Winchester Tourist Information
Winchester Cathedral
There has been a Cathedral in Winchester since about 648 AD. The present day plan of the cathedral was laid out in 1079 AD by Walkelin, the first Norman Bishop. The cathedral was once at the heart of the ancient kingdom of Wessex and it's bishops were men of great wealth and influence, none more so than William of Wykeham, twice Chancellor of England, founder of Winchester College and New College Oxford.
Before the Reformation, the cathedral was home to Benedictine monks. You can still remnants of it's monastic past in the buildings of Cathedral Close.
The Nave is the largest area and it is here that the public would have had access to the Cathedral. Services, in the main, would have been conducted in the Quire, and not normally accessible to a congregation. These days, of course, no such distinction is made and services are held in as many locations as possible to make the best use of these beautiful spaces.
There have been bells in the cathedral since Saxon times; King Canute is recorded as having given two in 1035. Over the centuries the bells were replaced or added to. In 1936/7, the whole ring of 12 was recast and re hung by Taylors of Loughborough. One of the great pleasures of living in the city is hearing the peel of the bells summoning worshippers to Sunday worship.
For more information about the cathedral visit http://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk
Winchester Cathedral Choir is recognized as one of Britain’s leading cathedral choirs, both for its singing of the services and in concert. In recent years, they have undertaken tours of Holland, Italy, Norway and Germany singing repertoire ranging from Taverner, Weelkes and Byrd to Howells, Leighton and Tavener.
The Choir comprises sixteen to twenty choristers and twelve lay clerks, whose numbers are augmented when larger forces are required. The choristers are educated at The Pilgrims’ School, where they all learn at least one instrument, and the majority of them win music scholarships to their next school. The lay clerks are all experienced musicians, many of whom work in the fields of composing, conducting, arts administration and teaching.
Click here for more information about the cathedral choir.
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