Meet James. This is just after we arrived in Winchester Friday afternoon. The scary looking face I'm pulling is due to standing on my tippy toes to attempt this self portrait. (James is quite a bit taller than I am.)
After a bit of exploring we headed to an old church that had been converted into a cinema to see The Boat that Rocked
pretty cool, eh?
Ok, not really. This is the actual church that had been converted, the one above was just a really cool church next door to this one that had been converted to a cinema.
Ok, not really. This is the actual church that had been converted, the one above was just a really cool church next door to this one that had been converted to a cinema.
I've never been to a cinema like this and it was a neat experience. I was especially intrigued by the ice cream selling steward after the previews before the movie started.
Saturday morning I was running late (as per normal) and we didn't have enough time to eat breakfast at the hotel (which was included in the price, oops!) But in my opinion it turned out to be a good thing that we missed the hotel breakfast, because we ended up eating at this really cool American diner. Good old American breakfast - scrummy!
A cheesy photo for your entertainment 
James had to do a bit of work while we were in Winchester (such is life) but it was only for a couple hours Saturday morning. Afterwards we walked over to Winchester Cathedral. A pretty spectacular cathedral.
Check out the detail on the ceiling. Wow!
Mandatory self portrait
Just amazing!
These are some of the original painting in the cathedral, I think from the 1300s (but I'd have to double check that date) 
More details that make you just gape and say wow
More details that make you just gape and say wow
Jane Austen's grave (famous British author of Sense and Sensibility & Pride and Prejudice to name a couple)
After a tour of the cathedral we walked down to the old school to tour around it (but it wasn't open - scuppered!).
Just a few pretty good shots of the area. So scenic!
Then we went to the castle ruins
Self portrait attempts amuse me!
We stopped by Jane Austin's home (last home before she died) on the way back
We then headed up to The Great Hall.
Winchester Castle dates from the reign of William the Conqueror (1066-1087). By
the end of King John's reign in 1216 the castle and its royal palace needed
extensive repair. Between 1222 and 1235 the Castle's hall was replaced by the
building which stands today. ... The Hall was the heart of the Castle. When in
residence the King dined here, discussed affairs of State with his barons and
clergy and sat in court to administer justice.
Did you know King Arthur's famous round table was in Winchester? I didn't!
Although now known to have been constructed in the 14th Century, and repainted
in its present form for King Henry VIII, the table has for centuries been
venerated by generations of tourists as the mysterious table of the 'Once and
Future King' Arthur.
The names of the 24 knights are written around the edge
of the 5.5 metre diameter table, weighing 1200kg, surmounted by King Arthur on
his throne.S(ir) galahallt Sir Galahad
S(ir) launcelot deulake Sir Lancelot
S(ir) gauen Sir Gawaine
S(ir) p(er)cyvale Sir Percival
S(ir) Iyonell Sir Lionel
S(ir) trystram delyens Sir Tristan
S(ir) garethe Sir Gareth
S(ir) bedwere Sir Bedivere
S(ir) blubrys Sir Blioberis
S(ir) lacotemale tayle Sir La cotemal tail
S(ir) lucane Sir Lucan
S(ir) plomyd Sir Palamedes
S(ir) lamorak Sir Lamorak
S(ir) born de ganys Sir Bors
S(ir) safer Sir Saphar
S(ir) pelleus Sir Pellinore
S(ir) kay Sir Kay
S(ir) Ectorde marys Sir Ector
S(ir) dagonet Sir Dagonet
S(ir) degore Sir Degore
S(ir) brumear Sir Brunar
S(ir) lybyus dyscovy(us) Sir Guinglain
S(ir) Alynore Sir Alymore
S(ir) mordrede Sir Modred
Attempt 1: Round table, check. Faces, nope.
Attempt 2 & 3 looked like this. Faces, check. Round table, nope.
Attempt 4 - success!
Queen Victoria Sculpture
The sculpture was made by Alfred Gilbert and was presented by William Ingham
Whitaker, High Sheriff of Hampshire in 1887 to celebrate the golden jubilee
memorial.
Easter Sunday we went to service at the Cathedral. It was a very traditional service, I'd never been to anything like it before, but it was pretty neat to go to a service in such an old cathedral!
On the drive to Winchester Friday, we passed a village called Gilbert Street. Being my mother's daughter I had to stop and get a picture!!! James kindly obliged and took a detour on the way home Sunday afternoon so I could get this picture. Thanks James!!!
(dress look familiar?)
We also detoured a bit to get a glimpse of this steam train. James grew up in this area and (if memory serves) his parents took him on this train a couple times. Pretty cool!
Even the conductors had dressed the part!
It even has a Thomas the Tank Engine face - what kid wouldn't be in love?!
Monday I went into the city with James for a spot of shopping and lunch. A nice lazy bank holiday Monday to finish out the weekend.
James at Giraffe (the restaurant). Notice the giraffe figurine in his smoothie?
James took most of the pictures on this post, so I have to say a HUGE thank you! I was very lazy with my photo taking this past weekend!!
Quoted text from website: http://www.hants.gov.uk/greathall/index.html
1 comments:
Great pictures, thanks James!
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