This article takes you on a journey through the city's remarkable past—tracing its evolution from royal stronghold to literary sanctuary.
The Roman Foundations: Venta Belgarum
Long before it became an Anglo-Saxon capital, Winchester was known as Venta Belgarum, a Roman town founded around AD 70. The city was a major administrative center and featured all the hallmarks of Roman urban life: baths, temples, paved roads, and a forum. The grid pattern of the streets, still partially visible today, reflects its Roman heritage. Remnants of Roman walls and mosaics can still be found beneath the modern city, a testament to its deep historical roots.
The Rise of Anglo-Saxon Power: King Alfred the Great
Winchester's true ascension came with the Anglo-Saxons, particularly under King Alfred the Great (r. 871–899), one of England’s most revered monarchs. Alfred made Winchester the capital of the Kingdom of Wessex, which later evolved into a united England. A military strategist, reformer, and scholar, Alfred fortified the city against Viking raids and established Winchester as a center of learning and religion.
He built a series of fortified towns called burhs, and Winchester was one of the most significant. Alfred's reforms included a reorganization of the legal system and support for education in English rather than Latin, laying the groundwork for English identity.
His legacy is commemorated today with a prominent statue in the city center, erected in 1899 to mark the 1,000th anniversary of his death shutdown123