Explore the towns of England


Winchester Is A Perfect Place for a Weekend Break

Winchester is beautifully located in thegiven  the  title  'The  Great'.
soft, rolling South Downs in the county of
Hampshire. One time capital of the ancientAnother famous citizen of Winchester was the
English Wessex region, you can easily exploreauthor Jane Austen. She spent her last few
its beautifully preserved buildings and parksmonths living in Winchester. You can visit
on foot. It really is the quintessentialher tomb in Winchester Cathedral. The house
English  town.she lived out her last days can still be seen
in College Street. It is now a private
People settled Winchester thousands of yearsresidence.
ago. They settled along, what is now called
the River Itchen, whose waters are crystalVisitors to Winchester include John Keats and
clear and sustain an abundance of fish andAnthony Trollope; both of whom wrote pieces
waterfowl. Indeed, you can see anglersthat were set in Winchester. Right up until
fishing for trout within a five-minute walkthe late Georgian period Winchester played
of the city. The Romans founded a garrison inhost to the kings and queens of England
Winchester and it peaked under Roman ruleduring  the  summer  months.
around the 4th century. The invading Saxon
tribes later remodelled it. Much of theLike these visitors of times past, you will
street layout is from this time. Later, afterfall in love with this ancient and beautiful
the Norman Conquest, Winchester Cathedral wascity. You can stroll about its medieval
built and during the Georgian period many ofstreets; admire its Georgian architecture and
the houses dating from the Middle Ages weremarvel at its Victorian buildings and parks.
faced with brick and re-styled in theYou can walk along the banks of the Itchen
neo-classical style favored by the Georgians.River. Its waters are still filled with trout
and eel, all of which you can easily see
The most famous citizen of Winchester wasowing to its crystal clear water. And, within
King Alfred the Great. He has been described5 minutes, you can find yourself strolling in
as one of the greatest English men whoevergreen, unspoilt meadows. But, the jewel in
lived. He was a warrior, a devote Christian,the crown must surely be Winchester
a great statesman and a scholar. Alfred wasCathedral. It has been described as the
born in 849AD and ruled Wessex (most offinest cathedral in all England. There has
southern England) between the years 871 tobeen a place of worship on this site for
899. He defeated the Danes and saved theabout 1500 years! The architecture of the
southern half of England from the Danelaw. Hebuilding is exquisite and the cathedral
made Winchester his capital and set aboutsetting is perfect; surrounded by greens and
rebuilding the city. Upon his death he wascourtyards. Do go inside and marvel at the
buried in the city. You can visit the ruinsstain-glass and the tombs of many of the
of Hyde Abbey, his final resting place. He isgreat who are buried there.
the only king of England ever to have been



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