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Winchester Tourist Guides, c/o Wi******er Tourist Information Centre, The Guidhall, High Street, Winchester (2024)

30/08/2024

800+ Years of Wi******er Mayors - Saturday, 31st August at 2.30pm.

A walk in aid of the Mayor of Wi******er's Charities and led by a Wi******er Tourist Guide. The walk features intriguing stories, from the possibly imaginary first Mayor to a banquet that tragically impacted the Cathedral Dean and local oyster industry and the fascinating tale of how King Alfred's statue came about thanks to a Mayor named Alfred.

The tour concludes at the Mayor's official residence, Abbey House, an historical site not typically open to the public. Here participants will enjoy tea and the chance to meet the current, 825th Mayor, Councillor Russell Gordon-Smith.

This year's charities being supported by the Mayor of Wi******er are Hampshire History Trust, St John's Wi******er, Sea Cadets Wi******er and Wi******er Radio.

Tickets are £15 each (plus booking fee) and available online via Ticket Source www.ticketsource.co.uk/mayor-of-winchester-charities (link in bio).

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25/08/2024

Our regular tours of Wi******er are now at 11am and 2pm, come rain or shine!

The morning tour takes you past the Cathedral, onto the High Street, past the Westgate and introduces you to the Great Hall. It then finishes on the site of Wi******er Castle.

In the afternoon take a leisurely stroll along the River Itchen, explore the ruins of Wolvesey Castle and learn about Wi******er College and Jane Austen. The tour finishes near the Cathedral.

Each tour lasts approximately 90 minutes and is led by a professional Green Badge or Blue Badge Guide. Tickets are £11 for adults and accompanied children under 16 go free. Book online in advance at www.winchestertouristguides.com or on the day at Wi******er Visitor Information Centre.

We look forward to showing you our wonderful city.

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22/08/2024

Book a guided tour of Wi******er led by a professional guide who has qualified as either a Green Badge or Blue Badge Guide.

Wi******er Tourist Guides are trained to a high standard by the Institute of Tourist Guiding. Green Badge Guides have specialised in the Wi******er district, Blue Badge Guides have gone a step further and studied South Central England which includes the counties of Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight.

Our regular tours run all year round come rain ☔ or shine ☀, though we don't run quite so many outside of the summer season. We run themed tours throughout the year too - there are still tours on Hidden Waterways, Children's Wi******er and St Giles' Hill to look forward to this year. Also, tours for adults at Halloween 👻 and a special treat in December with Christmas at Abbey House🎄. See our tour calendar on our website www.winchestertouristguides.com for all the dates and details.

Did you know you can book a guide for a private tour for your group? Tours can be at a time and date to suit you and can be from 90 minutes to a full day. We can include tours inside Wi******er Cathedral and the Great Hall (admission charges extra) and can either do a general tour of Wi******er or you can pick one of this year's themed tours. Contact Wi******er Visitor Information Centre or see our website for more information. Bookings for 2025 now being taken.

The quote in the image was one of our 5⭐ reviews on Tripadvisor. We look forward to welcoming you to Wi******er and giving you a day you will cherish.

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15/08/2024

800+ Years of Wi******er Mayors - a walk in aid of the Mayor of Wi******er's Charities.

Step back in time with the Mayor's Walks in Wi******er, a series of guided tours presented by the Wi******er Area Tourist Guides Association. Celebrating the city’s mayoralty, recognised as the oldest in England after London, these walks delve into the contributions of Wi******er’s mayors over the last eight centuries. Starting at 2.30pm from the Guildhall steps, each walk offers intriguing stories, from the possibly imaginary first Mayor to a banquet that tragically impacted the Cathedral Dean and local oyster industry, and the fascinating tale of how King Alfred’s statue came about thanks to a Mayor named Alfred.

Led by a qualified Wi******er tourist guide, the walks provide a unique perspective on the city’s rich history, including how past mayors managed royal visits, invading armies, and significant public works such as schools and clean water systems. Learn about their diverse roles and surprising efforts, including an attempt to improve the local accent.

