Forget About Stratford-upon-Avon, Go And Visit Winchester

Each year, far more tourists visit Stratford-upon-Avonsouth from their pagan rule. He made Winchester his
than do Winchester. Why this should be so can onlycapital of England. He married, lived and died in the city.
be because of marketing. Winchester has so muchHe was also much more than just a military genius; he
more to offer the visitor.was a codifier of law, a promoter of education and a
There is no denying the charms ofsupporter of the arts. He, himself, was a scholar and
Stratford-upon-Avon. It is a beautiful town, nestled intranslated Latin books into the Anglo-Saxon tongue. He
the countryside of middle-England. However England isis the only English king ever to be given the epitaph,
blessed with many beautiful old towns and villages."the Great".
The main reason that coach-loads of tourists descendWinchester had many other famous residents and
upon the town is because of the life and works of onevisitors. St Swithin was Bishop of Winchester and was
man; William Shakespeare. And, there is no doubting histutor to King Alfred the Great. Most of us have heard
importance in history and the great gifts of his writings.of the legend 'that if it rains on St Swithin's day (15
But, apart from the cottage of his birth and the cottageJuly), then it will rain for forty days'. The legend says
of his wife, Ann Hathaway, there remains very little leftthat as he lay on his deathbed, he asked to be buried
for the visitor to see, apart from the RSC theatre - theout of doors, where he would be trodden on and
great majority of visitors never actually go inside, neverrained on. For nine years, his wishes were followed, but
mind watch a Shakespeare play.then, the monks of Winchester attempted to remove
In the south of England there lies another beautifulhis remains to a splendid shrine inside the cathedral on
town; one that has far more history for the visitor to15 July 971. According to legend there was a heavy
explore. The town is Winchester. It's actually a city butrain storm either during the ceremony or on its
its size and the compactness of its centre lend it a feelanniversary.
of no more than a country town.Keats and Trollope were just two of many writers
Winchester cathedral is undeniably England's mostwho visited Winchester and based their works on the
beautiful. Its setting is sublime, surrounding by parks.places and people they met whilst staying there. But
The present day plan of the cathedral was laid out inperhaps the most famous writer to have lived (and
1079 AD by Walkelin, the first Norman Bishop. Thedied) in Winchester is Jane Austen. She was buried
cathedral has witnessed the coronation, marriages andinside the cathedral. Today, a black plaque is to be
burials of many English kings and queens. Thefound on the wall of the house in which she died; the
cathedral saw the coronations of Edward thehouse is a private residence.
Confessor (1043), of Matilda of Flanders as queenWinchester has a rich history. Today, many Roman
consort (1068), of Henry the Young King and his queen,artifacts are dug up from the Roman period;
Marguerite (1172) and the second coronation ofWinchester being an important Roman town. Its past is
Richard I of England (1194), as well as the marriages ofclearly visible to the visitor today in its buildings. Within a
Edward the Confessor and Edith (1045), King Henry IVfive minute walk you can see beautifully preserved
and Joanna of Navarre (1403) and finally Queen Mary Ibuildings from Anglo-Saxon through to Medieval,
and King Philip II of Spain (1554). King William II (son ofGeorgian and Victorian. But Winchester is not a
William the Conqueror) is buried in the cathedral.museum piece. The ancient buildings are still lived in and
Winchester has had many famous residents buttraded in. The city is a vibrant place that many people
surely, its most famous of all was that of King Alfredhave discovered and some are lucky enough to call
the Great. It was this Anglo-Saxon king who withstoodhome.
and then finally defeated the Vikings and saved the