To the Celtic Britons, the settlement was likely known as Wentā or Venta (from a common Celtic word meaning "tribal town" or "meeting place"). [9] An etymology connected with the Celtic word for "white" ( Modern Welsh gwyn) has been suggested, due to Winchester's situation upon chalk. [10] It was the Latinised versions of this name, together with that of the tribe that gave the town its Roman name of Venta Belgarum.

Winchester railway station is served by South Western Railway trains from London Waterloo, Weymouth, Portsmouth and Southampton, as well as by CrossCountry between Bournemouth, and either Manchester or Newcastle via Birmingham. Historically it was also served by a line to London via Alton, which partially survives as the Watercress Line. The closure of this line removed an alternative route between London and Winchester when, due to engineering works or other reasons, the main line was temporarily unusable. There was a second station called Winchester Chesil served by the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway; this closed in the 1960s. [80] This line provided a link to the Midlands and the North, bypassing the present longer route through Reading. Hampshire and Winchester museums and art leased to trust". BBC News. 1 November 2014 . Retrieved 4 November 2014. The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, [2] Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun, [3] commonly known as Winchester Cathedral, is the cathedral of the city of Winchester, England, and is among the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Winchester and is the mother church for the ancient Diocese of Winchester. It is run by a dean and chapter, under the Dean of Winchester. In the 18th century, many visitors commented on the neglect of the cathedral and the town; Daniel Defoe described the latter in about 1724 as "a place of no trade… no manufacture, no navigation". [8] The Cathedral Chamber Choir". Winchester Cathedral. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021 . Retrieved 16 September 2021.The Crown filming locations: Winchester Cathedral stars in Netflix series". Hampshire Chronicle. 17 November 2020 . Retrieved 30 December 2020. The city walls were originally built in the Roman period covering an area of around 138 acres (56ha), and were rebuilt and expanded in sections over time. A large portion of the city walls, built on Roman foundations, were demolished in the 18th and 19th centuries as they fell into ruin and the gates became a barrier to traffic and a danger to pedestrians, with only a small portion of the original Roman wall itself surviving. [35] [36] Of the six gates (North, South, East, West, Durn, and King's Gates), only the Kingsgate and Westgate survive, with sections of the walls remaining around the two gates and near the ruins of Wolvesey Castle. [37] Winchester has excellent rail links to London, Southampton, Basingstoke, Reading, the Midlands and beyond. The Cathedral is situated a 12 minute stroll from Winchester Train Station; you’ll stroll through the hustle and bustle of the historic high street on your way. It’s a great way to travel to the cathedral, and very environmentally friendly too, plan your visit below.

Osborne School is a state-funded special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 which is located in Winchester. Shepherds Down Special School is a state funded special school for pupils aged 4 to 11, located just outside of the city in the boundaries of Compton.

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Lawn bowls is played at several clubs. The oldest bowling green belongs to Friary Bowling Club (first used in 1820), [74] while the oldest bowls club is Hyde Abbey Bowling Club (established in 1812). [75] Riverside Indoor Bowling Club remains open during the winter months. William II 'Rufus', King of England (1087–1100)—not in the traditional tomb associated with him, which may in fact be that of his nephew Henry of Blois, brother of King Stephen of England [ citation needed] The Romans did however start to build their own ‘new town’ at Winchester, known as Venta Belgarum, or market place of the Belgae. This Roman new town developed over the centuries of occupation to become the region’s capital, with streets laid out in a grid pattern to accommodate the splendid houses, shops, temples and public baths. By the 3rd century the wooden town defences were replaced with stone walls, at which time Winchester extended to almost 150 acres, making it the fifth largest town in Roman Britain. Bishop Tim Dakin's sermon notes from the Installation service of Canon Andy Trenier". 15 September 2019. In Focus - the Windows" (PDF). Illumination. Winchester Cathedral. April 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015 . Retrieved 17 September 2021.

Peter Le Huray, revised by John Morehen (2001). "Browne, Richard(i)". Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.04109. The city's major landmark is Winchester Cathedral. The city is also home to the University of Winchester and Winchester College, the oldest public school in the United Kingdom still using its original buildings. Winchester developed from the Roman town of Venta Belgarum, which in turn developed from an Iron Age oppidum. Winchester was one of the most important cities in England until the Norman conquest in the eleventh century. It has since become one of the most expensive and affluent areas in the United Kingdom.Along with other Romano-British towns, Winchester started to decline in importance around the 4th century. And things appear to have come to an almost abrupt end when in AD 407, with their Empire crumbling, the last Roman legions were withdrawn from Britain. Map" (PDF). Hampshire County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2016 . Retrieved 2 September 2017. Winchester Cathedral Bells" (PDF). Bell News. 1892: 603. 12 March 1892 – via Central Council of Church Bell Ringers.