The tour concludes at the Mayor’s official residence, Abbey House, a historical site not typically open to the public. Here, participants will enjoy tea and the chance to meet the current, 825th Mayor, Councillor Russell Gordon-Smith.

Don’t miss this extraordinary chance to explore Wi******er’s history through the lens of its mayors and enjoy a memorable afternoon in one of England’s most historic cities. Guests are welcome to stay at Abbey House until 4.30pm.

Please note that the tea and opportunity to meet the Mayor is in the main reception room which is upstairs at Abbey House and there is no lift.

Dates in 2024: 31st August, 23rd September & 4th October.
Dates in 2025: 8th March, 22nd March & 4th April.

Tickets are £15 each (plus booking fee) and available online via Ticket Source www.ticketsource.co.uk/mayor-of-winchester-charities

Wi******er City Council Visit Wi******er

12/08/2024

Children's Wi******er History Tour - this Thursday 15th August at 2.30pm.

Dave is leading this 60 minute tour for children aged 7 and over and their grown-ups. He will be revealing some of the strange, funny, horrible and amazing history of Wi******er from the last 2000 years!

Tickets are £8 for adults, £3 for children and available online until the end of Wednesday at www.winchestertouristguides.com or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre if the walk is not sold out.

Wi******er Visit Hampshire

10/08/2024

There is now one last opportunity this year to go on the Chesil Railway Tour! Book now for the extra tour in our programme on Saturday 12th October at 10.30am.

This is a guided walk exploring the route of Wi******er’s ‘other’ railway, the old Didcot, Newbury and Southampton line operated by Great Western Railway. Chesil station was opened in 1885 and closed in the 1960s due to lack of demand. The tour explores the old station site, the route of the line, some of its remaining buildings, and ends by going inside the disused Chesil Railway tunnel, one of the city’s hidden treasures.

Your guide for this tour is Graham who has been a Wi******er Green Badge Guide since 2016. The tour lasts 90 minutes and please note that there are steep slopes and steps to negotiate around St Giles' Hill.

Tickets are £11 adults, £5 children and are available online via www.winchestertouristguides.com This tour is very popular and is likely to sell out before the day, so please book early.

With thanks to Hampshire Cultural Trust for the use of the b&w photograph from the Wi******er City council collection.

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08/08/2024

Hidden Waterways of Wi******er Tour this Saturday 10th August at 2.30pm.

Join Blue Badge Guide Sally for a tour of the city's hidden waterways. As well as the River Itchen you can see water in other places such as in front of Abbey House, along Friarsgate and in River Park.

Tickets are £11 adults, £5 children (under 16) and available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com until the day before, or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre if the walk is not sold out.

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07/08/2024

Children's Wi******er History Tour - Thursday 15th August at 2.30pm.

The perfect family tour of Wi******er during the school holiday. This 60 minute tour is for children aged 7 and over and their grown-ups. It will feature some of the strange, funny, horrible and amazing history of Wi******er from the last 2000 years. Ever wondered why Wi******er is here? How it got its name? Who lived here before? Which is the city’s oldest building? Where the old ex*****on sites were and where the local ghosts haunt? Take a short stroll through central Wi******er where the city’s ancient, medieval and modern history is all still hiding in plain sight.

Dave is the guide for this tour. His favourite story is of William Walker, a diver who had to submerge himself in the liquid mud of an old graveyard and lay thousands of bags of concrete to save the foundations of Wi******er Cathedral. Can you believe, he had to do this every day for six years before the job was done?!

Tickets are £8 for adults, £3 for children (under 16) and available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com (link in bio) until the day before, or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre if the walk is not sold out.

Visit Wi******er Hampshire

05/08/2024

George Shepherd's Regency Wi******er Tour this week - Wednesday 7th August, at 6.30pm.

