11 Best Sights in Winchester, The South

Set in 1,000 acres of parkland designed by Capability Brown, this is the historic home of the actual earls of Carnarvon—as opposed to the imaginary earls of Grantham that are portrayed living within it in the television drama Downton Abbey. Victorian Gothic rather than actual Gothic, this huge country house was designed by Sir Charles Barry, architect of the similar Houses of Parliament. Commissioned by the third earl in 1838 to transform a simpler Georgian mansion, Barry used golden Bath stone to create this fantasy castle bristling with turrets. Like its fictional counterpart, it served as a hospital during World War I. Highlights of the State Rooms include van Dyck's equestrian portrait of Charles I in the Dining Room and the imposing library (Lord Grantham's retreat). There's also an exhibit of Egyptian antiquities collected by the fifth earl, known for his pivotal role in the 1920s excavation of ancient Egyptian tombs, notably Tutankhamun's. Find pleasant views of the house and countryside by walking the gardens and grounds.

You can only visit the estate through guided tours of the house, exhibition, and grounds. Morning and afternoon tours are offered on weekdays in July through early September; otherwise, tours (plus picnic or afternoon tea and entertainment) are available during intermittent themed weekends throughout the year. Be sure to book all tours in advance. Two lodges on the estate are available for two or three-night stays from February through December. The house is 25 miles north of Winchester and 5 miles south of Newbury. There's train service from London and Winchester to Newbury, and taxis can take you the 5 miles to Highclere.

A short walk west of the cathedral, this outstanding example of early English Gothic architecture, and one of Britain's finest surviving 13th-century halls, is all that remains of the city's original Norman castle built by William the Conqueror (later razed by Oliver Cromwell). It's also the site of numerous historically significant events: the English Parliament is thought to have had one of its first meetings here in 1246, Sir Walter Raleigh was tried for conspiracy against King James I in 1603, and Dame Alice Lisle was sentenced to death by the brutal Judge Jeffreys for sheltering fugitives after Monmouth's Rebellion in 1685. Hanging on the west wall is the hall's greatest artifact, a huge oak table, which, legend has it, was King Arthur's original Round Table. In fact, it was probably created around 1290 at the beginning of the reign of Edward I for a tournament. It is not clear when the green and white stripes that divide the table into 24 places, each with the name of a knight of the mythical Round Table, were added, but it is certain that the Tudor Rose in the center surmounted by a portrait of King Arthur was commissioned by Henry VIII. Take time to wander through the garden—a re-creation of a medieval shady retreat, named for two queens: Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor of Castile. Tours are available daily at 11 am and 3 pm.

The imposing Norman exterior of the city's greatest monument, begun in 1079 and consecrated in 1093, makes the Gothic lightness within even more breathtaking. It's one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, and throughout it you will find outstanding examples of every major architectural style from the 11th to 16th century: the transepts and crypt are 11th-century Romanesque; the great nave, the longest in Europe, is 14th- and 15th-century Perpendicular Gothic; and the presbytery (behind the choir, holding the high altar) is 14th-century Decorated Gothic. Other notable features include the richly carved 14th-century choir stalls, the ornate 15th-century stone screen behind the high altar, and the largest surviving spread of 13th-century floor tiles in England. Little of the original stained glass has survived, except in the large window over the entrance. When Cromwell's troops ransacked the cathedral in the 17th century, locals hid away bits of stained glass they found on the ground so that it could later be replaced. Free tours are run year-round, Monday through Saturday, from 10 am to 3 pm. The Library's Winchester Bible, one of the finest remaining 12th-century illuminated manuscripts, is on display in an exhibition space in the South Transept. The patron saint of the cathedral is St. Swithun (died AD 862), an Anglo-Saxon bishop who is also buried here. He had requested an outdoor burial plot, but his body was transferred to the newly restored church in 971, accompanied by, legend has it, 40 days of rain. Since then, folklore says that rain on St. Swithun's Day (July 15) means 40 more days of wet weather.

