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The city in southern England, capital of Wessex and later England under the Saxon and Norman kings, is now the administrative capital of the county of Hampshire. The City of Winchester local government district covers a much larger area than the city itself.
Winchester's historic buildings, which include the twelfth century Cathedral, the Great Hall which is the only surviving portion of the old Royal Palace; and Winchester College which was founded in 1382 attract many visitors to the city.
As well as Winchester College, Winchester is home to the largest state sixth form college in the country, Peter Symonds College.
The area occupied by the modern city has been occupied since early times and the remains if Iron Age hill forts can be found around Winchester.
During the Roman occupation the important settlement here was named "Venta Belgarum.
The town was the capital of the Saxon kingdom of Wessex, although not the only one. As Wessex vied for power with the other Saxon kingdoms and
fortunes changed in the wars with the Danes, the boudaries of Wessex moved from time to time with the fortunes of war.
King Alfred the Great established it as his capital in the ninth century and, as Wessex achieved its ascendancy over the other kingdoms to unite England, it became the English capital.
It remained England's capital until some time after the Norman Conquest until it was supplanted by London.
Medieval
The capital of Saxon Wessex, was also the favoured capital of the Norman Kings of England. Not only did it offer access to England as well as easy access to their lands in Normandy, but Winchester was also close to the New Forest which had been established by William the Conqueror.
St Swithun was bishop of Winchester in the mid ninth century.
It was probably at Winchester that the final copy of the Domesday Book was compiled by royal officials who formed the Norman precursor of the modern Exchequer.
The Norman kings of England weilded power from the castle and the royal treasury was also at Winchester - one of the first acts of Henry I in seeking to secure the throne on the death of William II (Rufus) was to take possession of the castle and the treasury.
The body William II was brought to Winchester after his suspicious death while hunting in the New Forest in 1100.
Winchester was an important centre of the wool trade during the Middle Ages, before going into a slow decline.
Bishop William of Wykeham (1320-1404) played an important part in the history of Wincheter. As bishop, he was responsible for the building much of the present cathedral and also founded Winchester College in 1382.
see: HISTORY OF WINCHESTER for more
Balfour Museum of Red Cross History
| This moving museum tells the story of the founding and development of the humanitarian Red Cross movement. The museum looks at how the Red Cross grew from its beginnings following the Crimean War, and developed into a world-wide organization. Through personal mementoes donated by Red Cross members and those who have been helped by their efforts, the Balfour Museum traces the history of the movement, with a particular focus on the Hampshire region. A variety of old photographs of the Red Cross in action are displayed, as well as models dressed in historically accurate Red Cross uniforms. |
| | Red Cross House, Stockbridge Road, Weeke, Winchester, Hampshire SO22 5JD
tel: (01962) 865174
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