



Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Fay Dunn and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net









Transcriber’s Note


In this plain text version of Royal Winchester:
  words in italics are marked with _underscores_
  words printed in a bold Gothic font are marked with =equals signs=
  words in small capitals are shown in UPPER CASE.

Illustrations have been moved near to the text they illustrate. The
page numbers in the List of Illustrations refer to the original
positions.

Footnotes have been moved to the end of chapters.

Sidenotes were originally page headings, they have been moved to the
start of paragraphs. These were all printed in italics.

Inconsistent hyphenation and variant spelling are retained. Quotations
and transcriptions have been left as printed. Minor changes have been
made to punctuation, the other changes that have been made are listed
at the end of the book.




[Illustration: The Cathedral: West Front.

WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL.]




  ROYAL
  WINCHESTER

  WANDERINGS IN AND ABOUT
  THE ANCIENT CAPITAL OF ENGLAND

  BY THE
  REV. A. G. L’ESTRANGE, M.A.

  AUTHOR OF
  “THE VILLAGE OF PALACES,”
  “THE FRIENDSHIPS OF M. R. MITFORD,” ETC., ETC.

  WITH NUMEROUS TEXT AND FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS FROM
  ORIGINAL SKETCHES BY C. G. HARPER

  _SECOND EDITION._

  LONDON:
  SPENCER BLACKETT
  35, ST. BRIDE STREET, LUDGATE CIRCUS, E.C.

  (_All rights reserved._)




Among those who have kindly afforded me information during the progress
of this work are the Very Rev. Dr. Kitchin, Dean of Winchester, the
Rev. Dr. Sewell, Warden of New College, Oxford, the Rev. J. G. Young,
Mr. F. Baigent, Mr. J. H. Round, Mr. T. Stopher, and Mr. C. G. Harper.
I have consulted, among recent works, those of the Misses Bramston and
Leroy, the Rev. H. C. Adams, and Mr. Woodward.

  THE AUTHOR.




CONTENTS.


  FIRST DAY.
                                                              PAGE
  Introduction--The High Street--The Castle--King Arthur
      --Historical Reminiscences--Executions--The Civil
      War--Charles II.’s Palace--The Westgate--Wyke--
      Littleton--Crawley--Lainston--Sparsholt                    1


  SECOND DAY.

  “God Begot” House--The High Street--Old Guildhall--
      Butter Cross--King Alfred--The Penthouse--St.
      Maurice’s Church--The Bell and Crown--New Guildhall
      --Museum--Archives--St. Mary’s Nunnery--St.
      John’s Hospital--Soke Prison--St. Giles’ Hill--The
      Fair                                                      49


  THIRD DAY.

  The City Walls--Danemead--Eastgate--Northgate--
      Westgate--Southgate--Kingsgate--The College--
      Wykeham--Wolvesey--Raleigh                                85


  FOURTH DAY.

  Jewry Street and the Jews--Hyde Abbey--St. Grimbald
      --Destruction of Tombs--Headbourne Worthy--
      King’s Worthy--The Nuns’ Walk                            123


  FIFTH DAY.

  The Cathedral--Early History--Dagon--St. Swithun
      --Æthelwold--The Vocal Cross--Ordeal of Fire--
      Walkelin--Renovation of the Cathedral--Civil War
      --Architecture--Nave--Isaak Walton--Relics and
      Monuments--De la Roche--Frescoes--Ethelmar--
      Crypt                                                    148


  SIXTH DAY.

  The Grenadier--Cathedral Library and Museum--The
      Deanery--Pilgrim’s Hall--Precincts--Cheyney Court
      --Regulations of the Monastery--North side of the
      Cathedral--Early decay of the City--St. Peter’s Street
      --Middle Brooks--Old Houses                              209


  SEVENTH DAY.

  Southgate Street--St. Cross--Dr. Lewis--Regulations--
      St. Catherine’s Hill                                     243


  EIGHTH AND FOLLOWING DAYS.

  Ancient Britons--St. John’s Church--Magdalen Hospital
      --Punchbowl--Chilcombe--St. Peter’s Cheesehill--
      Twyford--Monoliths--Brambridge Avenue--Otterbourne
      --Compton--“Oliver’s Battery”--Hursley--Tomb
      of Keble--Merdon Castle--Farley Mount--The Hampage
      Oak--Tichborne                                           262


  INDEX                                                        297




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.


