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Photo: Johan Bakker, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The other of the two surviving medieval gateways. Interesting graffiti carved into the walls and floor from its use as a debtor's prison from the 16th–18th centuries. 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. Brass rubbing. Children's quiz.
The Westgate is one of two surviving fortified gateways in Winchester, England formerly part of Winchester City Walls. The earliest surviving fabric is of Anglo-Saxon character. The gate was rebuilt in the 12th century and modified in the 13th and late 14th centuries, the latter including a portcullis in the western façade and two inverted-keyhole gunports, the earliest in the country. The gate was in use until 1959 when the High Street was routed around it.
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The Castle
The only remaining part of Winchester Castle is the Great Hall, built in the 13th century by Henry III. This is the home of King Arthur's Round Table, now thought to be a fake commissioned by Henry VIII.
A family-friendly council-run museum which tells the story of Winchester from the Iron Age to the present day. Multilingual audioguides and hands-on children's activities are available.
A Norman cathedral begun in 1079, containing the Winchester Bible and featuring the longest Gothic nave in the world. 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 underwater; look out for the statue and story of this "Winchester Diver" if you visit. The cathedral is the venue for regular recitals and concerts, and hosts Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra's 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. Hidden away in cathedral Close is the Dean Garnier Garden, which offers splendid views of the cathedral. Pay special attention to the stonework, and how the medieval builders suffered from problems with subsidence.
This was once a not uncommon position for a place of worship in England, but St. Swithun's is the only one remaining today. The interior of this tiny church 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.
Located off the Broadway between King Alfred's statue and the rear of Winchester Cathedral. These are formal gardens through which the Itchen flows, and include a children's play area.