Around Winchester
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Boer War Winchester Winchester’s City centre guide to 4 Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop’s Palace) 8 2 Did you know? 5 The Westgate 1 horse trough Cathedral Hampshire Record Office offers Roman walls An important residence of the wealthy help to people looking to trace Winchester’s military past Erected in and powerful Bishops of Winchester their ancestry via army records. MILITARY 1905, since Anglo-Saxon times, the surviving located near Go to www3.hants.gov.uk/ Trace Winchester's military past from the ruins date largely from the 12th century the junction archives/hals-collections/army- work of Bishop Henry of Blois (1129–71). Iron Age to the Nuclear Age Winchester W inchester’s HorsePower (Museum of The King’s Royal Hussars) of Jewry The Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum records.htm to find out more. In September 1141, during the Civil War M ilitary Street and St The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum between King Stephen and the Empress M useums The Gurkha Museum George’s The Adjutant General’s Corps Museum One of King Alfred’s defensive ‘burhs’, Matilda, the besieged defenders of Street in Winchester, this FOR ALL THE FAMILY Wolvesey set fire to and destroyed most SO MUCH TO SEE – TOO GOOD TO MISS Winchester was established as refuge and strong landmark commemorates the Peninsula Barracks of Winchester whilst holding off Visitors’ Centre and refreshments at the Café Peninsula. 7a 450,000 horses killed in the South ‘The King’s House’ point to resist the Danish invaders. A raiding army had Matilda’s force. For more information: (01962) 877 826 / 843 659 Venta Belgarum was founded Email: info@winchester’smilitarymuseums.co.uk destroyed the settlement in 860AD but the old African War of 1899-1902. around AD70 with earth and timber www.winchestermilitarymuseums.co.uk Now a museum, the Westgate was defences. In the late 2nd century the Roman town walls were refurbished and a new Colour key 1 - 8 in date order Did you know? built to be one of the defensible defences were rebuilt with a new street system was laid out inside the walls. These Iron and gateways in Winchester’s city walls, Winchester city centre is spectacularly Vikings and earthen bank and ditch that, for the Bronze Age, Anglo Saxons Winchester Cathedral enshrines a first established by the Romans in intramural streets (such as North Walls) were laid with Roman first time, fully enclosed the urban transformed by Homecoming Parades long history of military service and the first century AD. The line of the area. The ramparts were the intention of rushing troops to threatened parts of that assemble at The Guildhall for a Middle Ages, sacrifice. It contains major Modern walls remained unaltered strengthened in the early 3rd century the walls. The town’s walls were largely reception by the Mayor of Winchester. Tudors & History memorials (including the Rifle Civil War throughout later times and, though with a masonry wall about 3m thick. th Brigade Centenary Window), dismantled by the end of the 18 century. the Westgate’s present structure is The succession of defences can be monuments to illustrious military medieval and dates mainly from the seen in the model in the City Winchester leaders, and many inscriptions th th 3 12 to 14 centuries, it is thought to Museum . The same line of the walls Castle recording the deaths of individual stand on the site of the earlier continued soldiers in both famous and lesser- The city offered the site of the castle Roman gate. The west wall was to be Winchester College known campaigns. It houses the laid to Charles II who paid his first th 6 entirely rebuilt in the 14 century followed up colours of several local known visit in 1682. A scheme was when a whole series of new up to the Founded in 1382, Winchester College has the regiments, and also Books of developed for a park and a ‘noble defences was added in view of a 18th longest unbroken history of any English school. Remembrance for units including Palace, sufficient like Windsor, for a possible invasion from France. The century Whilst WWI claimed the lives of over 500 old 1 The Royal Hampshire Regiment, The summer residence for the whole works included a portcullis, when Wykehamists, a further 275 died in World War Rifle Brigade and the Merchant Court’. Construction of the palace, machicolations, gun ports and great II. Officially opened in 1924, the War Cloister Navy. The cathedral itself is no Designed by Sir Christopher Wren possibly a drawbridge. The two lengths of was designed by Sir Herbert Baker to stranger to conflict – the West 8 and influenced by Versailles, began inverted keyhole gunports, intended the walls commemorate those who had lost their lives. 