Enjoy an evening stroll through the streets of Wi******er with illustrations of the city in the Regency period by watercolour artist George Shepherd. View 12 familiar scenes of the city captured about 200 years ago and see how the city has changed. Also discover the history behind the buildings painted by George Shepherd.

Patrick is an experienced Green Badge Wi******er Guide and local historian.

Tickets are £11 for adults, £5 for children (under 16) and available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com until the end of 6th August. They can be bought on the day from the Visitor Information Centre until 5pm when it closes. After that, if not sold out, tickets may be bought with the exact cash directly from the guide before departure. Please note, change cannot be given nor cards accepted by the guide.

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03/08/2024

Hidden Waterways Tour on Saturday 10th August at 2.30pm.

Discover the hidden streams, some dating from Saxon times, which still run through central Wi******er. From the Brooks of Upper, Middle and Lower Brook Streets to millstreams and monastic drainage. Trace them as they still pass through the city, sometimes visible above ground and sometimes hidden under pavements or roads. Listen out for running water under a grating or two!

Sally is leading this tour and she has been a Blue Badge Guide for the central south region for 13 years. She enjoys showing people where the brooks are hidden away where no one realises.

Tickets are £11 for adults, £5 for children (under 16) and available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com until the day before, or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre if the walk is not sold out.

Visit Wi******er Visit Hampshire

30/07/2024

George Shepherd's Regency Wi******er Tour on Wednesday 7th August at 6.30pm.

Enjoy an evening stroll through the streets of Wi******er with illustrations of the city in the Regency period through the medium of a series of detailed watercolours painted by George Shepherd in the 1820s. The tour will explore twelve familiar views of Wi******er captured by Shepherd some two hundred years ago, long before the age of photography, and provides a unique record of how the city looked at that time. It's not just about discovering what has and hasn’t changed since then but also an opportunity to discover the history behind the buildings painted by George Shepherd.

Patrick was inspired to develop this tour when he first saw the folio of remarkable watercolours in the Wi******er College collection. He is passionate about early photographs of Wi******er and Shepherd's watercolours instil the same passion about knowing what Wi******er looked like in the past. Patrick has been a Green Badge Wi******er Guide since 2016.

The George Shepherd watercolours used to illustrate this tour are from the Wi******er College Collection with the kind permission of The Warden and Scholars of Wi******er College.

Tickets are £11 for adults, £5 for children (under 16) and available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre until 5pm when it closes. After that, if not sold out, tickets may be bought with the exact cash directly from the guide before departure. Please note, change cannot be given nor cards accepted by the guide.

Wi******er Visit Hampshire

28/07/2024

This is another of the lovely 5⭐ Tripadvisor reviews that Wi******er Tourist Guides have received.

Join a tour at either 11am or 2pm daily throughout the summer. Or you could do both as they take different routes. Both tours start at the Visitor Information Centre on the Broadway where tickets can be bought in person on the day of the tour. You can book in advance online at www.winchestertouristguides.com Our tours are not dependent on having any advance bookings - turn up at the VIC before we set off, come rain ☔️or shine ☀️ We are a team of qualified Green and Blue Badge Guides.

11am - see the Cathedral, visit the High Street and learn about the Westgate and Great Hall. Finish at the site of Wi******er's former castle.

2pm - stroll along the River Itchen, visit Wolvesey Castle, see Wi******er College and the house where Jane Austen died. Finish near the Cathedral.

For more information on all our tours, and how to book a guide for a private tour to suit your schedule or interests, visit our website www.winchestertouristguides.com or chat the the wonderful VIC team on 01962 840500. Alternatively e-mail [email protected]

We look forward to showing you our beautiful city.

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25/07/2024

This Saturday, 27th July - Crime & Punishment Tour at 2.30pm.

Go on a whistle stop tour through a thousand years of the history of crime, law and punishment visiting several significant sites around the city. See the site of the stocks, previous prisons and lock-ups and hear about trials, tribulations, treason and transportations.

Tickets are £11 for adults, £5 for children (under 16) and available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre if the walk is not sold out.