Among the other well-known people buried here are William the Conqueror's son, William II ("Rufus"), mysteriously murdered in the New Forest in 1100, and Jane Austen, whose grave lies in the north aisle of the nave. The tombstone makes no mention of Austen's literary status, though a brass plaque in the wall, dating from 80 years after her death, celebrates her achievements, and modern panels provide an overview of her life and work. You can also explore the tower—with far-reaching views in fair weather—and other recesses of the building on a tour (£10, available July through September on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday). Special services or ceremonies may mean the cathedral, the crypt, and the Treasury are closed to visits, so call ahead. Outside the cathedral, explore the Close, the area to the south of the cathedral with neat lawns, the Deanery, Dome Alley, and Cheyney Court.

Set over the River Itchen at the east end of the High Street, this rare surviving example of an 18th-century urban water mill, complete with small island garden, is probably the oldest working water mill in Britain, with timbers dating back to the 11th century. The medieval corn mill on the site was rebuilt in 1744 and remained in use until the early 20th century. Restored by the National Trust in 2004, it still operates as a working mill on weekends, and you can purchase stone-ground flour produced here in the gift shop.

This museum reflects Winchester's history, from the Iron Age to the present. One gallery covers the 1,000 years of the Anglo-Saxon and Medieval eras, which includes displays of potters and jewelry as well as coins from the former period and agricultural tools from the latter (45-minute guided tours of the gallery are offered at 10:30 am, noon, 1:45 pm, and 3:15 pm daily). Other collections feature two of Jane Austen's purses and a detailed scale model of the city in Victorian times. It's an imaginative, well-presented collection that appeals to children and adults alike. The hands-on activities include a history detective quiz and costumes for kids of every time period starting with the Romans. On the top floor are some well-restored Roman mosaics. Pick up an audio guide at the entrance (£2) to get the most out of the museum.

This unique museum tells the story of the British Army's Gurkha brigade, whose Nepalese soldiers have fought alongside the British since the early 19th century in virtually every deployment, through tableaux, dioramas, uniforms, weapons, artifacts, and interactive touch-screen displays. A program of lectures includes a Nepalese curry lunch (£35) on the last Friday of the month.

The prestige and popularity of English sparkling wines produced in the chalky soil near the country's south coast has been growing by leaps and bounds over recent years, to the point where they're taking on the better-known variety across the English Channel. Some of the most highly regarded come from this spot, the oldest commercial vineyard in the United Kingston, located 14 miles from Winchester. Informative tours and tastings from the selection of sparkling and still wines are offered from June to September, along with lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner in the pop-up restaurant on-site.

One of two surviving gateways in the city's original ancient walls, this structure to the south of the Close is thought to have been built in the 12th century as a remodeling of a Roman gate on the site. The tiny 13th-century church of St. Swithun-upon-Kingsgate, a rare surviving example of a "gateway church" (built into the walls of medieval cities), is on the upper floor. Nearby, 8 College Street is the house where Jane Austen died on July 18, 1817, three days after writing a comic poem about the legend of St. Swithun's Day (copies are usually available in the cathedral).

This 10-mile-long scenic railroad line named for the area's watercress beds is reserved for steam locomotives and takes in both the highest station in southern England and several locomotive restoration workshops. It starts at Alresford (8 miles northeast of Winchester by A31 and B3046), where you'll find some antiques shops and Georgian houses, and runs to Alton.

This atmospheric museum atop the last of the city's fortified medieval gateways was a debtor's prison for 150 years and now holds a motley assortment of items relating to Tudor and Stuart times. There's a stunning painted ceiling from 1554 (created to commemorate the wedding of Mary Tudor and Phillip II of Spain in the cathedral) as well as walls inscribed with 16th- through 18th-century graffiti by former prisoners. Child-size replicas of authentic 16th-century armor that can be tried on, as well as the opportunity to make brass rubbings, make it popular with kids. You can take in a panoramic view of Winchester from the roof.

This prestigious "public" (meaning private) school—Britain's oldest in continuous operation, with several buildings still in use after six centuries—was founded in 1382 by Bishop William of Wykeham, whose alabaster tomb sits in a chapel dedicated to him in Winchester Cathedral. The wooden ceiling of the school's own 14th-century chapel is notable for its delicate fan vaulting. The boys wearing monk-style cassocks are "scholars"—students holding academic scholarships.  The campus can only be visited by one-hour tours that take in the Museum, Treasury, Chamber Court, Chapel, College Hall, Cloisters, and the 17th Century School building; tours are available daily, but are sometimes canceled due to college events, so call ahead.