Military Service and Sacrifice
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2 Winchester Cathedral Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop’s Palace) Peninsula Barracks Peninsula Barracks 4 5 The Westgate Did you know? 7a 7b City centre guide to Hampshire Record Office offers ‘The King’s House’ in WWII Winchester Cathedral enshrines a long history An important residence of the help to people looking to trace of military service and sacrifice. It contains major wealthy and powerful Bishops of Winchester’s military past their ancestry via army records. MILITARY memorials (including the Rifle Brigade Centenary Winchester since Anglo-Saxon Go to www3.hants.gov.uk/ Window), monuments to illustrious military leaders, times, the surviving ruins date Trace Winchester’s military past from Winchester and many inscriptions recording the deaths of largely from the 12th century work archives/hals-collections/army- individual soldiers in both famous and lesser-known of Bishop Henry of Blois (1129–71). records.htm to find out more. the Iron Age to the Nuclear Age campaigns. It houses the laid up colours of several In September 1141, during the Civil Located directly opposite One of King Alfred’s defensive ‘burhs’, local regiments, and also Books of Remembrance for War between King Stephen and Normandy, was the springboard Winchester was established as refuge and units including The Royal Hampshire Regiment, The the Empress Matilda, the besieged for ‘Operation Overlord’, the code strong point to resist the Danish invaders. A Rifle Brigade and the Merchant Navy. The cathedral defenders of Wolvesey set fire to Winchester College name for the Allied Invasion of itself is no stranger to conflict – the West Window testifies to a violent incursion by and destroyed most of Winchester 6 raiding army had destroyed the settlement in 860AD Europe in World War II. The county Parliamentary troops during the Civil War and Bishop Peter Mews, a Royalist spy whilst holding off Matilda’s force. became a vast armed camp full of Now a museum, the Westgate was but the old Roman town walls were refurbished and identified by the number 757, was The city offered the site of the allied troops encamped in towns, built to be one of the defensible a new street system was laid out inside the walls. Winchester’s equivalent of James Colour key 1 - 8 in date order castle to Charles II who paid his first villages and woods. Winchester’s gateways in Winchester’s city walls, Bond. Special military-themed Iron and known visit in 1682. A scheme was newly-built by-pass became a giant These intramural streets (such as North Walls) Vikings and first established by the Romans in the tours can be booked through the Bronze Age, Anglo Saxons developed for a park and a ‘noble tank park and camp for British and Roman first century AD. The line of the walls were laid with the intention of rushing troops to website. Palace, sufficient like Windsor, for American troops. Even Peninsula remained unaltered throughout later threatened parts of the walls. The town’s walls www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk Middle Ages, a summer residence for the whole Barracks in the city was taken over Modern times and, though the Westgate’s th Tudors & Court’. Construction of the palace, by the Ninth US Infantry Division see were largely dismantled by the end of the 18 Civil War History present structure is medieval and designed by Sir Christopher Wren 12 overleaf for more information century. dates mainly from the 12th to 14th Winchester and influenced by Versailles, began on their stay. It was here that 3 centuries, it is thought to stand Castle in 1683 but ended on the death of American troops were reviewed by on the site of the earlier Roman Charles in 1685. ‘The King’s House’, Winchester’s Founded in 1382, Winchester Churchill and Eisenhower. (See 13 1 gate. The west wall was entirely little more than a carcass of a house, Roman walls th College has the longest unbroken and overleaf for more details) rebuilt in the 14 century when a served as a prison for 5,000 French history of any English school. Whilst Venta Belgarum was founded whole series of new defences was soldiers during the Seven Years’ WWI claimed the lives of over 500 around AD70 with earth and timber added in view of a possible invasion War from 1757 to 1764 and from Boer War old Wykehamists, a further 275 died 8 defences. In the late 2nd century from France. The works included 1778 to 1785 during the American horse trough in World War II. Officially opened the defences were rebuilt with a 1 a portcullis, machicolations, gun War of Independence. From 1792 in 1924, the War Cloister was Erected new earthen bank and ditch that, ports and possibly a drawbridge. to 1796 it was home to refugee designed by Sir Herbert Baker to in 1905, for the first time, fully enclosed The two inverted keyhole gunports, clergy from revolutionary France commemorate those who had lost located near the urban area. The ramparts were intended for primitive hand cannons, before becoming an army barrack 8 their lives. the junction strengthened in the early 3rd century 5 are amongst the earliest pieces of in the same year. The King’s House Just months after 1066 and 7 6 Notable Old Wykehamists with a of Jewry with a masonry wall about 3m thick. 