Winchester Castle
Winchester Castle, Winchestercounty:
Hampshire
Period - 19th century, early
Winchester ... On a fine eminence overlooking the city, stood the castle, which was taken from Charles I, and afterward demolished, except the magnificent hall, in which the assizes are now held.
- Winchester parish: - Hampshire
At the South-Side of the West Gate [of Winchester] stood a Castle, anciently, upon a high Hill, that it might command the City, but it is now almost quite ruined, there being hardly so much left of it as to make a convenient Court for the Judges at their Assizes, which are usually kept here. In the Place where the Greatest Part of it stood, King Charles II. began to erect the Palace before mentioned, and laid the Foundation, March 23, 1683, but it never being finished, we having nothing worth our Observation but the Model, viz. There was intended a large Cupolo, thirty Foot above the Roof, which would have been seen a great Way to Sea, and a fair Street leading to the Cathedral in a direct Line from the Front of the House; for which, and for Parks, the Ground was procured. The South-Side is 216 Foot, and West-Side 326. 'Tis said, that there have been 25000 Pounds expended upon it already.
It was settled in the late Reign upon his Royal Highness the Prince of Denmark, together with Kensington House, and 100000 l. a Year for Life if he had out-lived her late Majesty Queen Anne.
Period - 18th century, early
Where this castle [Winchester Castle] stood, or what ever else it was, for some say there was no castle there, the late King Charles II. mark'd out, a very noble design; which had he liv'd, would certainly have made that part of the country, the New-Market of the ages to come; for the country hereabout far excels that of New-Market Heath, for all kinds of sport and diversion, fit for a prince, no body can dispute; and as the design included a noble palace, sufficient like Windsor, for a summer residence of the whole Court, it would certainly have diverted the king from his cursory journeys to New-Market.
The plan of this house has receiv'd several alterations; and as it is never like to be finish'd, 'tis worth recording the variety: The building is begun, and the front next the city carry'd up to the roof, and cover'd; but the remainder is not begun: There was a street of houses design'd from the gate of the palace down to the town, but it was never begun to be built; the park mark'd out was exceeding large, near ten miles in circumference, and ended west upon the open downs, in view of the town of Stockbridge.
This house was afterwards settled with a royal revenue also, as an appenage, establish'd by Parliament upon Prince George of Denmark for his life, in case he had out-liv'd the queen: but his royal highness dying before her majesty, all hope of seeing this design perfected, or the house finish'd, is now vanish'd.
Period - 18th century, early
At the west gate of this city [Winchester] was anciently a castle, known to be so by the ruins, more than by any extraordinary notice taken of it in history: What they say of it, that the Saxon kings kept their Court here, is doubtful, and must be meant of the West Saxons only; and as to the tale of King Arthur's round table, which, they pretend, was kept here for him, and his two dozen of knights; which table hangs up still, as a piece of antiquity, to the tune of 1200 years, and has, as they pretend, the names of the said knights in Saxon characters, and yet such as no man can read: All this story I see so little ground to give the least credit to, that I look upon it, and 't shall please you, to be no better than a FIBB.
The place is described in text Keer 1620
- Hantshire
... other Bulwarks, or Blockhouses that secure the Countrey: and further in the Land, as ... Winchester, ...
The Castelle joynith hard to the south side of the west gate.
Minns says:- Winchester Castle, originally built by William the Conqueror, continued one of the residences of the Kings of England until the reign of Henry III., who built the Great Hall, a remarkably fine specimen of domestic architecture of the time, formerly used as Law Courts, restored and decorated in 1874.