                                                              PAGE

  THE CATHEDRAL: WEST FRONT, WINCHESTER            _Frontispiece_

  WESTGATE                                                       7

  CASTLE HALL                                                   29

  THE EPITAPH OF DR HARPESFELDE                                 40

  SPARSHOLT CHURCH                                              45

  THE BUTTER CROSS AND PENTHOUSE                                49

  ROYAL OAK PASSAGE                                             51

  THE OLD GUILDHALL                                             55

  THE GUILDHALL                                                 67

  SOKE BRIDGE                                                   77

  TOWERS AND SPIRES OF WINCHESTER                               79

  KINGSGATE                                                     90

  THE PORTER’S LODGE AND CHEYNEY COURT                          92

  CHAMBER COURT                                                 99

  THE CLOISTERS                                                103

  THE COLLEGE CHAPEL                                           111

  CORNER OF A COLLEGE STUDY                                    115

  THE TOWER OF THE COLLEGE CHAPEL FROM THE ITCHEN              121

  CNUT AND EMMA (ÆLFGYFU) PLACING THE CROSS AT HYDE            133

  WYKEHAM’S TOMB                                               167

  A FRAGMENT OF THE CHAPTER HOUSE                              169

  IN THE NORTH TRANSEPT                                        177

  KING JAMES                                                   181

  THE CHOIR FROM THE NAVE                                      187

  THE DEANERY                                                  219

  THE PENTHOUSE                                                233

  MIDDLE BROOK                                                 237

  THE CHURCH OF SAINT CROSS FROM THE WATER MEADOWS             245

  BEAUFORT TOWER, ST. CROSS                                    249

  ST. CATHERINE’S HILL FROM ST. CROSS                          259

  ST. JOHN’S FROM A COTTAGE GARDEN                             265

  CHILCOMBE CHURCH                                             270

  A CHILCOMBE TOMBSTONE                                        271

  ST. PETER’S CHEESEHILL FROM ABOVE THE STATION                273

  TWYFORD                                                      278

  HURSLEY                                                      285

  FARLEY MOUNT                                                 288




ROYAL WINCHESTER

_WANDERINGS IN AND ABOUT THE ANCIENT CAPITAL OF ENGLAND._




FIRST DAY.

Introduction--The High Street--The Castle--King Arthur--Historical
   Reminiscences--Executions--The Civil War--Charles II.’s Palace--The
   Westgate--Wyke--Littleton--Crawley--Lainston--Sparsholt.


“Would that the George Hotel had an old gable, or even an Elizabethan
window,” I said to myself as I unshouldered my knapsack; “but perhaps
the ordinary visitor thinks more of creature comforts than of artistic
effects.”

“Is there anything of antiquity about the house?” I inquired, turning
to the waiter.

“Not that I know of,” was the reply; “but it is a very ancient
establishment. There is a fresco two hundred years old in one of the
rooms,” he added, with a little pride.

I took out my notebook and pencil, and was shown into a ground-floor
room in the western and earlier part of the hotel to see this
curiosity. Alas! it proved to be nothing but an old paperhanging.

“Not very remarkable,” I said, carelessly.

“Indeed, sir!”

“I am expecting some friends by the next train,” I continued. “We shall
require dinner for three. What can we have?”

The waiter was pretty well acquainted with the productions of the
culinary department, which had not much charm of novelty, and after
settling that important business, I sallied forth to purchase a
guide-book. This was not the first time I had been at Winchester, and
much of the information it contained was not new to me; but I wished to
refresh my memory on some points, as the friends I was expecting looked
to me to be their _cicerone_ during the few days we were to spend here
together.

Reading some and skipping more, and glancing at the well-known
illustrations, I thought myself fairly acquainted with the subject,
especially as I had rummaged up something from old books and
manuscripts in London. I wished to stand well with the old gentleman
and his daughter for certain reasons which I shall not mention--because
I may be unsuccessful. Well--we shall see.

[Sidenote: Arrival.]

