Winchester
By admin | July 22, 2008
Winchester is an historic cathedral city in the English county of Hampshire, situated within the South East region.
Winchester has a long history: there has been continuous settlement at the site for over 2,000 years.
Winchester began as a Celtic hill fort, predating the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 CE. After the Roman conquest, the town grew and became known as Venta Belgarum. After prospering under Roman imperial rule for several centuries, Winchester discovered a new identity as an important Saxon city. Ultimately, King Alfred the Great named Winchester as the capital, first of his kingdom of Wessex and later all of England south of the Danelaw - despite the growing importance of London, it remained so until the Norman invasion of 1066. During the Middle Ages Winchester was renowned for its woollen goods, amongst other produce.
Presently, Winchester is an attractive and peaceful cathedral city deep in the southern English countryside, located conveniently close to both London and Southampton.
A visitor staying in London but with a day to spare and a desire to see more of England could do much worse than simply to hop on a train to Winchester (which gives good views of the southern English countryside) and spend the day wandering around Winchester.
Winchester Cathedral
a Norman cathedral begun in 1079, containing the Winchester Bible and featuring the longest Gothic nave in the world. An interesting fact is that the Cathedral was built on rafts floating on a peat marsh! For 800 years the raft was able to carry the weight but, by the 19th century, the Cathedral was in danger of collapse and the foundations were rebuilt by a diver working under water; look out for the statue and story of the Winchester Diver if you visit.
The Cathedral is the venue for regular recitals and concerts, and hosts a Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Summer Series. The famous English novelist Jane Austen died in Winchester in 1817 and is buried in the cathedral. A statue by British artist Anthony Gormley is to be found, somewhat unexpectedly, in the Crypt of the cathedral, and is not to be missed.
Dean Garnier Garden
This garden lies on the site of the dormitory of the Benedictine Monastery and offers splendid views of the Cathedral. Pay special attention to the stonework, and how the medieval builders suffered from problems with subsidence.
City Centre
The old City Centre, with its narrow pedestrian streets and overhanging medieval buildings. Of especial interest are the Pentice, a group of old shops arcaded at the front, and the Butter Cross, dating back to the 15th century and built with a tax levied on people caught eating butter during Lent.
Winchester Great Hall and King Arthur’s Round Table
The only remaining part of Winchester Castle is the Great Hall, built in the thirteenth century by Henry III. This is the home of the world famous Arthur’s Round Table; although this is now thought to be a fake commissioned by Henry VIII.
River Itchen
The River Itchen, a crystal clear chalk-upland stream that flows through multiple channels in central Winchester, seemingly just to surprise visitors by its tinkling presence at every turn.
Winchester City Mill
This old water mill has been restored to working order and you can visit the working areas and a rather exciting walkway under the mill almost at river level. The building also houses a National Trust shop and the Winchester Youth Hostel.
Winchester College
One of England’s old public schools, founded in 1382 and believed to be the oldest continuously running school in the country. Guided tours are available, lasting approximately 1 hour and include Chamber Court; the Gothic Chapel with its 14th century vaulted roof; College Hall; the 17th century red brick schoolroom built in the style of Christopher Wren and the original Cloister.
Wolvesey Castle
This palace was the chief residence of the Bishops of Winchester and its extensive ruins still reflect their importance and wealth.
St. Swithun’s upon Kingsgate
This tiny church is perched atop the arch of the Kingsgate, one of the two surviving city gates. This was once a not uncommon position for a place of worship, but St. Swithun’s is the only one remaining today. The interior is very plain, with whitewashed walls and an unadorned wooden ceiling. Sit for a moment in the simple wooden pews and it is hard not to feel a sense of peace. Open during daylight hours except for occasional services.
The Westgate
The other of the two surviving medieval gateways, positioned close to Winchester’s Great Hall. Interesting graffiti carved into the walls and floor from its use as a debtor’s prison from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. Contains unique collection of the city’s weights and measures, including the Winchester bushel and the standard yard of Henry VII’s reign. Displays also include a fine ceiling from Winchester College painted to celebrate Queen Mary I and Phillip of Spain’s marriage in 1554. Also armour, gibbet, leg-irons. A rooftop viewing platform gives great views down the High Street.
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Southampton
By admin | July 22, 2008
Southampton is a port city on England’s South East coast.
