Winchester (England)

Winchester is an historic cathedral city in the county of Hampshire, South East England. Erstwhile capital of the country, it was from here that Alfred the Great governed much of unified England. Visitors appreciate Winchester first and foremost for its cathedral, but also for its other ancient buildings, its medieval centre, its markets and museums.



Understand
Winchester has a long history: there has been continuous settlement on the site for over 2,000 years.

Winchester began as a Celtic hill fort, pre-dating 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. King Alfred the Great named Winchester as the capital, first of the Kingdom of Wessex and later all of England south of the Danelaw – despite the growing importance of London, it remained so until the Norman Conquest of 1066. During the Middle Ages, Winchester was renowned for its woollen goods, among other produce.

In 1649, Oliver Cromwell – the (in)famous English general and later dictator – ordered Winchester Castle to be destroyed after winning the seven-year English Civil War.

Winchester is now an attractive and peaceful cathedral city deep in the southern English countryside, close to 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 travelling to Winchester by train (which is a pleasant way to see some of the Hampshire countryside) and spend the day wandering around this ancient city.

Visitor information

 * Visit Winchester website

By plane
The most convenient airports for Winchester are (in order of distance):


 * Southampton Airport is a relatively small airport and serves destinations in the UK and Europe. It is about  drive from Winchester via the M3 (northbound). There is a direct rail service from Southampton Airport Parkway station, which is immediately adjacent to the airport terminal building, to Winchester; four trains an hour take about 10 minutes for the journey.
 * Bournemouth Airport is a relatively small airport and serves destinations in the UK and Europe. It is about  drive from Winchester via the A31 (eastbound) and the M3 (northbound). There is a regular 12-minute shuttle bus to Bournemouth rail station, where mainline trains to Winchester can be boarded, which take about 50 minutes.
 * London Heathrow Airport is about  drive from Winchester via the M25 (anti-clockwise) and the M3 (southbound). It is one of the largest airports in the world, with flights arriving from all major and many not-so-major international destinations. There is a RailAir coach service to Woking station, where mainline trains to Winchester can be boarded; two services an hour give a journey time of just under two hours for the whole journey. There are also direct National Express buses from Heathrow Airport Bus Station to Winchester, which take about an hour. The second option is generally cheaper and faster. See the 'By bus' section below.
 * London Gatwick Airport is about  drive from Winchester via the M23 (northbound), M25 (clockwise) and M3 (southbound) motorways. By train, catch a London-bound train which stops at Clapham Junction (the heavily advertised Gatwick Express do not stop there) from the airport rail station, and change at Clapham Junction for a service to Winchester; two or three services an hour give a journey time of just under two hours for the whole journey.

By taxi
There are a couple of Winchester based taxi companies providing long distance transfers from major airports, towns, bus and rail stations to Winchester: Winchester Taxi Company, Winch Taxis, Airport Taxis Winchester and Winchester Taxi Link provide online taxi booking facilities.
 * Taxi fare is approximately £80 from Heathrow, £100 from Gatwick, £125 from Luton, £26 from Southampton, £56 from Bournemouth airports (as of July 2020).

By train
Train times (from any location) can be found on the National Rail Journey Planner or by calling +44 845 748 4950 from anywhere in the UK.

From London, trains to Winchester depart from London Waterloo; there are several trains an hour which take about one hour for the journey. A "cheap" day-return adult ticket between Winchester and London Waterloo is typically around £22.

Engineering works can occur, particularly at weekends. Double-check your journey with South West Trains before you travel. If engineering works are occurring, consider taking the coach instead - it may be faster than the replacement bus service offered by the train company and is invariably cheaper.

By bus
National Express operate services to Winchester from cities throughout the UK including London Victoria. Advanced ticketing is required. National Express coaches drop off in the Broadway. Megabus, which requires online pre-booking, offers cheap daily tickets to Winchester from London on the routes to Southampton and Bournemouth. The drop-off location is St. Catherine's Park and Ride car park, 15 minutes walk from the city centre.

For those with a special interest in cathedral cities, Wilts & Dorset operate the branded Cathedral Connection between Salisbury and Winchester, taking in some very attractive countryside en route. Despite its branding, this is a rural bus service (number 68) with no need for advance ticketing; it operates six times a day (M–Sa) and takes about 1 hour 30 minutes for the journey. Timetable details can be found on the website, or by telephoning 01722 336 855 from anywhere in the UK.

