NEWS & RESEARCH
Tickets going fast!
Over a third of our bookable events are now fully booked, and others are going fast. So if you have not yet booked, book today via our box office.
About a third of our bookable events are now fully booked, and others are going fast. Unfortunately we are not able to increase the number of tickets already 'sold out' but we do have some fabulous alternatives:
Architectural Tours
George Saumarez-Smith's tour of the Cathedral Inner Close and Huw Thomas's of Peninsula Barracks may be fully booked, but as of 18th August you can still book a place on the brilliant Design Engine's tour of the Gothic Chapel at University of Winchester, the Hampshire County Council historic buildings tours and the University of Winchester sustainable architectural tours.
Wine & Cider Tastings
It only took a few days for The Stable Cider Tasting event and Hattingley Valley wine talk and tasting to be fully booked with a waiting list.
However we do have a great alternative for you Pete Brown's 'From Orchard to Glass: The Magic of Cider' talk (& tasting). But be quick over 65% booked as of 18th August.
Votes for Women
Social Historian, Emma Muscat's afternoon tea with suffragist Lady Laura Ridding must be fully booked, but we still have seats available at some of other other suffrage talks on Saturday 15th September including
1 - Dr Jane Robinson's 'Hearts and Minds'
2 - Professor Emma Rees 'From Hard Sell to Hard Cell'
3 - Dr Fern Riddell's 'Death in Ten Minutes'
We also have a free film screening of the 'Suffragette' at Everyman Cinema, a Vote 100 election at The Great Hall and many other 'extraordinary women' talks.
Historical Tours
The guided tour of West Hill Cemetery is fully booked as is the Chesil tour, however we still have places available on Winchester College's fascinating historical tour, the English Heritage tours of the Grange and St Swithun's School guided tour.
Some days you can also just turn up to free history events in Cathedral Close, at Hospital of St Cross and in the link gallery at University of Winchester.
5 things I love about Winchester
We’re are delighted to share our very first guest post. This is by Jenny, a student at University of Winchester, and she shares some of the things she loves about Winchester.
by Jenny Curtis, local student & HODs volunteer
Moving to Winchester was the scariest experience of my life. Scarier than results day. Scarier than starting a new school. Scarier than the first (and only) horror film I saw. The whole concept of moving away from home for the first time to an unfamiliar city was more than daunting. Not to mention the new responsibilities that come with living away from home: having to organise my own budget, lug washing to the launderette, and spend my evenings with strangers instead of family.
But nine months later the strangers are like family and Winchester feels more like home than my old town ever did. I take pride in showing my parents or friends from home around my city. There are still things I don’t know about the city and places I haven’t been, which is one of the many things I love about Winchester…
There's always . . .
something new to discover, even in the familiar. Every season brings a new way at looking at the city, from snow-capped to embellished with blossom to scattered with crisp leaves to sweltering under the summer sun.
A few months back, I discovered one of my favourite places in Winchester. My flatmates had gone home for spring break, but I stayed at university, slaving over assignments. Looking for somewhere to take a rest from work and catch up on reading, I stumbled upon Dean Garnier Gardens. It was abandoned except for a skinny robin jumping across the grass. The brick walls were clothed in thick ivy, the sun was out, and it finally felt like spring. Even though the garden is open to the public, it felt like a space of my very own; it felt personal.
Some days, when I’ve finished my work and the weather is nice, I’ll spend the day wandering around the streets of Winchester, trying to find somewhere I’ve never been. Occasionally I walk one of my favourite routes and try to spot things I’ve never noticed before: the mismatching brickwork of a building, mayweed growing at the edge of a footpath, a grave that’s older than the USA. There’s always something new to discover, even in the familiar. Every season brings a new way at looking at the city, from snow-capped to embellished with blossom to scattered with crisp leaves to sweltering under the summer sun. For a city that dates back to before Roman times, Winchester never gets old.
“there’s something strange and fantastic about popping into a grade II listed building for something as mundane as toothpaste.”
Jenny's second favourite thing is the connection with history. History is everywhere in Winchester. From the clock in the High Street that dates back to the late 19th century, to the Buttercross just behind it dating back even further to the 15th century, and who could forget the astounding Winchester Cathedral built in the 11th century. At least twenty of the buildings along the High Street now occupied by coffee shops, phone companies, and banks are grade II listed. This overlap between history and modernity creates a beautiful mix, giving Winchester significant heritage without stagnation. It creates a city that’s everchanging and evolving, but never losing sight of its roots. Plus, there’s something strange and fantastic about popping into a grade II listed building for something as mundane as toothpaste.
