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Winchester Tourist Guides, c/o Wi******er Tourist Information Centre, The Guidhall, High Street, Winchester (2025)

01/01/2025

Happy New Year!

The Wi******er Guides are looking forward to a special year of tours. As well as a selection of tours on a variety of themes we will be taking part in two national anniversaries this year: Jane Austen 250 and Railway200.

Jane Austen was born in Hampshire on 16th December 1775 and throughout 2025 there will be special events by Wi******er Cathedral, Wi******er College and Jane Austen's House Museum to mark this 250th anniversary. Look out for the Guides' special themed tours about Jane and all things Georgian.

On 27th September 1825 the first steam powered railway opened - the Stockton and Darlington Railway. It was the birth of the modern railway and 2025 will have lots of events across the country to mark this 200th anniversary. Look out for our programme of Chesil Railway tours which celebrate part of Wi******er's railway history.

Full dates and details will be available by the end of February - look out for future posts and details on our website www.winchestertouristguides.com where you can also book tickets.

Have a wonderful 2025 - see you on a tour!

Wi******er Cathedral Wi******er City Council Visit Wi******er Jane Austen's House Wi******er BID

07/12/2024

For everyone’s safety we have cancelled our tours today. Wi******er is a beautiful city so we hope you will still visit and enjoy a tour when the weather is showing it at its best. We have yet to decide whether our Sunday tours will take place - this post will be updated if we decide to cancel. Stay safe.

23/11/2024

During the Christmas Market our regular tours of Wi******er are now 11am and 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays, and 2pm Monday-Friday.🎄

Our weekday afternoon tour is called "City Highlights" and the guide will choose which route to take.

On Saturday and Sunday mornings the 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.

On Saturday and Sunday afternoons 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 Christmas Market next to 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 chilren under 16 go free. Book online in advance at www.winchester tourist guides.com or buy them on the day at Wi******er Visitor Information Centre where the tours start from.

We look forward to showing you our wonderful city during the festive season.🎄

******er BID ******er Cathedral Christmas Market Visit Wi******er Visit Hampshire

23/11/2024

Christmas at Abbey House tour - Wednesday 4th December at 2.30pm.🎄

This tour will give you access to an important public building not normally open to members of the p***c. You will hear a brief history of the house and its evolution from about 1700 up to its acquisition by Wi******er City Council in 1890. There will be a tour of the principle rooms within the house focusing on their use and particularly on the many and varied contents, all of which form part of the City's collection - many of which have particular links with the house itself. After the tour there will be an opportunity to meet the Mayor, see the Mayor's regalia and ask questions about the role. And as it's Christmas mulled wine and mince pies will be provided!🎄

Please be aware that this tour is not suitable for people with limited mobility or wheelchair users due to the sets of stairs and limited space in the house at certain points. There is a minimum age of 12 and the ticket price includes a donation to the Mayor's chosen charities.

Tickets are £16 and are available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com until the day before, or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre. This tour starts at the Visitor Information Centre.

Wi******er BID Visit Wi******er Visit Hampshire Wi******er City Council

01/11/2024

Our regular tours of Wi******er are now afternoons only Monday to Friday but we still have the two tours on a Saturday. The morning tour leaves at 11am and the afternoon tours leave at 2pm.

Our weekday afternoon tour is called "City Highlights" and the guide will choose which route to take.

On Saturday 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 buy them on the day at Wi******er Visitor Information Centre where the tours start from.

We look forward to showing you our wonderful city in the autumn, the "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" as John Keats described it in his ode "To Autumn" written during his stay in Wi******er in 1819.

Wi******er BID Wi******er Visit Hampshire

29/10/2024

Halloween Walk on Thursday 31st October at 7pm. 👻

Our 7.30pm walk is sold out, so don't miss out on the 7pm walk - there are a few tickets left!

Take a night-time meander around the alleyways of old Wi******er to hear age-old supernatural tales from Wi******er's rich history.

For adults only - come dressed for the part if you like! 👻

Tickets are £11 (over age 16 only) and available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com until the day before, or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre until 5pm if not sold out. Walks last 90 minutes approximately.

Wi******er BID Visit Wi******er Visit Hampshire The Eclipse Inn

27/10/2024

Children's Wi******er History tour - Tuesday 29th October at 10.30am.

There are currently some problems with our Eventbrite ticket sales, but rest assured this tour is taking place on Tuesday morning and spaces are available! You can purchase tickets in person on the day from 10am on Tuesday until the tour departs at 10.30am. For any queries please call the Wi******er Visitor Information Centre on 01962 840500 from 10am on Monday.

Do your children love a bit of horrible history? We’ll be exploring the horrid, disgusting, yucky parts of Wi******er’s history on a walk around the city for children and their grown-ups. Find clues, turn history detective and work out whether you would have liked to live in the miserable middle ages! This tour is the perfect family tour of Wi******er during the school holiday. It is a 60 minute walk for children aged 7 and over and their grown-ups. Meet the gargoyle featured in the photo!