Visit Wi******er

20/07/2024

Crime and Punishment Tour on Saturday 27th July at 2.30pm.

A whistle stop tour through a thousand years of the history of crime, law and punishment visiting several significant sites around the city. See the site of the stocks, previous prisons and lock-ups and hear about trials, tribulations, treason and transportations.

Judith is guiding this tour. She has been a Wi******er Green Badge Guide for eight years and is also a qualified genealogist. She was inspired to research this tour when studying the historical records generated by the legal system over the centuries, such as the Quarter Sessions records at Hampshire Record Office and the Assizes records at The National Archives. These courts sat at the Great Hall since the time of Henry III. Judith is also keen to seek out the clues in the city's buildings that reveal their past uses.

Tickets are £11 for adults, £5 for children (under 16) and available online www.winchestertouristguides.com or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre if the walk is not sold out.

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15/07/2024

St Swithun's Day - 15th July.

When Bishop Swithun died in 862 he requested a humble, outdoor grave near the entrance to his cathedral, the Saxon Old Minster, where his grave would be cleansed by rain running off the Old Minster’s roof. A 100 years later his successor, Bishop Aethelwold, chose Swithun to be made Wi******er’s saint. Swithun was known for his bridge building and one miracle during his lifetime. It took place on his bridge: a woman on her way to market with a basket of eggs was jostled on the bridge and the eggs broke. Bishop Swithun gathered them up and they were made whole again. This is why we have a pub in Wi******er called The Bishop on the Bridge, it is named after Swithun and situated near the site of his first stone bridge over the River Itchen.

Further miracles occurred at Bishop Swithun’s graveside. Bishop Aethelwold ordered that Swithun's bones to be moved into a reliquary and housed inside Old Minster. But on the day this happened it is said there was a terrible storm which was the new saint’s way of protesting about being moved from his humble grave. This day was 15th July 971. Since then, according to folklore, whatever the weather is like on St Swithun’s Day it will continue for the next 40 days.

There is no scientific evidence to support the 40 days of rain or sunshine but there is some basis to the weather pattern in the middle of July remaining until late August. The jet stream tends to settle to either north of the British Isles and brings settled weather or is further south and brings Atlantic weather systems.

As Wi******er Tourist Guides lead two tours a day during this time you can experience our beautiful city come rain or shine! Just remember to bring a sun hat or a brolly! For information on all our tours - daily ones or themed ones - visit our website www.winchestertouristguides.com where you can also book in advance. All tours start at the Visitor Information Centre, Broadway and are led by qualified Blue and Green Badge Guides.

* The photo shows St Swithun on the West Front of Wi******er Cathedral *

11/07/2024

Two themed tours this weekend! Jane Austen's Wi******er on Saturday and Medieval Jewish Wi******er on Sunday.

Jane Austen's Wi******er is at 2.30pm on Saturday 13th July. Learn about the various conncections Jane had to Wi******er and discover landmarks of her life, places she visited and find out about the people she met. Join Geraldine for this tour who is a long standing Wi******er Green Badge Guide and big Jane Austen fan.

The Medieval Jewish Wi******er tour is at 1.30pm on Sunday 14th July. The story of the Jewish community of Wi******er who lived here up to 730 years ago has only recently been uncovered. Learn about Licoricia and her son Asher whose statue is outside The Arc in Jewry Street. Erica is leading this tour. She has been a Wi******er Green Badge Guide for 8 years and is now a Blue Badge Guide for the South Central region too.

Both tours are £11 for adults, £5 for children (under 16) and tickets are available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre if the walks are not sold out.

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09/07/2024

Two themed tours this weekend! Jane Austen's Wi******er on Saturday and Medieval Jewish Wi******er on Sunday.

Jane Austen's Wi******er is at 2.30pm on Saturday 13th July. Learn about the various connections Jane had to Wi******er and discover landmarks of her life, places she visited and find out about the people she met. Join Geraldine for this tour who is a longstanding Wi******er Green Badge Guide and big Jane Austen fan.

