therefore its history will be of interest to our readers.
After the Norman conquest, Winchester was the seat of royalty, the laws of William I, being dated from thence, and William Rufus crowned there. Partliaments were held here in 1371, and subesquently, Henry VIII entertained at Winchester his imperial guest, Charles V, when the famous Round Table, commemmorating King Arthur and his knights was newly painted, and an insription was placed on it, commemmorating the festival, which the tablet is still preserved in the Assize Hall.
Winchester suffered much during the civil war.
On the site of the old Castle, a royal palace was commenced by Sir Christopher Wren, in 1683, but the death of Charles II prevented its completion and it was used for the French prisoners on parole, and has since been converted into barracks. The city was dreadfully devastated by the plague in 941, 1348 and 1668, and an obelisk commemorates events.
Portsmouth Evening News. 26 December 1885
Winchester Roman Coins - A lot of Roman coins were found on Tuesday in an excavation at the back of the Star Inn, High street, a locality which has yielded a museum of objects, from the finest Samian ware bowl, through every form and colour of Roman pottery, down to the quaint vessels of mediaeval and Tudor times, all of which are carefully treasured by their intelligent owner, Mr Giles Painter.
Curios discovery - Amongst the ancient monastic interments at the base of the north transept of the Cathedral were found those of two children buried side by side, one in an elegant little stone coffin, and the other in a chalk coffin. The skeletons were much perished, and only fragments of the harder parts of the skull and the leg bones etc remained. The stone coffin had evidently been fashioned with much care, the lid being hollowed so as to cover the body. The chalk coffin was extremely narrow, and it is intended to remove both into the cathedral as curious from their diminutive size. It is impossible to explain the presence of these in such a place unless they were the bodies of children who had died in the Priory Infirmary or Guest House, or had been entrusted to the Brothers of St Swithin for education.
The historical public houses of Winchester are listed here.