Winchester

• 1. Prehistoric And Roman Origins

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  The chalk hills surrounding Winchester have held human presence since prehistoric times. Three Iron Age hillforts stand nearby at Oram's Arbour, St. Catherine's Hill, and Worthy Down. Archaeologists describe the settlement that grew here as an oppidum during the Late Iron Age. Julius Caesar recorded in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico that the Belgae tribe crossed the channel as raiders around the 1st century BCE. These invaders eventually established themselves to control the initial settlement. Scientific studies now suggest a gradual change through increased trade links rather than mass migration. The Celtic Britons likely called this place Wentā or Venta, meaning tribal town or meeting place. Latin speakers later named it Venta Belgarum after the Roman conquest of Britain. By the latter half of the second century, Venta eclipsed Silchester and Chichester in importance. Protective stone walls were given to the city at the beginning of the third century. This defensive perimeter covered an area large enough to make it among the largest towns in Roman Britain by surface area.

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• 2. Anglo-Saxon Royal Center

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  King Cenwalh of Wessex erected the Church of St Peter and St Paul in 648. This building would later become known as the Old Minster. The West Saxon bishop's see moved from Dorchester on Thames to Winchester in the 660s. King Alfred the Great obliterated the old Roman street plan in the late 9th century. He replaced it with a new grid designed to provide better defense against Viking raids. The city's first mint appears to date from this period of reconstruction. In the early 10th century, two new ecclesiastical establishments appeared. Ealhswith, widow of Alfred, founded the convent of Nunnaminster. Bishop Aethelwold of Winchester led the monastic reform movement of the later 10th century. He expelled secular canons from both minsters and replaced them with monks. The three minsters became home to what architectural historian John Crook calls supreme artistic achievements of the Winchester School. Historians debate whether the court was mobile or if Winchester served as a fixed capital during the 7th and 8th centuries. Catherine Cubitt describes the city as the premier city of the West Saxon kingdom.

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• 3. Medieval Religious And Civic Life

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  A fire broke out in the city during the Rout of Winchester in 1141. William of Wykeham played a major role in restoring the cathedral during the 14th century. Jews lived in Winchester from at least 1148. By the 13th century, the Jewish community ranked among the most important in England. An archa existed within the city walls while the Jewish quarter occupied the heart of town. Blood libel claims against the community occurred in the 1220s and 1230s. Abraham Pinch, the leader of the community, was hanged in front of the synagogue he headed. Simon de Montfort ransacked the Jewish quarter in 1264. All Jews were expelled from England in 1290. A statue of Licoricia of Winchester stands today on Jewry Street. The curfew bell in the bell tower still sounds at 8:00 pm each evening. The city became an important center for the wool trade before entering a slow decline. Henry de Blois founded the Hospital of St Cross just outside the city center in the 1130s.

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• 4. Modern Architecture And Governance

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  The City Cross dates to the 15th century and features twelve statues of saints and historical figures. Thomas Dummer purchased the Buttercross from the Corporation of Winchester in 1770. His workmen were prevented from dismantling the cross by people who organized a small riot. George Gilbert Scott restored the Buttercross in 1865 and it remains a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Only two gates survive from the original six Roman gates that once surrounded the town. Kingsgate and Westgate remain with sections of walls near Wolvesey Castle ruins. Three notable bronze sculptures stand along the High Street. Sir Alfred Gilbert created a monumental statue of Queen Victoria now housed in the Great Hall. Hamo Thornycroft sculpted King Alfred facing the city with raised sword from the center of The Broadway. Dame Elizabeth Frink designed the modern striking Horse and Rider at the entrance to the Law Courts. Jane Austen died in Winchester on the 18th of July 1817 and is buried in the cathedral. John Keats wrote several poems while staying in the city between mid-August and October 1819. In 2013, local newspapers reported Winchester as one of the most expensive areas of the country.

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• 5. Education And Cultural Institutions

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  Winchester College stands as the oldest public school in the United Kingdom still using its original buildings. The Pilgrims' School dates back to 1308 according to Winchester City Council estimates. The University of Winchester traces its origins to 1840 when it began as a Diocesan teacher training centre. Peter Symonds College started as a Grammar school for boys in 1897 before becoming co-educational in 1974. The Winchester School of Art was founded in the 1860s as an independent institution. Since 1974, the city has hosted the annual Hat Fair celebration of street theatre. Blue Apple Theatre won the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2012. Platform 4 operates as a National performance and visual arts company based in Winchester. Four newspapers are published for the city including the Hampshire Chronicle which started reporting national news in 1772. Channel 4 television named Winchester the Best Place in the UK to Live in 2006. The Sunday Times guide named it the best place to live in Britain in March 2016.

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