Southampton has been a settlement since Roman and Saxon times, in Roman times the town was known as Clausentum. The Roman Ruins are situated in a suburb called Bitterne Manor. In Saxon times the town was known as Hamwic. Its privileged position on England’s south coast made it Britain’s premier trading post. The town became walled in the medieval era, and some remnants of these defences remain throughout the city, most notably the Bargate in the middle of the city centre. Southampton was devastated by bombing during the Second World War, meaning that much of the city and its heritage was destroyed. As such the town and its architecture has quite a modern feel to it.
Southampton has grown rapidly in the past 30 years, becoming one of the twenty largest cities in England. The two Universities (Solent University and University of Southampton) mean that there is a large student population (in term time).
The Bargate
A medieval gatehouse sat slap bang in the middle of the shopping centre. The top floor is now a Heritage Visitor Centre
The Central Parks
Established in the 19th century and listed Grade II on English Heritage’s Register of Historic Parks, they benefited in 2001 from a £4.5m Heritage Lottery grant
Topics: Hampshire | No Comments »
Portsmouth
By admin | July 22, 2008
Portsmouth (pronounced “ports-muth”, and nick-named “Pompey”) is a city that is well worth a visit for those interested in British Naval history or British history in general. It is on the south coast of England, close to Southampton and The Isle of Wight. Population 188,500.
The majority of the city of Portsmouth lies on Portsea island (though it is separated from the mainland only by a roughly 30-metre-wide stretch of sea water so is perhaps more accurately thought of as a peninsula) on the southern coast of England.
Historically, Portsmouth has always been an important naval port and builds on its rich heritage with memorials, museums, trails and the fascinating Historic Dockyard. Portsmouth has four miles of seafront (including pebbled beaches) and the distinctive Spinnaker Tower.
Portsmouth is also a university city, and so has a large student population.
Portsmouth has an approximate population of 190,200 people and is the most densely populated city in the UK, outside of certain parts of London.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Located in the naval base, the Historic Dockyard has a number of historic ships including the Mary Rose, HMS Victory and HMS Warrior 1860. In the Historic Dockyard there is also Royal Naval Museum and Action Stations - an interactive look at the navy of today. There is a great old pub outside of Dockyard called the Ship Anson, worth a try. Portsmouth Visitor Information Centre can be found adjacent to the visitor entrance of the Dockyard.
The Spinnaker Tower
This striking and highly-visible £21 million landmark tower rises some 170 m above the redeveloping harbour of Portsmouth, symbolising the wind filling a spinnaker sail… Visitors can use the tower to view from 3 levels: at 100m, 105m and 115m. A high speed internal lift takes you to the top.
Southsea Castle
Built in 1544, the Castle was part of a series of fortifications constructed by Henry VIII around England’s coasts to protect the country from invaders.
Royal Marines Museum
Discover the exciting story of the Royal Marines brought to life with dramatic and interactive displays. The Museum is in what was one of the most stately Officers’ Messes in England, built in the 1860s with beautiful ceilings, huge paintings and a grand staircase.
Portsmouth’s Cathedrals
Portsmouth is home to two cathedrals, St Thomas’ in Old Portsmouth (Anglican) and St John’s in the City Centre (Catholic).
D-Day Museum
A fitting tribute to the sacrifice of the men & women who took part in the D-Day landings.
Blue Reef Aquarium
Take an undersea safari at the aquarium on the seafront.
Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum
The famous writer Charles Dickens was born in this modest house in Portsmouth, England in 1812.
City Museum & Records Office
Home of the new Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes exhibition “A Study in Sherlock”.
Spitbank Fort
Located in the middle of the Solent is this man-made fort, built to defend Portsmouth in the 1800’s.
Royal Garrison Church
A roofless English Heritage property.
Topics: Hampshire | No Comments »
Hampshire
By admin | July 22, 2008
Hampshire is a county on England’s South East coast.
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Windsor and Eton
By admin | July 17, 2008
Windsor and Eton are twin towns, in Berkshire, in the South East of England, separated by the River Thames and joined together by Windsor Bridge.
Windsor is an ancient town most famous for its castle, construction of which began in 1075, and which is the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world. The royal standard flies from the keep of the Castle when the Queen is in residence.
Eton is a rather smaller town, largely dominated by Eton College, the ancient public (US English:private) school which educates many of England’s establishment (especially those who go on to become politicians, judges and diplomats).
Windsor Castle
The largest and oldest occupied castle in the world and still an official royal residence. Much of the castle, including the magnificent State Apartments and St Georges Chapel are visitable. The apartments are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the royal collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto and Gainsborough.
