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.

Appealing to adults and children alike, this imaginative, well-presented museum reflects Winchester's history from the Iron Age to the present. Roman artifacts include jewelry and well-restored mosaic floors, and a gallery spanning 1,000 years of Anglo-Saxon and medieval history displays silver coins, sculptures, agricultural tools, and everyday items such as the mayor's wooden toilet seat. Other collections feature two of Jane Austen's purses and a detailed scale model of the city created in Victorian times. The hands-on activities include a history detective quiz and costumes from every time period, starting with the Romans, that kids can try on. Free 45-minute guided museum tours are offered at 10:30 am, noon, 1:45 pm, and 3:15 pm daily. Pick up an audio guide at the entrance (£2) to get the most out of the museum.

Located atop the last of the city's fortified medieval gateways, this atmospheric museum was a debtor's prison for 150 years and now holds a motley assortment of items relating to Tudor and Stuart times. There's a stunning painted ceiling from 1554 (created to commemorate the wedding of Mary Tudor and Phillip II of Spain in the cathedral) as well as walls inscribed with 16th- through 18th-century graffiti by former prisoners. Child-size replicas of authentic 16th-century armor that can be tried on, as well as the opportunity to make brass rubbings, make it popular with kids. You can take in a panoramic view of Winchester from the roof.