Winchester Castle
Winchester Castle, of which only ruins remain, was built in 1067 during the reign of William the Conqueror, was demolished by parliament in 1644/1647 under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell, and was then completely restored by Wren in 1683 as a residence for Charles II. The regimental museums in the castle grounds document the period at the end of the 19th century when the castle was used as barracks; the modern building houses the law courts.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
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History has been made in Winchester Castle: at the church assembly held here at Easter 1072 the Archbishop of Canterbury secured the precedence in the English church of York, William the Conqueror had the Treasury established and the Doomsday Book kept safe here, and Richard the Lionheart came here in 1194 before his second coronation in the cathedral. The future King Henry III was born in the castle in 1207, Edward I held his first parliament here, and Sir Walter Raleigh was tried in the law hall for conspiring against James I.
The Great Hall is the only remaining part of Winchester Castle. The Round Table has hung here for over 600 years.
The Great Hall is the only remaining part of Winchester Castle. The Round Table has hung here for over 600 years.
Hours
January 1 to December 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
Always closed on:
Day after Christmas, St Stephen's Day, Boxing Day (December 26)
Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Disabled
Partial facilities for persons with disabilities.
Facilities
Gift shop
Related Attractions
King Arthur's Round Table
Only the Great Hall (1236), with its columns of Purbeck marble, old stained glass windows and an open wooden roof truss, bears witness to the Winchester Castle's great past, as does the legendary table-top on the back wall, at which King Arthur is supposed to have held his Round Table. The "Round Table", completed between 1250 and 1280, which served Edward I (1272-1307) for the glorification of his knighthood, was painted in the Tudor colors in 1522.