Guildhall
Built by Sir Christopher Wren, it is famous for its pillars, which were insisted on by the towns burgesses, even though Wren insisted they were unnecessary. To make his point, he built the pillars but ensured a gap was left between them and the roof they apparently support.
Windsor Parish Church
High Street (by the Guildhall). St. John The Baptist, built 1822, replaced earlier Church edifices that stood since 1084 on the site, 80 meters from the Henry VIII gate of Windsor Castle. Peter Scheemakers, famous for his sculptures in Westminster Abbey, created a memorial to Topham Foote or Foot, son of Samuel Foote and Arabella Topham Foote, that greets visitors using the High Street entrance. The memorial includes the young man’s bust and the Foote crest. A second Scheemakers’ memorial honors Topham Foote’s mother and her second husband Thomas Reeve. Most tourists consider The Last Supper by Francis Cleyn a must-view. The painting and the frame were fully restored in 2003 under the leadership of Churchwarden Michael Harding. George III gave the painting and frame to Windsor Parish Church after it hung nearly a century in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle
Eton College
See School Yard and the College Chapel (building started in 1441 and one of the finest examples of fifteenth century Perpendicular Gothic architecture). Walk around their extensive playing fields some of which are adjacent to the River Thames. Opening hours vary depending on time of year and school term; see ‘Visits to Eton’ topic on the Eton College website or see the website above.
Brocas Meadows
Just across Windsor Bridge. These attractive meadows offer a spectacular view across the river of Windsor and the Castle.
Topics: Berkshire | No Comments »
Reading
By admin | July 17, 2008
Reading is a town in Berkshire in the South East of England. Its main attractions are the medieval abbey ruins, the rivers Thames and Kennet, the surrounding Thames Valley countryside, a major shopping center, restaurant and pubs.
There are several possible derivations of the Reading’s name, however the true source is obscured. Reading holds several Royal Charters permitting parliament to be held there during times of plague or rebellion in London.
Reading grew rich through the medieval and Tudor periods thanks to a booming trade in cloth. The siege imposed by parliament on the town during the English Civil War crippled the town’s economy which never recovered. The economy of the town is historically most famous for the ‘3Bs’ of Biscuits (US English:Cookies), Beer and Bulbs (of which only Beer has survived though the brewery is scheduled to close by 2010) however, In recent years Information Technology and insurance have replaced these traditional businesses. As such it isn’t an obvious travel destination in its own right, but if you happen to be here on business there is plenty to see and do.
The Forbury Gardens located in the center of town, have recently been restored to their original Victorian Splendor. The adjoining ruins are the remains of a once powerful Abbey, sacked by Henry VIII during the dissolution of the monasteries.
Reading is also home to the gaol in which Oscar Wilde was imprisoned for homosexuality and where he composed his famous ballad. These days it is mainly a remand prison for young offenders.
Reading is at the heart of an attractive area of the Thames Valley, sitting across the confluence of the Thames and Kennet rivers amid green rolling hills, thatched cottages and pubs. It is surrounded by numerous small towns and villages such as Thatcham, Pangbourne and Streatley, many of great age and beauty. Much of it is now part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with the Cotswolds being easily reachable.
It is a long inhabited and well domesticated area that sits at the junction of several major transport routes, both rail and road. As such, Reading serves as a major hub for commuter traffic into and out of London.
Incidentally describing Reading as a city could raise the odd eye-brow locally. Despite its size and population it is not technically a city. To become a city in the UK you need a royal charter. To gain a charter the town used to have to contain a cathedral and due to Reading having such a large abbey a cathedral was never built there, the law was changed in 1889 however many people still believe this to be the case. Charters are now granted periodically with Reading loosing out, most recently to Newport, Wolverhampton and to the locals most annoyingly to their south coast rivals Brighton and Hove. However none of this has stopped the council pretending, with lots of new signs directing people to the “city centre” and all buses (Reading Buses is owned and operated by Reading Borough council and controls nearly all routes in and around Reading) for a while displayed “City Centre” as their destination, although this has now changed to “central Reading”.
Reading has become more famous recently as the local football team was promoted to the Premier League, in part at least thanks to benefactor, John Madejski, who built the Madejski Stadium located south of the town. This has raised awareness of the town throughout the United Kingdom. The promotion also led to a resurgence in the south of the town with new commercial properties, new housing developments and new superstores such as B&Q and CostCo.
Reading Abbey Ruins & Forbury Gardens.
