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