3 Best Sights in Winchester, The South

A short walk west of the cathedral, this outstanding example of early English Gothic architecture is one of Britain's finest surviving 13th-century halls and all that remains of the city's original Norman castle built by William the Conqueror (later razed by Oliver Cromwell). It's also the site of numerous historic events: the English Parliament is thought to have had one of its first meetings here in 1246; Sir Walter Raleigh was tried for conspiracy against King James I in 1603; and Dame Alice Lisle was sentenced to death by the brutal Judge Jeffreys for sheltering fugitives after Monmouth's Rebellion in 1685. Hanging on the west wall is the hall's greatest artifact, a huge oak table, which, legend has it, was King Arthur's original Round Table. In fact, it was probably created around 1290 at the beginning of the reign of Edward I for a tournament. It is not clear when the green and white stripes that divide the table into 24 places, each with the name of a knight of the mythical Round Table, were added, but it is certain that the Tudor Rose in the center surmounted by a portrait of King Arthur was commissioned by Henry VIII. The garden, a re-creation of a medieval retreat, is named for two queens: Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor of Castile. Tours are available daily at 11 am and 3 pm.

Set in 1,000 acres of parkland designed by Capability Brown, this is the historic seat of the actual earls of Carnarvon—as opposed to the imaginary earls of Grantham who inhabit it in the television drama Downton Abbey. Victorian Gothic Revival rather than medieval Gothic, this huge country house was designed by Sir Charles Barry, who was commissioned by the third earl in 1838 to transform a simpler Georgian mansion. Barry used golden Bath stone to create this fantasy castle bristling with turrets, a style he had pioneered in his designs for the Palace of Westminster (where Parliament sits). Like its fictional counterpart, it served as a hospital during World War I. Highlights of the State Rooms include van Dyck's equestrian portrait of Charles I in the Dining Room and the imposing library (aka Lord Grantham's retreat). There's also an exhibit of Egyptian antiquities collected by the fifth earl, known for his pivotal role in the 1920s excavation of ancient Egyptian tombs, notably Tutankhamun's. A walk around the gardens and grounds offers pleasant views of the house and countryside.

You can only visit the estate via guided tours of the house, exhibition, and grounds. From July through early September, three tours (10 am, 12:30 pm, and 2:30 pm) are offered daily except for Fridays and Saturdays; at other times, tours (plus picnic or afternoon tea and entertainment) are available during intermittent themed weekends. Be sure to book all tours in advance. Two lodges on the estate are available for two- or three-night stays from February through December but go fast. The house is 25 miles north of Winchester and 5 miles south of Newbury. If you drive and want to use GPS, enter the postal code (RG20 9LE) for directions to the correct entrance. There's train service from London and Winchester to Newbury, and taxis can take you the 5 miles to Highclere.

The imposing Norman exterior of the city's greatest monument, begun in 1079 and consecrated in 1093, makes the Gothic airiness within even more breathtaking. It's one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, and throughout it are outstanding examples of every major architectural style from the 11th to 16th century: the transepts and crypt are 11th-century Romanesque; the great nave, the longest in Europe, is 14th- and 15th-century Perpendicular Gothic; and the presbytery (behind the choir, holding the high altar) is 14th-century Decorated Gothic. Other notable features include the richly carved 14th-century choir stalls, the ornate 15th-century stone screen behind the high altar, and the largest surviving spread of 13th-century floor tiles in England. Little of the original stained glass has survived, except in the large window over the entrance. When Cromwell's troops ransacked the cathedral in the 17th century, locals hid away bits of stained glass they found on the ground so that it could later be replaced. The Library's Winchester Bible, one of the finest remaining 12th-century illuminated manuscripts, is on display in an exhibition space in the South Transept, which also hosts the Kings and Scribes exhibition tracing the history of the cathedral. 

The patron saint of the cathedral is St. Swithun (died AD 862), an Anglo-Saxon bishop who is buried here. He had requested an outdoor burial plot, but his body was transferred to the newly restored church in 971, accompanied by, legend has it, 40 days of rain. Since then, folklore says that rain on St. Swithun's Day (July 15) means 40 more days of wet weather. Among the other well-known people buried here are William the Conqueror's son, William II ("Rufus"), mysteriously murdered in the New Forest in 1100, and Jane Austen, whose grave lies in the north aisle of the nave. The tombstone makes no mention of Austen's literary status, though a brass plaque in the wall, dating from 80 years after her death, celebrates her achievements, and modern panels provide an overview of her life and work. Free first-come, first-served tours are run year-round, Monday through Saturday, from 10 am to 3 pm, depending on volunteer availability. You can also book a tour of  the tower to check out its far-reaching views. Special events may mean the cathedral, the crypt, and the Treasury are closed to visits, so check the website. Outside the cathedral, explore the Close (the neat lawns to the south of the cathedral), the Deanery, Dome Alley, and Cheyney Court.