An unplanned day trip in Winchester
From our few days in The Pigsty, it was time to go home. We checked out at about 10am and instead of driving back to London, we decided on an unplanned day trip in Winchester, one of England’s most ancient cities. It was so unplanned that I literally went on google as we were driving to figure out our next stop!
I was quite surprised to find out that we weren’t actually that far from most of the city’s landmarks. This was another thing I thought was so cool. We felt secluded when we were in the Pigsty but in reality, we were only about 15 minutes away from the city center! Since it was a Sunday, it was not too difficult to find free parking on one of the side roads. We must have driven around for just over 2 minutes when we parked a minute away from Winchester Cathedral. I would say that our Winchester visit was more like a half-day stroll than a full-day trip.
About Winchester
Winchester, England’s ancient capital is located in the Hampshire County and is a cathedral city. It is noted to have been inhabited since prehistoric times. Winchester’s most popular landmark is its Cathedral of course but there are so many notable structures dotted around the city.
Winchester is also home to University of Winchester and the oldest public school in the United Kingdom, Winchester College. What is even more fascinating is that Winchester College still uses its original buildings till date. Look, everything in Winchester is ancient AF. Everywhere had some form of history dating back to ages ago.
An unplanned day trip in Winchester: Where we went
1. Winchester Cathedral
Our first stop was the Winchester Cathedral, originally built in 1079 and is the largest gothic cathedral in Europe. In fact, if there was only one thing I was going to do on this unplanned day out in Winchester, it was to visit the Cathedral.
Winchester Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in Europe and is a Grade 1 listed building. There is a lot to see within the cathedral. My main focus was the famous memorial of Jane Austen who died in Winchester in 1817 at age 41. One of the most prolific English writers of her time, Jane Austen is known for classics such as Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility among others. She is buried in the north aisle of the nave with a memorial honoring her.
The Cathedral is open all year round except when there is a special event which would usually be communicated on the Cathedral’s website.
2. Winchester City Mill
Winchester City Mill is most likely the oldest working watermill in England. I have used the terms “most likely” because although there is no record of one older, it does not claim the title. It is a restored water mill that sits on River Itchen and is owned by the National Trust. It is a grade 2 listed building and was built in 1744.
3. South Downs Way
One of the most popular trails in the country is the South Downs Way. So when I realised that the official western start of the trail was in Winchester, I was going to find it. The beginning point was at Winchester City Mill. It was such a lovely walk by the River Itchen with lots of greenery for that picturesque, romantic feel.
4. Wolvesey Castle
Although it is listed as castle, it was actually a luxurious palace. Wolvesey Castle dates back to 1110 and was the Norman Bishop’s palace. At the time, the Norman Bishops were wealthy and were some of the most powerful men in England. The location contains its ruins, which is free to enter and maintained by English Heritage. We wandered around for about 30 minutes just admiring the stones. I kept wondering how they had managed to last all these years through rain, sun and natural disasters.
Wolvesey Castle is fascinating to visit and it sort of takes you out of Winchester to Rome or Athens. It is no wonder why it is one of the greatest medieval sites in England.
5. Winchester Military Quarter
We briefly stopped at Winchester Military Quarter and the plan was to visit some of the military museums. This was one, which proved we really did not do our research lol. Everything was closed, possibly because it was a Sunday maybe? Anyway the entire quarter was dead. Mr E kept trying to walk further into the quarters like he had mates waiting for him or something. At this point I was ready to call it a day and head home!
London to Winchester
After our unplanned day trip in Winchester, I realised it was quite a popular route for day-trippers. Trains run daily from Waterloo and in about an hour, you are in Winchester! If you would rather drive, like Mr E, London to Winchester is about an hour 25 mins via the M3.
London to Winchester can be combined with a trip to Stonehenge and Salisbury. However, I would recommend a full day in Winchester, as I prefer a relaxed and slower way to travel.
Winchester Car Parks: Where to Park
Although we found free parking, it is most likely not always possible especially if you visit on a weekday. The closest car park to Winchester Cathedral is Colebrook Car Park, which is open 24 hours a day. Its postcode is SO23 9LH.
There are Park and Ride (P & R) schemes as well, which allow you park outside the city and ride into the center. From the M3, there are a few P & R locations; 2 in East Winchester P & R at SO23 9SQ and 1 in South Winchester P & R.
Is Winchester a recommended day trip?
We spent about 3 hours walking around and just taking it all in. For an unplanned day trip in Winchester, I would say we managed to cover some history. I would have loved to visit one of the tearooms or a family owned brunch spot. But we decided to head back to London to avoid evening traffic.
Would I go back to Winchester? Possibly! I found it a very fascinating town and one I had never thought to visit until I did. It is one of those ones that pleasantly surprise you. Other places I would have loved to visit were The Great Hall, Theatre Royal Winchester, Hospital of St Cross and Jane Austen’s House in Alton. So yes, it is definitely one to visit and quite a convenient trip as well.
Bisous, ‘Bugo x