These beautiful formal gardens were once part of Reading Abbey, and the ruins of the Abbey itself can be found between the park and the river Kennet. The Abbey’s founder and benefactor was Henry I and he was buried in front of the high altar in 1136. The Abbey went on to become one of the most important religious and political centres in England. A few of the Abbey’s buildings still exist intact, including St Laurence’s Church and the Gateway, and the ruins themselves offer a fascinating glimpse of the abbey. Open during daylight hours. Free. The gardens were recently restored to their former glory and reopened Spring 2005.
Museum of Reading
Situated in Reading’s Victorian Town Hall, the museum explores the history of the area, from the Roman city at nearby Silchester through mediaeval Reading and its Abbey to the coming of the railways and Reading’s 3Bs (Biscuits, Beer & Bulbs) economy. Free.
Basildon Park
This beautiful Palladian mansion was built in 1776-83. The interior is notable for its original delicate plaster work and elegant staircase. The early 19th century pleasure grounds are currently being restored, and there are waymarked trails through the parkland. Accessible by road or take the Thames Travel 132 bus from Reading
Mapledurham House and Watermill
Mapledurham is a village with a special charm of it’s own, set in the valley of the River Thames, below the Goring Gap. It’s cottages, church, almshouses and Watermill, with the old brick and flint walls, backed by the Elizabethan mansion and the still older manor house of Mapledurham Gurney, together retain an ancient village pattern which is rare today. The Watermill produces flour for sale, with wheat still ground by the traditional millstones.
Silchester Roman Town
Open every day sunrise-sunset. Known to the Romans as Calleva Atrebatum, Silchester was abandoned after the Roman era which means that much of the archeology remains. All that is left on the surface now are a complete ring of city walls, the amphitheater and an little mediaeval church. Away from the rivers that have dictated the area demographics, Silchester is about as isolated a place as you will find in south-east England; on a spring weekday you are likely to find yourself sharing the ruins only with cows.
Topics: Berkshire | No Comments »
Newbury and Thatcham
By admin | July 17, 2008
Newbury and Thatcham are adjoining towns in the county of Berkshire, in the South East of England.
Newbury is the principal town in the west of the county, and is a historic market town. Thatcham is a dormitory town some three miles to the east, with little obvious boundary between the two towns.
Newbury has a population of about 45,000 and has become something of a booming company town recently as it houses the world headquarters of Vodafone, a major mobile phone operator with operations in many countries.
Newbury also attracted a lot of national and international coverage in the 1980s when it was the scene of the Greenham Common Peace camp in protest at the stationing of nuclear armed cruise missiles at a nearby air base, and in the 1990s when it hosted perhaps the most famous road protest against the Newbury bypass. The vast majority of the population probably did not appreciate either campaign.
Thatcham is best known as England’s fastest growing town, with large housing areas being built to house a population which largely commutes to work in Newbury, Reading or London.
Visitors may hear both the terms ‘Newbury District’ and ‘West Berkshire’ in use; these are effectively synonymous and refer to the town of Newbury and its surrounding rural area. They are also the old and new names for the local government which runs the area that includes both Newbury and Thatcham.
West Berkshire Museum
Housed in historic half timbered buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, the museum houses exhibits on local history and archeology together, rather bizarrely, with a gallery on the history of hot air ballooning.
Donnington Castle
Owned by English Heritage, this ruined castle was reduced (i.e. torn down) after the second battle of Newbury in 1644 during the English Civil War. Much of the striking, twin-towered gatehouse of this castle survives amid impressive earthworks, but access is only to the exterior.
Highclere Castle
Highclere Castle is more a stately home than a castle, and is the ancestral, and current, home of Lord and Lady Carnarvon. Tours of the castle are available. The castle also hosts exhibitions on Egyptian archeology (the fifth earl funded the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun) and horseracing (the seventh earl was the Queen’s Racing Manager).
Sandham Memorial Chapel
Specifically built in the 1920s to house wall paintings by the artist Stanley Spencer, inspired by his experiences in the First World War, and regarded by many as his finest achievement. As there is no lighting in the chapel, it is best to view the paintings on a bright day. The chapel is set amidst lawns and orchards with views across Watership Down.
Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre
The Centre provides an exciting base from which to explore the nearby lake and reed bed habitats. A variety of events including exhibitions, workshops, walks and talks are provided throughout the year. The surrounding area is of outstanding importance for nature conservation, with the reed beds representing one of the largest stands of inland reeds remaining in the country.
Topics: Berkshire | No Comments »