The MONOCLE
MonoView View No. 6
WINCHESTER Hampshire, United Kingdom
Continuing our series on cities located within 60 commuter minutes from their Capital, we explore Winchester in United Kingdom. Welcome to MonoView Number 6, a walk through architecture, business and a Sunday past-time involving men and women with guns and a score to settle.
02/05 SET IN STONE?
What shape does contemporary architecture come in within this ancient once capital of Southern England?
06/09 SIGN OF THE TIMES We look at what makes this city such a draw for flagship stores of major premium retailers and how their presence impacts the high street.
10/11 WHERE THERE’S
MUCK, THERE’S BRASS Fun with guns, improving your aim on a clay shoot, we get taste of one of the fastest growing sports in the UK.
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WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL
A Norman cathedral begun in 1079, containing the Winchester Bible and featuring the longest Gothic nave in the world. An interesting fact is that 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 under water; look out for the statue and story of the Winchester Diver if you visit.
SET IN STONE? Architectural Reverance
With roots going back 2000 years and centred around a cathedral dating back to 1079, is there a place for contemporary architecture in Winchester? Winchester has a long history: there has been continuous settlement at the site for over 2,000 years. Winchester began as a Celtic hill fort, predating 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. Ultimately, King Alfred
the Great named Winchester as the capital, first of his kingdom of Wessex and later all of England south of the Danelaw - despite the growing importance of London, it remained so until the Norman invasion of 1066. During the Middle Ages Winchester was renowned for its woollen goods, amongst other produce. Presently, Winchester is an attractive and peaceful cathedral city deep in the southern English countryside, located
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TRINITY WINCHESTER, BRADBURY HOUSE
One of the newest buildings in Winchester, Bradbury House is a drop in centre for the homeless. Purpose built on land donated from the city council, the building may have more in common with Le Corbusier or Frank Lloyd Wright in style so while its style may be so last century (that’s still progress), its purpose is always contemporary.
conveniently close to both 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 to hop on a train to Winchester (which gives good views of the southern English countryside) and spend the day wandering around Winchester.morbi. Fusce ac adipiscing massa rhoncus ut, nulla mattis enim cursus metus massa proin, varius tempus mauris eu, sociis dis sit interdum aenean nihil. Tempor tincidunt suspendisse egestas. Diam est pulvinar sapien sed et ante. Et ac nulla aliquam sollicitudin maecenas, iaculis consectetuer. Placeat at, leo vitae imperdiet a luctus aliquet, scelerisque diam sem in natoque, massa scelerisque arcu eu. Sapien litora aenean vitae cursus tempus, bibendum ridiculus orci enim nunc risus sit, ut semper ac eget pharetra pede, aliquam et, torquent ullamcorper pretium viverra. Cras non vivamus tortor ipsum, ipsum impedit elit lacinia nisl libero, venenatis fusce curae, odio risus posuere porttitor. A venenatis a vestibulum faucibus convallis cras, enim nisl ut imperdiet tristique praesent nulla, ante proin rutrum, adipiscing sollicitudin adipiscing eu, sit nec a non. Wisi vel pede phasellus, risus sollicitudin quis ante voluptatem mi
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HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL, ASHBURTON COURT
The refurbishment of Ashburton Court, one of Hampshire County Council’s main headquarters office buildings in Winchester, provides flexible and efficient modern offices and functional space for building and service users.
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The people who know, eat here, book well in advance.
The local rag, what’s on and who’s who, serving the county.
Not so glam public house, it’s local and proud of it.
Working men’s club, East Winchester, something for everyone.
The oldest bar in England, popular with the tourists.
Designer furniture and interior design agency, successful and outside London.
Ladies fashion, gorgeous housey bits and bobs and a menswear department that’s well worth a visit.
SIGN OF THE TIMES Big name players moving in and setting up shop
Major highstreet retailers have converted nearly every town in the United Kingdom into an off-the-peg souless and uninspiring retail experience, however, in Winchester it’s different. Big names are setting up shop and flag ship ones at that, but something’s different here, we take a shopping trip.
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LOCAL HOSTS
Hampshire born creative agency with International clients.
PAYING GUESTS
Where can one get a pint first thing? Weatherspoons of course.
The coffee empire continues to grow.
Fresh fish, at least the county isn’t land locked.
For that missing part of the, sartorially aware, lady’s wardrobe.
A flagship store for the well heeled ladies of Hampshire.
1940’s all over again, and again....
Fat chubby fingers for fat chubby grown up boys and girls who’ve lost their sense of direction.
Reaching into the pockets of the more afluent boys and girls.