View from West Hill, a personal favourite of Jenny's
Jenny's third favourite thing are the countryside views. As well as brimming with beautiful architecture, Winchester is home to fantastic countryside views. From the city, it’s only a short walk to the Water Meadows (a favourite route of Keats’), or a bit further to St Catherine’s Hill in what feels like the heart of the countryside. Even within the city, there are plenty of peaceful green spaces to relax in, giving you a sense of nature without breaking out your walking boots. A personal favourite of mine, and ultimate winner for convenience, is West Hill Cemetery which is less than five minutes from the University of Winchester. From the bench at the top of the graveyard, you get one of the absolute best views in all of Winchester over the fields, trees, and hills that surround the city. It’s almost impossible to remember what you were so stressed about when staring out over that countryside landscape.
A city with a town vibe
Although Winchester is technically a city, and was even the capital of England for a time, it still feels intimate,
Jenny's fourth love is the town vibe. Despite containing so many open spaces, Winchester is pleasantly compact. It is Schrodinger’s city – both airy and cosy simultaneously. As someone who finds the idea of driving about as appealing as a sandpaper massage, it’s a huge relief that you can walk pretty much everywhere in Winchester. Even the places that you can’t walk are easy to get to via public transport, so you can have a day out at the Science Centre and still feel good about your carbon footprint. Although Winchester is technically a city, and was even the capital of England for a time, it still feels intimate, unthreatening, and much more like a town but with all the perks that a city has to offer.
And finally
No description of Winchester would be complete without mentioning the High Street
Jenny's wonderful tour of Winchester finishes with the High Street. No description of Winchester would be complete without mentioning the High Street. If the Cathedral is the heart of the city, the High Street is undoubtedly a fundamental artery. Before coming to Winchester, all the buskers I’d ever encounter could just about eek out an off-key rendition of ‘Wonderwall.’ Even now, I still can’t get over the skill of the buskers by the Buttercross or next to Debenhams who make the chore of lugging shopping back to my flat that much more enjoyable.
Market day back home was nothing special. It consisted of a rotund man shouting about his courgettes and a shifty looking guy selling DVDs that had ‘fallen off the back of a lorry.’ Winchester is another story entirely. Walking through the High Street on market day is always an exercise in self-restraint. I’ll struggle past the stalls and try not to blow my student loan on the delicious smelling food from all over the world – Greece, Germany, Thailand and more. Sometimes I’ll kid myself that I’m ‘just looking’ and I won’t buy anything. But, as I have the breaking strain of a soggy Kit-Kat, on those occasions I rarely walk away without chowing down on an arancini or some other delicious street food. The Christmas market nearly bankrupted me I can tell you.
Of course, this list could easily be three times as long, as every day I learn something new about the city that just makes it more appealing. Know of any hidden gems or personal favourites about Winch that I haven’t mentioned? Feel free to share them down in the comments and help other people get to know this fantastic city!
Photo Credits - Jenny took the fabulous shot of the view from West Hill, and the remaining ones were taken by Becky Brown.
Winchester's favourite heritage festival is back!
This year’s Heritage Open Days festival is bigger than anything we’ve put on so far. We’ve grown year on year, and the support from the local community is overwhelming. Last year, over 10,000 attended our events, and this year, with more than 100 free events, we hope many more will enjoy what’s on offer.
ONE FESTIVAL. FOUR DAYS. 110 FREE EVENTS.
13th-16th September 2018
Winchester Heritage Open Days provide a wonderful day out for the whole family; this year we have guided walks, special talks, behind the scenes tours, Heritage crafts, pop-up performances, Anglo Saxons & Vikings in the Cathedral close, Medieval Knights at the Westgate and a chance to see and hear about Winchester's very own Shakespeare First Folio at Winchester College
“Heritage Open Days champions everyone’s story and everyone’s history. This year, we’re shining a spotlight on Extraordinary Women, encouraging people across the country to share stories of women who’ve shaped their places in ways large and small. It’s an exciting opportunity to celebrate not just queens, famous writers and inventors, but also the women who put the ‘ordinary’ into extraordinary.”