5 Window testifies to a violent in 1683 but ended on the death of “O Trinity of love and power!; Our brethren shield in 7 for primitive hand cannons, are were Notable Old Wykehamists with a military career Just months after 1066 and 3 incursion by Parliamentary troops Charles in 1685. ‘The King’s House’, amongst the earliest pieces of danger's hour; From rock and tempest, fire and foe, 8 demolished. The short lengths that who were all awarded the Victoria Cross Winchester’s surrender, William the 7a during the Civil War and Bishop little more than a carcass of a house, architectural evidence for the use of survive are mainly post-Roman Protect them wheresoe'er they go;” include Dennis George Wyldbore Hewitt (1897- Conqueror ordered the construction 7b Peter Mews, a Royalist spy identified served as a prison for 5,000 French artillery in this country. The Westgate though the fragment behind the grill 1917); Charles Doughty-Wylie (1868-1915); of a castle within the city walls. Words from ‘The Navy Hymn’ written as a poem in 1860 by by the number 757, was soldiers during the Seven Years’ War is open weekends in the afternoon in the weirs is part of the core of the Daniel Burges (1873-1946); Arthur Forbes Gordon Kilby (1885-1915); and Air Winchester Castle became one of William Whiting of Winchester Winchester’s equivalent of James from 1757 to 1764 and from 1778 between February and October. Roman wall. Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding (1882-1970). the great fortresses of medieval Bond. Special military-themed tours to 1785 during the American War of England. It was maintained and Please see www.winchestercollege.org/guided-tours for details of regular can be booked through the website. Independence. From 1792 to 1796 it Winchester has a rich and varied military history. From enhanced until 1645 when it was Located directly opposite Normandy, guided tours around the College, and for tours of War Cloister. 1 www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk was home to refugee clergy from Peninsula Iron Age forts, to Civil War sites, through two World Wars besieged, captured by Cromwell, 7b Hampshire was the springboard for 2 Revolutionary France before Barracks in WWII to the completion a Nuclear bunker sited at Twyford - the and eventually demolished. The becoming an army barrack in same ‘Operation Overlord’, the code name district’s military stories span centuries of history. Winchester Tourist Information Centre Great Hall, built between 1222 and year. The King’s House was for the Allied Invasion of Europe in 1235, is the only substantial eventually destroyed by fire on the World War II. The county became a vast Guildhall Winchester, High Street, If you see an Did you know? If you are interested in finding out more about the surviving part of the medieval castle. th armed camp full of allied troops Winchester, SO23 9GH there is something 15 Victoria Cross medals are night of 19 December 1894. Some Tel: 01962 840 500 Email: [email protected] A drawing of Winchester made by encamped in towns, villages and military history of Winchester, ancient and modern, then to see on the site currently on display in Winchester parts of Wren’s palace were reused Web: www.visitwinchester.co.uk Willem Schellinks in 1662 shows the 4 woods. Winchester’s newly-built by- follow these two informative trails – one based in the city today. If there is Military Museums. Further medals in the replacement building which Museums © Imperial War OPEN Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm slighted castle as a still imposing no there is was ready for the army by 1904 and pass became a giant tank park and and one taking you further afield. Closed between Christmas and New Year 6 of Wintonians who have been ruin overlooking the city. On-site limited access or later renamed Peninsula Barracks, camp for British and American troops. Even Peninsula Barracks in the city was Follow King Alf on Twitter: www.twitter.com/King_Alf awarded this honour are also on interpretation panels and displays no visible remains see7b The army remained in taken over by the Ninth US Infantry Division see12 overleaf for more information Like King Alf on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KingAlfWinchester display in the Imperial War tell the story of the castle. so a visit is occupation up to 1983. on their stay. It was here that American troops were reviewed by Churchill and inadvisable. Museum. Eisenhower. (See 13 and 14 overleaf for more details) Vibrant. Ancient. Cultured. www.visitwinchester.co.uk Around Winchester guide to military past Cheriton battlefield Nelson Monument, Hursley Park war Alresford – Twyford nuclear 5 9 Marwell Airfield 19 Worthy Down airfield 20 site SU 642 205 6 Portsdown Hill memorial seat 12 50 Broad Street 15 bunker SU 492 241 St Catherine’s Old Winchester SU 607 072 SU 4276 2483 1 2 4 Merdon Castle In late November Between This BEAUTY AND HISTORY Hill SU 484 276 Hill SU 642 205 of 1943 the U.S.