Erica is the guide for this tour.

Tickets are £8 for adults, £3 for children (under 16) and are available online (once the gremlins are sorted out!) at www.winchestertouristguides.com until the day before, or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre.

******er BID Wi******er Visit Hampshire

26/10/2024

Today is the 1125th anniversary of the death of King Alfred the Great. We don't know exactly when he was born - it was around 849 - but we do know he died on 26th October 899.

As a boy he travelled to Rome and was blessed by the Pope. He loved books but also fought alongside his brothers against the Danes. He became king in 871 and a few years later while Alfred and his men were still celebrating the twelfth night of Christmas in Chippenham they were attacked by the Danes. Alfred and his men managed to get away to Somerset. While minding some cakes being baked in the house he was staying in he was so busy planning his counter-attack that the cakes were burnt. Alfred and his men defeated the Danes in May 878 at the Battle of Edington, near Westbury in Wiltshire, and as a result the Viking leader, Guthrum, agreed to be baptised as a Christian. Alfred was his godfather. A border was established across England which is roughly the line of the A5 road between London and Chester. To the north & east was to be the Danelaw, to the south the Saxons.

Now that Alfred had peace in his kingdom he established fortified towns about 20 miles apart to defend that peace. Wi******er is one and is the one he used as his capital. He laid out the street patten that still exists today in the city centre and built churches, standardized the coinage, established a scriptorium for writing manuscripts – some of which survive as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. It is this mix of leadership, learning and Christianity which earned him the title “the Great”.

In 1899 when it was a thousand years since his death his statue was commissioned. It is by Hamo Thornycroft and is made of bronze on a granite base. Alfred is holding up his sword like a cross to emphasise his Christianity.

King Alfred's story features in all of our regular tours. See www.winchestertouristguides.com for more information and to book.

18/10/2024

Halloween tours on Thursday 31st October at 7pm and 7.30pm. 👻

Take a night-time meander around the alleyways of old Wi******er to hear age-old supernatural tales from Wi******er's rich history.

For adults only - come dressed for the part if you like! There are two start times to choose from and Sue, Pauline, Erica and Di are your ghoulish guides this evening 👻

Tickets are £11 (over age 16 only) and available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com until the day before, or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre until 5pm if not sold out. These tours are popular so you are advised to book early! Tours last 90 minutes approximately.

16/10/2024

Children's Wi******er History tour - Tuesday 29th October at 10.30am.

The perfect family tour of Wi******er during the school holiday. This 60 minute walk is for children aged 7 and over and their grown-ups. It will highlight the weirdest, worst and most wonderful stories of Wi******er including myths, legends, kings, queens, ordinary folk and a few ghosts for Halloween!

Erica is the guide for this tour.

Tickets are £8 for adults, £3 for children (under 16) and are 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

26/09/2024

Halloween Tours on Thursday 31st October booking now!

A night-time meander around the alleyways of old Wi******er to hear age-old supernatural tales from the city's rich history and lore. For adults only (there is a children's tour with a Halloween flavour on Tuesday 29th October).

Tickets are £11 (over age 16 only) and available online at www.winchestertouristguides.com until the day before, or in person on the day at the Visitor Information Centre until 5pm if the walk is not sold out. Tour times are 7pm, 7.30pm and 8pm. Tours last 90 minutes approximately.

Visit Wi******er Wi******er BID Visit Hampshire

23/09/2024

St Giles' Hill Tour on Saturday 5th October at 2.30pm.

St Giles' Hill is located in a commanding position overlooking the historic city of Wi******er nestling in the valley of the River Itchen below. The tour charts the fascinating and intriguing history of St Giles' Hill including the Bronze Age settlement dated to 1500BC, Saxon burials, the site of one the most important medieval annual fairs in Europe run by the powerful Bishops of Wi******er and the development of Wi******er's prestigious eastern suburb and pleasure park in the late 19th century. Please note that there are steep slopes and steps to negotiate around St Giles' Hill but the view over the city is worth the effort.

This tour is led by Patrick who has a strong interest in the development of St Giles' Hill and the involvement of Lord Northbrook.

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 Wi******er BID

07/09/2024

Hidden Waterways of Wi******er Tour on Saturday 21st September 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!

Sue is leading this tour and she has been a Blue Badge Guide for the south central region for 8 years.

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 Wi******er BID Visit Hampshire

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).

Wi******er BID Wi******er City Council Visit Hampshire Visit Wi******er Wi******er Heritage Open Days

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.

Wi******er BID Wi******er Hampshire Cultural Trust Visit Hampshire

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.

Wi******er BID Visit Wi******er Visit Hampshire

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

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