The Great Hall, which has the round table inside.
The city of Winchester in England is mostly known for two major items: the not to miss Winchester Cathedral, and the famous Round Table where supposedly King Arthur, Lancelot, Galahad and a bunch load of others conferred. All fables aside, the round table does look impressive and is a cool stop during a stroll through Winchester.
This story on Winchester is freshly written in April 2025, illustrating photos of my journey to Hampshire and Wiltshire in February 2009.
The Winchester Guildhall towering over the city.
A nice bay window at College Street.
Close up of a stone detail on a historic building in Winchester.
The river Itchen
To make Winchester reachable by boats from Southampton further south, constructions were applied to the river Itchen in the late 1800s and early 1900s. But as a river for transport, it has mostly lost its function. Instead, the Itchen is now primarily known among fly fishers and the river is reportedly very clean as a perfect drinking water supplier.
Heigh water, almost reaching the pavement of The Weirs.
At The Weirs with the Winchester City Mill on the other side of the bridge that spans the Itchen.
A bench in loving memory of the "very special person Ted Carpenter", The Weirs.
Lavender blue house at Wharf Hill
Beautiful snowdrops (Galanthus) are best spot at The Weirs in late February and early March.
Winchester Cathedral
Built between 1079 and 1532, the Winchester Cathedral is one of the longest medieval cathedral in the world, and in surface area (4,968 m2 / 53,480 sq ft) the 6th largest of the United Kingdom. It has been dedicated to several saints, including Swithun of Winchester. The church clearly has a mix of Norman and Gothic styles. The buildings stones apparently come from many places. Key piece of the cathedral is the tower of 46 metres (150 feet) high.
Tourists flock in masses to the cathedral, including book lovers of the ever popular writer Jane Austen, who died in Winchester on 18 July 1817 and was buried in the north aisle of the church. Moreover, fans of the Netflix TV series The Crown find their way to the site, which was used as a substitute for dramatised historic scenes that in real life played out in Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral.
Winchester Cathedral.
Details near Winchester Cathedral
The Winchest Cathedral tower.
Details of the Winchester Cathedral.
Just outside Winchester Cathedral.
A family passes by Winchester Cathedral.
The Round Table of King Arthur
The Round Table was first described in 1155, by Robert Wace in his adaption of the story Roman de Brut. King Arthur created the Round Table, so that none of his knights would feel placed on a lower position than the others when they would meet the king. About half a century later, Robert de Boron contributed the existence of the Round Table to the magician Merlin. Outliving the folk hero King Arthur, whose real existence is also not fully clear in history, the Round Table survives until today in meeting all over the world.
It is in Winchester where one can actually see a historic Round Table in real life. The Winchester Round Table was made between 1250 and 1280, when King Edward I ruled over England. It was probably made for a Round Table tournament festival, which were common those days, and according to the historians king Edward was a big fan of the King Arthur legend - attending and hosting at least six during his time as royal chief. He might even have taken place at the Winchester Round Table, some say, at Winchester Castle. From this fortification only the Great Hall remains, and this is where one can admire the big dish hanging on the wall.
The Winchester Round Table.
Roof details of the Great Hall of the once mighty Winchester Castle.
The Round Table of King Arthur in the Great Hall of Winchester Castle.
Kingsgate and College Street
The St Cross Hospital is known as England's oldest and most perfect almshouse. It was founded in 1136. The premises one can visit today are from the 14th, 15th and 16th Century. So take a step back in time.
For those taking a stroll through Winchester, I can highly recommend turning south from the Winchester Cathedral, into Kingsgate street and College Street to the Wharf over the river Itchen before turning back into the centre.
Kingsgate
Kingsgate.
Hanging plant detail.
Kingsgate and College Street.
Typical red mail box of the Elizabeth Reignes area
P.G. Wells at College Street, February 2009
High Street
What would be called Main Street in the United States is often called High Street in the United Kingdom, and Winchester has one too. Extra noteworthy when strolling over the Winchester High Street is the City Cross or Buttercross from 1865 based on a destroyed version of the 1600s is worth a look. The historic clock nearby is a nice bonus, but one will probably be most distracted by the people and shops on High Street.
High Street from furhter up.
