The ‘hidden gems’ of Winchester

Winchester has many hidden surprises, even for long-term residents.

We went on a walk around to spot some of the city’s gems that are hidden in plain sight.

Hyde House

The Hyde Newsagency.

Hyde Gate, the supposed burial ground of King Alfred the Great

Hyde Gate Plaque

View into Hyde Gate

The memorial grave markers of King Alfred, his Queen and Edward the Elder, their son.

The Nestle Milk sign

Plaque to the Statue of King Alfred the Great

The Winchester Crest.

Winchester Mill, there has been a mill in this spot for over 1000 years.

The River Itchen

Roman Wall, the only piece of the original exposed Roman wall in Winchester

Sundial in Abbey Gardens behind the Mayor’s Place.

Saxon Tomb of Nunnaminster. This is an ancient Saxon place of worship and burial.

St John’s House. This building is pre-gerogian and this can be seen from the top floor windows. In Gerorgian times there was a Window Tax and this meant that people bricked up thier windows and painted them in. Do you notice the little paint pot in the corner of one of the windows?

Weather Measurement System and details of where Winchester places on the globe and what time zone it is in.

The Mayorial Palace

Mock-tudor statues of the saints of Winchester.

A sign for an old hotel

A crest marking the city’s hstory.

Sign marking the exectuion of Lady Alice Lisle, a landed lady of the English county of Hampshire, who was executed for harbouring fugitives after the defeat of the Monmouth Rebellion at the Battle of Sedgemoor.

A plaque marking the health care in Winchester in times previous to the NHS.

A sign for The Royal Oak, which claims to be the oldest pub in England.

St Lawrence’s Church, this formed part of William the Conqurer’s Palace, when it was built in 1079. The Church has been rebuilt but there is some of the original within it.

The grave which inspired ‘The Big Book of AA’.

A sign marking how old the building is.

Plaque showing the former site of BBC Solent radio.

Sign above the door of the Westgate, which was built in 13th Century.

Ruins of Winchester Castle.

Ruins of Winchester Castle

The Great Hall, this houses the Round Table.

The Hampshire Jubilee Statue

A mozaic of the round table outside the castle.

St Swithun-upon-Kingsgate Church

Plaque on the House in which Jane Austen spent her last 8 years.

Graffitti on Winchester Cathedral Wall.

Statue to Queen Anne

Royal Crest on Archway into Cathedral Close.

Frank Turner’s ‘Wessex Boy’, a song about Winchester and its hidden gems.

Winchester resident Chris Gray said: ‘Winchester is not that big. Just stroll around — visiting the old shops, — sit down and take time to see what is happening around you. Look at the road names and identify why they were named so.’

Amanda Reed, another Winchester resident, said: ‘The ethos, the architecture and atmosphere has to be witnessed.’

If you take the time to look around you can see glimpses of Winchester throughout history.

Have you spotted any other gems as you wonder around the city centre? If so, let us know…