Here in Winchester we have organised more than 40 'Extraordinary Women' events, highlights include
Radio 4 Women’s Hour presenter Dame Jenni Murray in conversation with The Very Revd Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester about 'A History of the World in 21 Women'
Dr Jane Robinson, Dr Fern Riddell and Professor Emma Rees leading suffrage talks, and Historian Emma Cornell Stoffer is hosting a suffrage tea at Winchester College
General Sir Anthony Walker KCB leading a talk on 'What did you do in the War, Mummy'
2TimeTheatre's world premiere of ‘Sir Walter's Women’ at The Great Hall, and Blue Apple's 'Fragments of Winchester' at Pilgrims’ Hall
The programme is now available from Winchester Tourist Information Centre and also online. Some events you can just turn up to but others need to be booked in advance via our online box office. Not surprisingly, tickets are already flying out the door for many of our special one-off events as well as the much-coveted behind-the scenes tours of buildings not normally open to the public. Do visit our box office now and book early to avoid disappointment.
Who is your Heroine?
We asked local young artists and wordsmiths to help us uncover and acknowledge the female workers, scientists, artists, writers, and pioneers who have left, or are leaving, a legacy that should be cherished.
Prince’s Mead, Harestock Primary, St Bede's and John Keble Primary schools have identified quite a few: from famous women, historical figures, national campaigners, artists and scientists to teachers, grandmothers and even babysitters. Some are women whose achievements may have been overlooked or forgotten but all of them have made a difference or brought about a change at a national or local level. Most importantly all of them are admired by local children.
Art & Words
The competition for local schools was run as part of the Vote 100 Centenary celebrations and in preparation for this year's amazing heritage festival. Young artists and wordsmiths were invited to commemorate their local and national heroines by producing original works of art, stories and poems.
The judges were delighted by the quality of the entries, it was not easy choosing the winners. The four winners have though been chosen, and are being notified via their schools today, and their prizes (book and art tokens) will be making their way to them over the summer.
All of the works by these incredibly talented artists and writers will be exhibited at a public exhibition in the Great Hall on 8th-9th & 13th-16th September as part of the Winchester Heritage Open Days festival.
Have you seen Sir Walter Ralegh?
Winchester based theatre company 2TimeTheatre is looking to cast its next professional production, Sir Walter’s Women.
Winchester-based 2TimeTheatre’s new production, Sir Walter's Women, re-imagines scenes from the life of charismatic adventurer, Sir Walter Ralegh, within a one-act play.
Staged in the 400th anniversary year of his execution, the drama looks at the influence of two extraordinary women in his life; one domestic, his wife Bess, and one political, Elizabeth I.
Did you know?
Just over 400 years ago the dashing Elizabethan hero, explorer and poet, Sir Walter Ralegh, was tried and convicted of treason in the Great Hall in Winchester.
He was beheaded 29th October 1618 in London.
This one-act play, a world premiere, requires a cast of three and 2TimeTheatre are seeking professional actors ideally from or near Winchester where the play will be performed over two evenings - 14 &15 September - as part of Heritage Open Days.
The venue is The Great Hall, a unique and atmospheric space that has featured in The Crown and Wolf Hall.
Meetings with potential cast members will take place 10 and 18 July at the Discovery Centre, Winchester. If you would like to be considered, please email your CV and headshot to 2TimeTheatre@gmail.com by 15 July 2018.
Cast requirements:
Sir Walter Ralegh – playing age 45 – 55, ideally tall and slim with classical stage experience.
Queen Elizabeth – playing age 50 – 60.
Bess Ralegh – playing age 30 – 40.
There will be a dance sequence so movement skills would be useful.
This is a paid opportunity and rehearsals will take place in the week of production. More information about the production can be found on our website: www.2timetheatre.com
About 2TimeTheatre
2TimeTheatre's performance arm was launched in October 2013 with a theatre production of Young Jane, short plays based on the early writings of a young Jane Austen and adapted by Cecily O'Neill. Young Jane is the first publication from 2TimeTheatre (September 2016), followed by Drinking with Dorothy (January 2017). Meeting Miss Austen, the second collection of plays based on the Juvenilia, was published May 2017 and performed as part of the Winchester Festival in July 2017. Jane Austen and The Waterman, was written by Cecily O'Neill and Philip Glassborow for the SO: To Speak Festival, October 2017. 2TimeTheatre is co-producing new musical Lucky Petra and producing The Honest Soldier, written by Philip Glassborow for performance in July 2018. www.2timetheatre.com