By car
The town is close to the M3 motorway from London to Southampton, with the A34 providing access from the Midlands and the North. Winchester and its city centre are generally regarded as car-unfriendly; an excellent Park and Ride site is just off junction 10 of the M3 (if you are heading southbound, exit at junction 9 and follow the signs) and buses provide a link to the city centre every 10-15 min taking under 10 min for the journey. Operates M–F 7:30AM–6:30PM; Sa 8AM–6PM; no service Su; £2.70 per car (including all passengers' bus fares).

Twenty-two electric vehicle charging points have been installed across the town &mdash; these are part of a three-year trial ending in April 2024 set up by the government. A map of these charge points can be found here.

On foot
Winchester is at the western end of the South Downs Way and hikers starting out on or completing the 100-mile trail are a common sight in the city.

Get around
If you are planning to do any visiting or exploring beyond central Winchester, you will probably want to obtain a decent map of the area. You should ensure that any map you buy clearly shows the national grid reference lines, and explains how to use them, as grid references are frequently used to indicate out of town locations. The best maps for this purpose are those published by the Ordnance Survey (Britain's national mapping agency) and the following maps cover all the locations mentioned below: These maps can be found in any good local bookshop, or can be bought online.
 * Ordnance Survey Landranger 185. This map covers the area around Winchester at a scale of 1:50000 and is best for exploration by car or cycle.
 * Ordnance Survey Explorer 132. This map covers the area around Winchester at a scale of 1:25000 and is best for walking.

By foot
Most of the things to see and do in Winchester, and the places to eat, drink and sleep are within easy walking distance of each other and the rail station. There are several attractive walks in the surrounding countryside, particularly towards Twyford along the Water Meadows, and on Old Winchester Hill.

By bus
Winchester has a reasonable bus service, both within the town and to the surrounding area, although frequencies can be quite low with little service in the evenings or on Sunday.

By car
Winchester is quite small and a car is unlikely to be necessary for getting around. In addition, town centre parking can be difficult; if visiting for the day consider using the Park and Ride described above. Visitors with mobility problems can arrange to borrow a wheelchair or electric scooter through the Shopmobility office situated in the Brooks car park, off Friarsgate Street.

See
Winchester's city centre is known for its narrow pedestrian streets and overhanging medieval buildings. Besides the cathedral, the main landmark is the Statue of King Alfred the Great, first king and nominal founder of England. Nearby is the Victorian Guildhall, which hosts many events throughout the year. Also of special 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. The River Itchen, a crystal clear chalk stream, flows through multiple channels in central Winchester, seemingly just to surprise visitors by its tinkling presence at every turn.

Buy
The compact city centre of Winchester is unusual in retaining a number of independent bookshops, boutiques, toyshops, galleries, antique and foodshops, particularly in the Upper High Street and in the roads off the High Street such as Parchment Street, Southgate Street, Great Minster Street and The Square. Winchester is not a major shopping centre; if you want the large chains, go to Southampton, Reading or London.

Eat
There are lots of places to eat in central Winchester, particularly in Jewry Street, the High Street and the Square, and a good way to find one is simply to keep your eyes open as you visit. The prices are best guesses for a meal including drinks & tips.

Drink
England is known for its public houses, and Winchester - being the ancient heart of England - is no exception. Winchester has a good selection of city centre pubs, many of which are noted in the Real Ale bible 'The Good Beer Guide', and a few that are worth taking a stroll and the time to discover.

This plethora of pubs means that Winchester is not saturated with one type of beer. It is in the enviable position that there are many brewers represented in the city. Although the best approach is to wander around and to go into the one you like the look of, there are a few that may not reveal their delights until you venture inside.



Sleep
There are many different places to sleep in Winchester. The following can only be a set of suggestions. The prices quoted may be negotiable.



Telephone
Winchester's area code is 01962 when dialed from within the UK or +44 1962 from outside the UK.

Go next
The area around Winchester contains some very attractive scenery and some interesting attractions. Use of a car (or a bicycle) is a near necessity for exploring most of these, although with patience and careful use of a bus timetable some are accessible by public transport.
 * Mid-Hants Railway, The Railway Station, Alresford (5 miles east of Winchester on the A31; grid reference SU587324). Often known as the Watercress Line, this preserved steam railway follows the route of an old line from Alresford to Alton.
 * Marwell Zoological Park, Colden Common (6 miles south-east of Winchester on the B2177; grid reference SU506217), near Eastleigh.
 * Visit the New Forest, about half an hour's drive or a short through train journey away.
 * Southampton
 * Romsey
 * Basingstoke