3 architectural evidence for the use of was eventually destroyed by fire on Winchester’s surrender, William the 8 military career who were all awarded Street and St The succession of defences can be artillery in this country. The Westgate the night of 19th December 1894. Conqueror ordered the construction 7a the Victoria Cross include Dennis George’s Street Winchester has a rich and varied military history. seen in the model in the City Museum. The same line of the walls continued is open weekends in the afternoon Some parts of Wren’s palace were of a castle within the city walls. 7b George Wyldbore Hewitt (1897- in Winchester, From Iron Age forts, to Civil War sites, through two to be followed up to the 18th century when great lengths of the walls were between February and October. reused in the replacement building Winchester Castle became one of 1917); Charles Doughty-Wylie this landmark commemorates the World Wars to the completion of a Nuclear bunker demolished. The short lengths that survive are mainly post-Roman though the which was ready for the army by the great fortresses of medieval (1868-1915); Daniel Burges (1873- 450,000 horses killed in the South sited at Twyford - the district’s military stories span fragment behind the grill in the weirs is part of the core of the Roman wall. 1904 and later renamed Peninsula England. It was maintained and 1946); Arthur Forbes Gordon Kilby African War of 1899-1902. centuries of history. Barracks, see 7b The army remained enhanced until 1645 when it was (1885-1915); and Air Chief Marshal Did you know? in occupation up to 1983. If you are interested in finding out more about the besieged, captured by Cromwell, 1 Hugh Dowding (1882-1970). military history of Winchester, ancient and modern, and eventually demolished. The 2 15 Victoria Cross medals are Please see www. then follow these two informative trails – one based currently on display in Winchester Great Hall, built between 1222 winchestercollege.org/guided- in the city and one taking you further afield. and 1235, is the only substantial Military Museums. Further medals tours for details of regular guided If you would like this leaflet in a Did you know? surviving part of the medieval castle. of Wintonians who have been tours around the College and for larger format, please contact the King_Alf Winchester city centre is spectacularly transformed by Homecoming Parades that A drawing of Winchester made by awarded this honour are also tours of War Cloister. tourist information centre assemble at The Guildhall for a reception by the Mayor of Winchester. KingAlfWinchester Willem Schellinks in 1662 shows 4 on display in the Imperial War 01962 840 500 the slighted castle as a still imposing Museum. [email protected] 6 KingAlfWinchester ruin overlooking the city. On-site visitwinchester.co.uk interpretation panels and displays tell the story of the castle. Produced by Winchester City Council April 2019 visitwinchester.co.uk 2 Winchester Cathedral Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop’s Palace) Peninsula Barracks Peninsula Barracks 4 5 The Westgate Did you know? 7a 7b City centre guide to Hampshire Record Office offers ‘The King’s House’ in WWII Winchester Cathedral enshrines a long history An important residence of the help to people looking to trace of military service and sacrifice. It contains major wealthy and powerful Bishops of Winchester’s military past their ancestry via army records. MILITARY memorials (including the Rifle Brigade Centenary Winchester since Anglo-Saxon Go to www3.hants.gov.uk/ Window), monuments to illustrious military leaders, times, the surviving ruins date Trace Winchester’s military past from Winchester and many inscriptions recording the deaths of largely from the 12th century work archives/hals-collections/army- individual soldiers in both famous and lesser-known of Bishop Henry of Blois (1129–71). records.htm to find out more. the Iron Age to the Nuclear Age campaigns. It houses the laid up colours of several In September 1141, during the Civil Located directly opposite One of King Alfred’s defensive ‘burhs’, local regiments, and also Books of Remembrance for War between King Stephen and Normandy, was the springboard Winchester was established as refuge and units including The Royal Hampshire Regiment, The the Empress Matilda, the besieged for ‘Operation Overlord’, the code strong point to resist the Danish invaders.