Here they are!--warm greetings--the luggage is lifted down, and by
degrees the small articles which accompany a lady’s travels were
brought in, counted, and arranged. Do the number and variety of them
cause me to hesitate or to reflect that in single blessedness--

    “When a man’s hat is on his head
    His house is thatched and furnishèd”?

No, not for one moment.

Conversation soon becomes more connected, and, in due course, allusion
is made to the object of our visit.

“Now, mind you tell us _everything_ about Winchester,” said Miss
Hertford, with a smiling emphasis, which showed that she intended to be
obeyed.

“Everything, and some other things,” I replied, submissively; “but
perhaps you under-estimate the extent of the mine which is here beneath
our feet. You are an enchantress, and if you wish to become the idol of
antiquaries, turn Winchester upside down for a few hours.”

The present “George” is not inspiring architecturally, but still
possesses a fragrance beyond that of mere soups and joints. Here
successive generations have been accommodated and regaled,

    “Have found the warmest welcome at an inn,”

ever since the days of Edward IV. Had a Visitors Book been kept, what a
rare collection of autographs would it have contained! In the twentieth
year of Henry VIII. we read of the “In of the George” being leased by
the Mayor to one Stephen Boddam, on condition that he pays the rent
fixed and forty shillings towards the new making of the chimney.[1]
The name of the house was taken from the patron saint of England,
pork-dealer, bishop, and dragon-slayer; to whom we find a chapel in
Winchester dedicated in Henry IV.’s time.[2]

[Sidenote: Sufferings of a Royalist.]

The stable at the back is the oldest part. It has a dingy aspect, and
an unpleasant association. When Waller was here making demands upon
the citizens in 1643, one Master Say, a son of a Prebendary of the
Cathedral, directed his servant to conceal his horses. Betrayed and
brought before Waller, he was questioned, and his answers being deemed
unsatisfactory, was handed over to the Provost Marshal to extract a
confession. He was forthwith taken into the “eighteen-stall stable,” a
halter was placed round his neck, and, as he still refused information,
he was pulled up and down to the rack until nearly strangled. All the
spectators retired in disgust--they could not stand the sight.

“How dreadful!” exclaimed Miss Hertford. “Did the poor man die?”

“It very nearly finished him,” I returned; “but people were pretty
strong in those days. However, he had, as a result, a dangerous
illness.”

There is no better starting-point than the “George,” in the centre of
the High Street, for exploring Winchester. This was the chief street
in Roman times, and perhaps terminated in such a round arch as we see
at Lincoln. In the palmy days of the city good houses probably adorned
the street. There seems to have been a fashionable tailor here in the
days of John and Henry III. His cut was evidently appreciated, for
he was not only employed by the King, but given wood to repair his
house, Limafelda, the rent of which was a grey pelise for the King.
We may conclude there was also a grand harness maker: for John ordered
the Mayor to give the constable of Corfe Castle a handsome (pulchra)
saddle, with a scarlet saddle-cloth and gilt bridle.[3]

The scene had greatly changed by Henry VIII.’s time. The houses, mostly
wooden and thatched, had gardens in front of them, of a somewhat Irish
character, for the walls were dilapidated,[4] and they contained
few flowers, but many sweet--pigs. A civic order was now made that
householders should no longer keep “hog-sties” within the boundaries
of the “hie” street. Those were times of darkness--there were no
town-lights, and some apprehension was felt that even the supply of
candles might run short. And so, in the fifteenth year of Henry VIII.,
it was ordered by the Winchester “assemble” that the chandlers “should
make” good and well-burning candles, and “should see there was no lack
of them.”[5] In Charles II.’s time the citizens were bidden to hang out
lights while the King was in residence.

[Sidenote: Westgate.]

Now let us come to a nearer date, and imagine this street a
hundred years ago. An open drain ran down it, and lines of gables
and overhanging storeys nodded across at each other in grotesque
infirmity. A pretty picture they made, and there was one night in the
year on which they seemed to me to be sadly missing--the fifth of
November--when tar barrels were lit at the Westgate and kicked down the
street by an exulting mob. A grand scene it was of riot and wildfire,
and only wanted the quaint, irregular buildings to complete the effect.

“When Keats was here in 1819,” said Mr. Hertford, “he found the
place much modernized and ‘improved.’ He says the side streets were
excessively maiden-lady-like; the door