winchester history

roman times

(70-400AD)

• built in a grid like pattern and named Venta Belgarum which means capital of belgares and was made the capital

• anglo saxon period in 400AD changed the name to Wintacaester which later became Winchester as we know it

medieval period

(5th-15th century)

• 13th century- friars arrived

• 1135-1154- civil war- some of winchester set alight and burned

• 1264- civil war between kings and barons

• 13th century- winchester castle rebuilt and modernised

• 1200- winchester had a mayor

• 12th-13th century- winchester declined (london grew)

• 1348-49 black death arrived

• 1500 population fallen to 4000

16th-17th century

• 16th- dwindled to unimportant town

• 17th- plague continued, 1603, 1625, 1665-66

• 1607 Peter Symonds College opened an almshouse in winchester

• King Charles 2nd often visited- built a royal palace but never finished- Wolvesey Castle ruins & replaced in 17th century

industrial revolution

(18th-19th century)

• 18th century- much was rebuilt- georgian style

• population= 4000

• guildhall rebuilt 1711, hospital opened in 1736, theatres opened 1785, city mill built in 1744

• North, East and Southgates were demolished

19th Century

• propertiy returned

• railway in 1840

• population increased rapidly

• westgate museum

• prison built 1846-49, 1847 gas streetlights, 1855 water comp

20th-21st Century

1901- king alfred’s statue commemorating 1000 year death anniversary

1908- riot

1914- first cinema opened

1920 council state stanmore opened

1994 M3 opened/ completed

1948 winnall estate began and grew rapidly in the 1950s

1950/60s town center redeveloped

1974 high street became pedestrianised

1988 river park opened

1989 cattle market closed after 401 years

1991 brooks mall opened

2006 voted best place to live in Britain