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Winchester Cathedral

Churches & cathedrals ·Winchester ·Open now
4.615.7K
#1Churches & cathedrals in Winchester#9Churches & cathedrals in the UKMost reviewed in Winchester
  • from GBP 13.90
  • Ideal for kids, dogs
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About

Winchester Cathedral is a medieval cathedral and working place of worship in central Winchester, Hampshire, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Winchester and the mother church of the diocese.

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Winchester Cathedral

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What's on here

Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt - Faith Talks — Faith… Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt - Faith Talks — Faith… Wednesday, 18:30 Uncial Hand Scribes Workshop Uncial Hand Scribes Workshop Saturday, 10:0014 GBP Conflict and the Cathedral Tour — Remembrancetide special Conflict and the Cathedral Tour — Remembrancetide special Saturday, 11:00 Chamber Choir Remembrance Concert Chamber Choir Remembrance Concert Saturday, 12:00 Remembrance Sunday Service 2026 Remembrance Sunday Service 2026 Sunday, 10:00 London Concertante: The Three Tenors London Concertante: The Three Tenors Friday, 19:30 Be A Chorister — Open day Be A Chorister — Open day Saturday, 13:00Free Christmas Market — at Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market — at Winchester Cathedral 20 Nov – 22 Dec Show more

Why go

  • Jane Austen’s grave in the north nave aisle
  • The Winchester Bible, produced in the cathedral’s scriptorium
  • Kings and Scribes, an exhibition spanning three floors and 1,000 years of history
  • The Great West Window, reassembled as a mosaic after its destruction
  • Antony Gormley’s Sound II, a 1986 sculpture in the Norman crypt, which often floods in winter

Opening hours

Today09:00 – 17:00Show all
Monday09:00 – 17:00
Tuesday09:00 – 17:00
Wednesday09:00 – 17:00
Thursday09:00 – 17:00
Friday09:00 – 17:00
Saturday09:00 – 17:00
Sunday12:30 – 15:00

Don't miss

  • 1330 stained-glass windowThe cathedral’s oldest stained glass dates to 1330.North transept
  • Choir stalls and misericordsSome are carved from oak and date to 1308.Choir
  • Blue-painted pseudo fan vaultA surviving blue-painted pseudo fan vault.Southeast chapel of the retroquire
  • Lady Chapel windowThe Lady Chapel has added eastern bays and a seven-light window.Lady Chapel

Know before you go

  • Open Monday to Saturday, 09:00–17:00; Sunday, 12:30–15:00.
  • Dogs may accompany visitors during general visitor opening hours if kept under control and on a lead.
  • The cathedral remains a working place of worship. Regular music rehearsals and monthly organ tuning take place here.
  • Guided cathedral tours are subject to availability.

Services and visiting hours

Selected Tuesdays
Lunchtime concerts by local musicians and pupils Throughout the year
Most days
Visitors’ chaplains are available for conversation and informal prayer

Interesting facts7

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  1. 558 feet

    At 558 feet overall, it is the world’s longest medieval cathedral.

    Winchester Cathedral - Wikipedia
  2. 1851

    The organ began with an instrument built by Henry “Father” Willis in 1851. It was extensively rebuilt in 1938 and has 78 stops, four manuals and pedals.

    Kathedrale von Winchester - Wikipedia
  3. 82 feet

    The nave, including its aisles, is 82 feet wide.

    Winchester Cathedral - Wikipedia
  4. 78 feet

    The vaulting rises 78 feet and the central tower reaches 150 feet.

    Winchester Cathedral - Wikipedia
  5. 200 roof

    Restoration uncovered surviving 16th-century paint beneath a 1950s layer on nearly 200 roof bosses.

    Winchester Cathedral - Wikipedia
  6. 25,000 bags

    Foundation repairs used more than 25,000 bags of concrete, 115,000 concrete blocks and 900,000 bricks.

    Winchester Cathedral - Wikipedia

  7. Flying buttresses were added along the south nave during stabilization work.

    Winchester Cathedral - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

  1. c. 648King Cenwalh built a small cross-shaped church just north of the present cathedral.
  2. 662The Old Minster became the cathedral of the Diocese of Winchester.
  3. 963–984Bishop Æthelwold enlarged the Old Minster; Bishop Alphège completed the work.
  4. 1079Bishop Walkelin began building the present Norman cathedral south of the Old and New Minsters.
  5. 1093The new cathedral was consecrated on 8 April; demolition of the Old and New Minsters began the following day.
Show all
  1. 1107The central tower collapsed; its piers were strengthened and the tower rebuilt in Norman style.
  2. 1202–c. 1220Bishop Godfrey de Luci began the retroquire, built during this period in Early English Gothic style.
  3. 1346–1420Bishop Edington began the Perpendicular Gothic west front; William of Wykeham and William Wynford remodelled the nave in the same style.
  4. 1450–1528Bishops rebuilt and expanded the choir and retroquire, adding chapels and a Lady Chapel.
  5. 1532The present cathedral building was complete.
  6. 1539The Priory of Saint Swithun was dissolved and surrendered to the king.
  7. 1554Mary I married Philip of Spain at the cathedral.
  8. 1906–1911William Walker worked on the foundations to prevent the cathedral from collapsing; a bust commemorates him.
  9. 2019The south transept reopened with the Kings and Scribes exhibition after five years of closure.

How to get there

  • 12 minOn footWinchester Train Station is a 12-minute walk from 9 The Close, Winchester, Hampshire, England.
  • BusCity bus stops leave the cathedral a short walk away. Three Park & Ride car parks near the M3 connect to central Winchester by frequent buses.
  • ParkingThere is no parking in the Cathedral Close or its immediate surroundings. City-centre parking is limited.

Accessibility

  • Lift to south transept triforium exhibition A glass lift provides access to the exhibition.

Sources: Winchester Cathedral - Wikipedia · Winchester (England) - Wikivoyage (see) · Winchester Cathedral | Welcome · Winchester Cathedral | Book your visit · Winchester Cathedral | Plan your Visit · Kathedrale von Winchester - Wikipedia · Cathédrale de Winchester - Wikipedia · checked 6 Oct 2026

Where
9 The Close, Winchester

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

Are guided tours available at Winchester Cathedral?

Guided tours are led by guides and are subject to availability.

Can I attend worship at Winchester Cathedral?

Visitors can attend worship and explore the cathedral’s history.

Are concerts held at Winchester Cathedral?

Lunchtime concerts by local musicians and pupils take place on selected Tuesdays throughout the year.

Can I speak with a chaplain at Winchester Cathedral?

Visitors’ chaplains are available on most days for conversation and informal prayer.

What is there for children at Winchester Cathedral?

Year-round and seasonal family trails offer interactive, self-led activities.

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