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March 11 Wolvesey View from Space - can you find Wolvesey Castle?
Click the aerial photo to get into Virtual Earth. The Castle (or Palace) is just a hundred yards south west, (or cheating, see it below) If you scroll due west ('left' if you must) and you will find Winchester Cathedral. What an amazing image!
Above: Wolvesey Castle and the 17th century palace home of the Bishops of Winchester. Below: Winchester Cathedral
February 16 Fleury Monks visit Winchester CathedralTwo monks have spent a week staying in the Close of Winchester helping to deepen the understanding of the shared faith and history we have with Fleury in the Loire. Every day at Evensong prayers are said in the cathedral for the community of monks in France. The Abbey there was rebuilt in 1944, having been destroyed in the French revolution. However its history stretches way back to 630 - in our Saxon times - and it played a major part in Winchester's history. Our great Bishop Aetholwold, as Abbot of Abingdon, through close contact with Fleury, introduced to England the rule of Benedict, with monasteries and monks. In 964 on being made bishop of Winchester, Aetholwold radically reformed the Old and New Minsters, and probably also the Nunnaminster. Walls which enclosed the Close, Wolvesey and the Nunnaminster were the result of his reorganisation. When he extended the Old Minster in 971 the remains of St Swithun were brought inside - with the well known conequences!
Here, in the Close, is Brother Joseph from Fleury, a Swedish monk and an expert on ancient Greek and Hebrew. The Brothers very very rarely have a chance to leave their abbey, and the equivalent part of Fleury, the cloisters are not visited by the public so the monks have an almost completely private life of prayer, services, study and quiet contemplation. In many ways Josef and thirty nine other monks live a life little different from the monks of Winchester. While we have lost our greatest relic, the shrine of St Swithun, the Abbaye of Fleury is very fortunate to have the relics of St Benedict brought from Monte Cassino to France in 633. (Incidentally the bones of Benedicts twin sister St Scholastica were taken to France also, to Le Mans.) Web links: Hampshire Chronicle Newspaper report Abbaye of Fleury February 05 King Alfred's treasures return to WinchesterYesterday (2 February) was an exciting day for after 1100 years some extraordinary Saxon relics have come back to Winchester, ancient capital of Wessex.
The exhibition on 'Alfred: Warfare, Wealth and Wisdom' gives a taster of the life of the king who was so special to our city. The dramatic saving of the English race at the battle of Edington is illustrated by archaeological finds from all over southern England including a Viking axe and a stunning chain male coat, gleaming helmet and fine sword. The wealth of the kingdom of Wessex is shown by a fabulous collection of 'aestels' wonderfully-worked jewels given with bibles and other books.
The Alfred Jewel, copyright The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
Even more stunning the display has a copy of a book written by Pope Gregory but this one translated by Alfred into English, the first complete book written in English, here in Winchester in the 890s. The exhibition in the Discovery Centre in Jewry Street, runs for three months during which there will be celebrity lectures and workshops.
Close by is the site of Hyde Abbey where a further exhibitions (in Hyde Abbey Gate and near the River Park Recreation Centre) to interpret the Norman abbey which was the last (and lost) resting place of Alfred, his wife and son Edward.
In the city museum visitors can purchase a booklet on Hyde, and see the Saxon golden Winchester Reliquary. There is a great model which shows Winchester 1200 years ago.
On the Cathedral green is marked the outline of Old Minster in which Alfred was first entombed, until the New Minster along side was ready.
Winchester’s tourist guide is the Alfred trail (cost £1.00) It is available from the Tourist Information Centre in the Broadway, close to the site of Nunnaminster, the Saxon abbey founded by Alfred’s widow, and the superb Victorian statue of Alfred.
January 25 Enjoying Winchester in Winter ??? ! ! !Enjoying Winchester in January and February!
No, its not such a crazy idea.
Today, even down south Winchester will be celebrating Burns night. The best place to enjoy the evening is 'The Bishop on the Bridge' my 'local', and just a minutes walk from Wolvesey View, at the end of Colebrook Street. The landlord, Euan Black is a Scotsman and serves the traditional haggis and neaps which is piped down into the pub and Euan (in kilt) plays the bagpipes during the meal.
