- Type
- Castle
- Origins
- 1067 · 11th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- England, United Kingdom
- Coordinates
- 51.0618°, -1.3203°
History
William the Conqueror founded the castle in 1067, soon after the conquest, when Winchester was one of the main centres of royal power. Henry III was born here in 1207 and between 1222 and 1235 built the magnificent Great Hall. In 1603 the hall saw the trial of Sir Walter Raleigh, and in 1685 Judge George Jeffreys held his Bloody Assizes here after the Monmouth Rebellion. After the Civil War, in 1651, Parliament ordered the castle to be demolished. Charles II began a palace to Christopher Wren's design on the site, but it was never finished.
What to see
Of the whole castle, essentially only the Great Hall survives – one of the finest medieval halls in England, with Purbeck marble columns and tall windows. The Round Table hangs on its wall, and a bronze statue of Queen Victoria stands in the hall. Next to it, Queen Eleanor's Garden recreates a medieval garden, and nearby you can see excavated sections of the walls and defensive passages.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q1704670
Popularity: articles about this site in 22 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).