The Medieval Jewish Wi******er tour is at 1.30pm on Sunday 14th July. The story of the Jewish community of Wi******er who lived here up to 730 years ago has only recently been uncovered. Learn about Licoricia and her son Asher whose statue is outside The Arc in Jewry Street. Erica is leading this tour. She has been a Wi******er Green Badge Guide for 8 years and is now a Blue Badge Guide for the South Central region too.

Both tours are £11 for adults, £5 for children (under 16) and available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre if the walks are not sold out.

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05/07/2024

Happy 50th Birthday Wi******er Hat Fair!

The UK’s longest running festival of outdoor arts is back in Wi******er city centre from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th July. Hat Fair began in 1974 and to celebrate this landmark birthday there will be yet more street theatre, circus, music and dance with national and international acts showcasing the very best in outdoor performance. For details of this year's programme see www.hatfair.co.uk

But Wi******er can enjoy a little taste of the Hat Fair all year round with the joyous painted bollards to be found in the city. There are more than 20 close to the City Museum in The Square, which is a popular performance space for the Hat Fair. The bollards were painted by Jenny Muncaster and Rachael Alexander, artists from The Colour Factory, and take inspiration from different famous artists. The ones pictured are Sonia Delaunay, Raoul Dufy and Gustav Klimt. The Art of Bollards is an ongoing project that began in 2005.

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03/07/2024

Wi******er’s crystal clear waterways, both river and brooks, have always been a boon to the city.

The River Itchen, a naturally pure and filtered chalk stream, was improved by the Romans who moved the river channel east, by King Alfred in the 800s who diverted off Lower, Middle and Upper Brooks plus others, to flow through the city and by various churchmen. Bishop Aethelwold created a stone conduit to bring water to the Priory of St. Swithun complex in the 900s AD. And it certainly now enhances a visit to Wi******er to hear and see the beautiful chalk stream water running through the city. We show people on our tours all the time.

But when there are inadequate systems to take away waste from the city, the waterways also become the sewage system and not so crystal clear. Wi******er has struggled with this through its history. Thankfully sewers were finally installed in 1875.

One of our tour guides has written about ‘illegal’ sewage in the streams and rivers of Wi******er throughout history in this week’s Hampshire Chronicle out on Thursday 4th July.

To hear more about Wi******er’s Hidden Waterways, how they’ve been created, polluted and protected, you can join one of our scheduled themed tours – this year on 10th August and 21st September. Tickets are £11 for adults, £5 for children (under16) and available online at www.winchestertouristguies.com (link in bio) or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre if the walks are not sold out.

01/07/2024

Medieval Jewish Wi******er Tour on Sunday 14th July at 1.30pm.

This tour is the story of Wi******er's Jewish community in the 1100s and 1200s. It was one of most important Jewish communities in England before Jewish people were expelled by King Edward I in 1290. It explores their lives, their difficulties, highlighted events we know about and some of the most prominent families including Licoricia, who is now commemorated with a statue on Jewry Street.

Erica is leading this tour. She has been a Wi******er Green Badge Guide for 8 years and qualified in 2023 as a Blue Badge Guide for the South Central region. Her favourite part of the tour is by the Great Hall. which was built by King Henry III who worked with the Jewish community, knew Licoricia well and frequently came to WI******er. It is also the place Licoricia was active - being at the royal court, negotiating, representing her community and litigating. The Hall is close to the Jews Tower in the Castle, so it represents the fine line Jewish people had to tread in the 1200s - protected by the king, lending money to the king but also subject to persecution, high tax demands and imprisonment.

Erica says, "One thing about this tour is that there are not many buildings left to see - Licoricia's house and the Synagogue are all long gone. Although we still have the Cathedral, Westgate and Great Hall from this time and indeed Jewry Street. But for other places you have to use your imagination."

Tickets are £11 for adults, £5 for children (under 16) and available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre if the walk is not sold out.

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