2 Winchester Cathedral 4 Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop’s Palace) Did you know? Peninsula Barracks LocatedPeninsula directly opposite Barracks 5 The Westgate 7a Normandy,7b Hampshire was 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 MILITARY 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. memorials (including the Rifle Brigade Centenary Winchester since Anglo-Saxon Trace Winchester’s military past from the Go to www3.hants.gov.uk/ Window), monuments to illustrious military leaders, times, the surviving ruins date Iron Age to the Nuclear Age and many inscriptions recording the deaths of largely from the 12th century work archives/hals-collections/army- Winchester individual soldiers in both famous and lesser-known of Bishop Henry of Blois (1129–71). records.htm to find out more. campaigns. It houses the laid up colours of several In September 1141, during the Civil local regiments, and also Books of Remembrance for War between King Stephen and the springboard for ‘Operation One of King Alfred’s defensive ‘burhs’, units including The Royal Hampshire Regiment, The the Empress Matilda, the besieged Overlord’, the code name for the Winchester was established as refuge and Rifle Brigade and the Merchant Navy. The cathedral defenders of Wolvesey set fire to Allied Invasion of Europe in World itself is no stranger to conflict – the West Window testifies to a violent incursion by 6 Winchester College War II. The county became a vast strong point to resist the Danish invaders. A and destroyed most of Winchester Parliamentary troops during the Civil War and Bishop Peter Mews, a Royalist spy whilst holding off Matilda’s force. armed camp full of allied troops raiding army had destroyed the settlement in 860AD identified by the number 757, was Now a museum, the Westgate was The city offered the site of the encamped in towns, villages and but the old Roman town walls were refurbished and Winchester’s equivalent of James Colour key 1 - 8 in date order built to be one of the defensible castle to Charles II who paid his first woods. Winchester’s newly-built Bond. Special military-themed gateways in Winchester’s city walls, known visit in 1682. A scheme was by-pass became a giant tank park a new street system was laid out inside the walls. Iron and Vikings and tours can be booked through the Bronze Age, first established by the Romans in the developed for a park and a ‘noble and camp for British and American These intramural streets (such as North Walls) Anglo Saxons website. Roman first century AD. The line of the walls Palace, sufficient like Windsor, for troops. Even Peninsula Barracks in www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk remained unaltered throughout later the city was taken over by the Ninth were laid with the intention of rushing troops to Middle Ages, a summer residence for the whole Modern Tudors & times and, though the Westgate’s US Infantry Division see 12 overleaf threatened parts of the walls. The town’s walls History Court’. Construction of the palace, Civil War present structure is medieval and Designed by Sir Christopher Wren for more information on their were largely dismantled by the end of the dates mainly from the 12th to 14th Winchester and influenced by Versailles, began stay. It was here that American 18th century. 3 centuries, it is thought to stand troops were reviewed by Churchill Castle in 1683 but ended on the death of on the site of the earlier Roman Charles in 1685. ‘The King’s House’, and Eisenhower. (See 13 and gate. The west wall was entirely Founded in 1382, Winchester overleaf for more details) little more than a carcass of a house, Winchester’s th College has the longest unbroken 1 rebuilt in the 14 century when a served as a prison for 5,000 French Roman walls history of any English school. Whilst whole series of new defences was soldiers during the Seven Years’ WWI claimed the lives of over 500 Venta Belgarum was founded added in view of a possible invasion War from 1757 to 1764 and from Boer War old Wykehamists, a further 275 died 8 around AD70 with earth and timber from France. The works included 1778 to 1785 during the American horse trough in World War II. Officially opened defences. In the late 2nd century a portcullis, machicolations, gun War of Independence. From 1792 in 1924, the War Cloister was Erected the defences were rebuilt with a ports and possibly a drawbridge. to 1796 it was home to refugee designed by Sir Herbert Baker to in 1905, new earthen bank and ditch that, The two inverted keyhole gunports, clergy from Revolutionary France commemorate those who had lost located near for the first time, fully enclosed intended for primitive hand cannons, before becoming an army