| Winchester Cathedral is one of the world's | | | | on, miracles were reported and Winchester |
| greatest churches, and arguably England's most | | | | became a place of pilgrimage. His relics were |
| magnificent cathedral. Its grandeur is enhanced by | | | | moved into the new Norman cathedral in on July |
| its setting in Winchester, a delightful, modest city | | | | 15, 1093. Then, on the night of September 21st, |
| of broad streets and narrow alleys with history | | | | 1538, his shrine was demolished by officers of the |
| written at every corner, lying in a hollow in the | | | | reformation. His remains were removed and |
| downs in the ancient heart of the southern English | | | | subsequently lost.Building of the present day |
| countryside.There has been a Christian place of | | | | cathedral began in 1079. It was built in the |
| worship on the site of the present cathedral for | | | | baroque style and the cathedral's diocese once |
| nearly two millennia. The first recorded building of | | | | stretched from London to The Channel Islands. |
| a church on this spot was recorded in about AD | | | | Subsequently, it's bishops became men of great |
| 169 when Lucius, 'King of the Britons', converted | | | | influence and wealth, none more so than William |
| to Christianity. This makes the site of Winchester | | | | of Wykeham twice Chancellor of England, Founder |
| Cathedral far older than that of Canterbury.The | | | | of Winchester College and New College |
| early church was destroyed and rebuilt several | | | | Oxford.Before the Reformation, the cathedral |
| times over the next few hundred years as pagan | | | | was home to Benedictine monks. You can still see |
| and Christian warlords fought for control over the | | | | parts of the remains of the monastic buildings in |
| area. But by 635, king Kynegils defeated the | | | | the Cathedral Close. Central to the life of the |
| Saxon king, Cerdic, and destroyed his pagan | | | | monks was the opus dei (the Work of God), the |
| temple Dagon and laid the foundations on the spot | | | | regular offering of prayer, which they sang in the |
| were the present cathedral stands.Perhaps the | | | | quire. This tradition is still carried on today with |
| most famous king to patron the cathedral was | | | | songs offered in the morning and at Evensong. |
| Alfred the Great. The king defeated the Danes | | | | The choir stalls are a very magnificent affair and |
| and saved the southern half of England from | | | | are truly matched by the voices of the choir. |
| Viking rule. After defeating the Danes, he was | | | | Indeed, Winchester Choir is renowned throughout |
| crowned King of England in the cathedral and | | | | the world for its rendering of ancient church |
| made Winchester his home and capital of the | | | | music.Inside the cathedral you can visit the |
| ancient kingdom of Wessex.The most famous | | | | various chantries, built and patroned by long dead |
| Bishop of the cathedral must surely be St Swithin. | | | | and somewhat forgotten bishops and noble men. |
| He was born in Wessex and educated in the Old | | | | Perhaps the most interesting of monuments to |
| Minster (the original site of the present day | | | | be found inside the cathedral is the tomb of Jane |
| cathedral). He was named bishop of Winchester in | | | | Austen. The English novelist was born in the |
| 852 but apart from being remembered for his | | | | county of Hampshire, living in the county most of |
| humility and services to the poor, little else is | | | | her life. She died in Winchester.For the visitor |
| known about him.He died on July 2 862 and was | | | | today, the cathedral offers a glimpse of the |
| buried at his request in the churchyard so that | | | | power that the great bishops and kings and |
| "the sweet rain of heaven may fall upon my | | | | queens once held in England. Nowadays, the |
| grave".His body was to have been removed for | | | | cathedral is now quite a gentile place and is set in |
| reburial on July 15th 972 following his canonization, | | | | beautiful gardens. In summer many visitors and |
| but was delayed by violent rain, probably the | | | | citizens picnic outside in the lovely grounds.Robin |
| origin of the superstition that if it rains on St | | | | O'Brien lives and works in Winchester. You can |
| Swithin's day we are in for 40 more wet days. | | | | find out more about Winchester Cathedral and |
| His remains were eventually successfully placed in | | | | book on-line to stay in one of the many fine |
| a splendid shrine in the church. From that moment | | | | hotels in Winchester. |