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It may not be what you’d expect from a Hampshire shoot, no abundance of Harris Twe ad, Range Rovers, Springer Spaniels or beaters, but we’re not here to sho ot game,
WHERE THERE’S MUCK THERE’S BRASS ‘Wallers Ash’ Shooting Club
A wet and blustery morning in November, a collection of men with guns all with one thing on their minds, a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, lectus vel convallis maxime in, consectetuer egestas vestibulum tellus adipiscing, pellentesque posuere phasellus ligula, sit in, ullamcorper lacus pede officia. Eget a nam arcu sed, gravida et dui aliquam, eu mauris, eu primis nunc in quis sunt, nulla lacus vel magna. Justo ornare. Quis egestas varius. Mauris neque, a habitant, mi ullamcorper mauris, sociosqu integer dis enim, mi tellus vitae vulputate ante
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ANY OTHER BUSINESS? Getting there 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 8 miles 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. London Heathrow Airport is about 60 miles drive from Winchester via the M25 (anti-clockwise) and the M3 (southbound). It is one of largest airports in the world, with copious flights to most major international destinations (although they are generally more expensive than other London airports). 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.
Landmarks Winchester Cathedral, tel 853 224, open daily 8.30AM-6PM (restricted access during services), admission £6 - a Norman cathedral begun in 1079, containing the Winchester Bible and featuring the longest Gothic nave in the world. An interesting fact is that 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 work-
ing under water; look out for the statue and story of the Winchester Diver if you visit. The Cathedral is the venue for regular recitals and concerts, and hosts a Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra 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, and is not to be missed. Dean Garnier Garden. Cathedral Close, open daylight hours, admission free - this garden lies on the site of the dormitory of the Benedictine Monastery and offers splendid views of the Cathedral. Pay special attention to the stonework, and how the medieval builders suffered from problems with subsidence. The old City Centre. with its narrow pedestrian streets and overhanging medieval buildings. Of especial 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. Always open. Free. The Winchester Great Hall and King Arthur’s Round Table. The Castle, tel 846476, open daily 10AM-5PM, closed December 2526, admission free but donations encouraged - the only remaining part of Winchester Castle is the Great Hall, built in the thirteenth century by Henry III. This is the home of the world famous Arthur’s Round Table; although this is now thought to be a fake commissioned by Henry VIII. The River Itchen, a crystal clear chalk-upland stream that flows through multiple channels in central Winchester, seemingly just to surprise visitors by its tinkling presence at every turn. Always open. Free. Winchester City Mill, Bridge Street,
NEXT STOP Valladolid is the capital of the province of the same name, and of the region of Castile-Leon in Spain. Valladolid is a reasonably large industrial city to the northwest of Madrid. It is the capital of CastileLeon and a major regional center.
tel 870057 - owned by the National Trust, this old water mill has been restored to working order and you can visit the working areas and a rather exciting walkway under the mill almost at river level. The building also houses a National Trust shop and the Winchester Youth Hostel (see ‘Sleep’). Opening hours are very complex, but the mill is open Mar-Oct Sa-Su 11AM-4PM and much more often in summer; visit the web site or phone the number above for more details. £2 (adult); £1 (children); free to National Trust members. Winchester College. College Street, tel 621100 - one of England’s old public (US English:private) schools, founded in 1382 and believed to be the oldest continuously running school in the country. Guided tours are available, lasting approximately 1 hour and include Chamber Court; the Gothic Chapel with its 14th century vaulted roof; College Hall; the 17th century red brick schoolroom built in the style of Christopher Wren and the original Cloister. Walk in tours available most every day, see web site or phone above for times. £3-4.
Dining 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. Here is a small selection recommended by individual Wikitravellers. The prices are best guesses for a meal including drinks & tips. Hotel du Vin, 14 Southgate St, tel 841414. A town-house bistro in the centre of Winchester, popular with locals and visitors alike. See also ‘Sleep’ below. £~40. The Black Rat, 88 Chesil St, tel 844465. This restaurant serves high quality ‘Modern British’ food with
Valladolid, SPAIN
The city has an older core with some interesting buildings. However it has focused more on industry than tourism. Nowadays the population of Valladolid is near 322,000 inhabitants.
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locally produced ingredients. It is located a few minutes form the main high street in what was once a pub. Open Mon-Sun 7PM-11PM Dinner; Sat-Sun 12PM-2.30PM Lunch. £~35.
Sleeping There are many different places to sleep in Winchester. The following can only be a set of suggestions. The prices quoted are negotiable. Wykeham Arms, 75 Kingsgate St, tel 853834. A well run, well regarded pub near the Cathedral and College, with 14 comfortable bedrooms. £90-120 (double room including breakfast). Hotel du Vin, 14 Southgate St, tel 841414. Housed in an attractive city center Queen Anne townhouse, the Hotel du Vin has 23 cosy bedrooms. The best rooms overlook the hotel garden. See also ‘Eat’ above. £109185 (double room). Cathedral Cottage. Single room available, very hospitable, within shouting distance of the cathedral and some wonderful pubs. Room very clean and well provisioned. Top notch English and continental breakfast served next day. Well kept garden and incredibly quiet. £70 for double room edit Holiday Inn Winchester, Telegraph Way, Morn Hill, Winchester, SO21 1HZ, tel 0750 145 8590. Holiday Inn Winchester is a brand new hotel in Winchester servicing all types of stay, from leisure and family to business. Holiday Inn Winchester has 141 stylish new rooms on offer and also offers meeting rooms for hire. Just 2 miles from Winchester’s town centre and close to all attractions.