barrack 8 their lives. the junction Winchester has a rich and varied military history. From the urban area. The ramparts were 5 are amongst the earliest pieces of in same year. The King’s House Just months after 1066 and Notable Old Wykehamists with a of Jewry strengthened in the early 3rd century 3 architectural evidence for the use of was eventually destroyed by fire on Iron Age forts, to Civil War sites, through two World Winchester’s surrender, William the military career who were all awarded Street and St with a masonry wall about 3m thick. artillery in this country. The Westgate the night of 19th December 1894. Wars to the completion a Nuclear bunker sited at Conqueror ordered the construction 7a the Victoria Cross include Dennis George’s Street The succession of defences can be is open weekends in the afternoon Some parts of Wren’s palace were Twyford - the district’s military stories span centuries of a castle within the city walls. 7b George Wyldbore Hewitt (1897- in Winchester, seen in the model in the City Museum . The same line of the walls continued between February and October. reused in the replacement building of history. Winchester Castle became one of 1917); Charles Doughty-Wylie this landmark commemorates the to be followed up to the 18th century when great lengths of the walls were which was ready for the army by the great fortresses of medieval (1868-1915); Daniel Burges (1873- 450,000 horses killed in the South demolished. The short lengths that survive are mainly post-Roman though the 1904 and later renamed Peninsula If you are interested in finding out more about the England. It was maintained and 1946); Arthur Forbes Gordon Kilby African War of 1899-1902. fragment behind the grill in the weirs is part of the core of the Roman wall. Barracks, see 7b The army remained military history of Winchester, ancient and modern, enhanced until 1645 when it was (1885-1915); and Air Chief Marshal in occupation up to 1983. then follow these two informative trails – one based in besieged, captured by Cromwell, 1 Did you know? Hugh Dowding (1882-1970). the city and one taking you further afield. and eventually demolished. The 2 15 Victoria Cross medals are Please see www. Great Hall, built between 1222 currently on display in Winchester winchestercollege.org/guided- and 1235, is the only substantial Military Museums. Further medals tours for details of regular guided Did you know? Winchester Tourist Information Centre surviving part of the medieval castle. of Wintonians who have been tours around the College, and for Winchester city centre is spectacularlytransformed by Homecoming Parades that Winchester Guildhall, High Street, Winchester SO23 9GH A drawing of Winchester made by awarded this honour are also tours of War Cloister. assemble at The Guildhall for a reception by the Mayor of Winchester. Tel 01962 840 500 Email [email protected] Willem Schellinks in 1662 shows 4 on display in the Imperial War Web visitwinchester.co.uk the slighted castle as a still imposing Museum. Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 17.00, Closed between Christmas and New Year ruin overlooking the city. On-site 6 Sundays 11.00 - 16.00, May - September interpretation panels and displays tell the story of the castle. @King_Alf KingAlfWinchester KingAlfWinchester visitwinchester.co.uk Cover image ©Gilbert Yates Photography Cheriton battlefield Fort Nelson Hursley Park war Alresford – Twyford nuclear Around Winchester guide to military past 5 9 Marwell Airfield 17 Hursley House 19 Worthy Down airfield 20 site SU 642 205 7 SU 607 072 memorial seat 12 50 Broad Street 15 bunker SU 492 241 SU 4276 2483 St Catherine’s Hill Norsebury Ring In late November Merdon Castle of 1943 the U.S. 1 SU 484 276 3 SU 4909 4008 4 47th Infantry were stationed at The Bishop of Winchester, Henry de Blois, built this various sites castle in 1138. It continued in the ownership of around Winchester the Bishops of Winchester until 1552 when it was (Alresford, Tichborne, Cheriton, surrendered to Edward VI. The castle is on private © Imperial War Museums A seat listing the regiments and their Armsworth, Bighton, Bishop Sutton and This key Royal Flying Corps base was land but some overgrown remains can be seen from established on the site of the old commanding officers who marched Northington Grange). The HQ at Just visible from the adjoining road, the road. The castle is sited within an earthwork This house was requisitioned by the Winchester racecourse on Worthy from Hursley Park to Southampton to 50 Broad Street, in Alresford is marked this bunker was created out of an whose form is suggestive of a much earlier Iron Age Between September 1941 and March Ministry of Aircraft Production to Down in 1917.