The King’s City 899AD

In the days of Viking raiders and Anglo-Saxon Kings, the city of Winchester was the ancient capital of Wessex and later, England. 

The city of Winchester is a very special place for me, here was where I spent my three years of undergraduate study at the university so being able to come back as a tourist was a real treat. 

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The best way to access Winchester is public transport, the tight roads and one-way system make driving through the city centre near impossible so utilising the Park and Ride service is the best way to go. The bus will drop you off at the bottom of the high street, next to the iconic statue of King Alfred for whom the city has taken the moniker ‘The King’s City’. King Alfred ruled here from 871 until his death in 899. The statue towers above the array of pubs and shops at this end of the high street watching over the huge Guild Hall on the left. 

Walking up the high street, not much has changed. The local farmer’s market is in full swing, with cheeses, meats and fresh produce lining the high street shops. For a city, Winchester often feels small and quaint like a small market town, rather than the previous capital of Wessex. 

We stopped for lunch at The Royal Oak, located at the top of the high street. This pub is one of the oldest in the country, with history dating back over 1000 years! After a couple of drinks and some traditional English dishes, we headed over to Winchester Cathedral. 

The cathedral stands tall and proud with plenty of grounds to explore if you know where to look! There is a path that leads behind the cathedral where you can see a stunning hidden pond and many older gravestones, cordoned off from the public. 

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Another must-see is the Kingsgate. This gate is one of two surviving medieval gates in the city and even has a small church built above it. The gate is even featured in the hit show Game of Thrones as an entrance to one of the castles in the series! On the final part of our day, we looked around the ruins of Wolvesey Castle. This was the bishop’s palace, with most of the ruins dating back to the 12century, however, the castle was still in use in 1554 for the wedding banquet of Queen Mary and Philip of Spain. 

Right outside the castle ruins is St. Catherine’s Hill, one of Winchester’s scenic walks. From the top, you can see out over the entire city which was a great place to relax for a bit before heading back to catch the bus out of the city. 

Helpful links for your trip

Visit Winchester

Park & Ride

Royal Oak Pub

Wolvesey Castle

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Looking for more inspiration along the south coast of the UK - check out our Arundel tripr insidr blog

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