Another of Winchester's great all year round attractions is the Sunday Farmers' Market (this weekend (but nb held on the second and fourth Sundays of the month and usually over by 2pm).
This is the biggest such market in the country and not to be missed. The market is held in Middle Brook Street and nearby, in the centre of the city. (Dates in Jan 27 and Feb 10 and 24.)
This first weekend, January 26 - 27 is a chance to see one of the most delightful moments of the farming year when at Sparsholt College, a few miles west of the city, visitors can go out to see the annual lambing weekend with the 300 ewes.
With its fantastic history and military past, Winchester's links with the army are still very strong (even though the barracks have moved out of the city years ago). On Tuesday January 29 a major event will take place when representatives of our forces who have returned from Iraq will be on parade and marching through the city centre, up to the Great Hall
Another very special sight which can only be enjoyed in winter is the cathedral when for a limited period, up to February 13, the great nave is cleared of all the usual seating and can be seen in its full medieval glory. This is one of the greatest sights in Britain as one looks up the length of the longest cathedral in Britain. On the final evening, February 12 there is a wonderful open evening with free admission, displays, candle lighting etc.
In the cathedral one can visit one of the oldest libraries in Britain, complete with chained books. Winchester now has one of the newest libraries: the Discovery Centre in Jewry Street.
Although it has its critics this is a remarkable transformation to make stunning architecture. I would encourage all my guests to visit it. It has a tremendous tapestry by local artist Alice Kettle, and in a side gallery until 10 February a display on the story of Jewry Street. On February 3 a blockbuster exhibition on King Alfred opens for three months, featuring remarkable treasures from the 9th century. This will be accompanied by special lectures and workshops.
February 22 and 23 are the International tourist guides days. This includes an opportunity to have a free guided tour round Abbey House, the official Mayors residence in Abbey Gardens. This is a rare treat (and you will need to book a ticket - 01962 840500 ). Mayors Houses are very rare in the UK. It was formerly a private residence and at one time a nunnery fitting because the parkland surrounds were the location of the nunnery Nunnaminster built for King Alfreds wife and pulled down 450 years ago.
January 17 "Do they speak English in England?" - Farewell to PeggyReturning to the USA tomorrow - January 18 is one of our most regular guests, Peggy from Sylva in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. Originating from Winchester Peggy recalls the astonishment of neighbours in the still remote mountain valleys that English people might actually speak English. This seems all the more extraordinary for anyone in Winchester which is celebrated as the birthplace of the English Language, thanks to King Alfred. This was Peggy's seventh visit to Wolvesey View since our B&B started in 2002 and she writes of this as her "home from home, with a warm, charming, friendly, caring host (and cats, too!)" For info on Wolvesey View B&B in Winchester see www.wintonian.co.uk
June 21 Winchester could be Best Town in the British IslesWinchester is pitted against Kilkenny in Ireland and St Andrews for an award as "Great Town" in a scheme organised by the prestigious Acadamy of Urbanism. Winchester has been selected because of its distinctive human scalke town centre and for its wonderful farmers market, the largest in Britain.
So if you want the very best quality break away from home, or a holiday to experience English life, come and stay with us right in the heart of the city.
Guests have said that Winchester is "England as it should be" Maybe one day Winchester will be recognised even as "Britain as it should be"! Wolvesey View now in Lonely Planet guide to EnglandJohn and Marie are delighted to find that Wolvesey View has been included in the 2007 edition of 'Lonely Planet - England'. We are one of a very small number of carefully selected B&Bs recommended to travellers in Winchester. The entry says we are "Squirrelled away in a quiet cul de sac in the middle of town" "This family home is easy strolling distance from cathedral and Wolvesey Castle which its Yellow Room overlooks. The three simple rooms share a bathroom, and its owners are extremely knowledgeable about the city" June 16 See this amazing photo of Winchester from a satelliteHave a look at our incredible situation. From our windows you can see the ruins of Wolvesey Castle one of the most historic sites in Britain. (click Birds eye view) Scroll leftwards to see Winchester Cathedral a bit to our west.
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