These are part of the ruins of Wolvesey Castle which was once the palace of the Bishops of Winchester. There has been a bishop's residence here for over 1000 years. The extensive surviving ruins of the palace date largely from the 12th-century work of Bishop Henry of Blois. The palace was demolished in 1680 after it was destroyed by the roundheads in the English Civil War and was rebuilt, and demolished again in 1786. The original old chapel still remains which you can see just behind the ruins and to the rear of it the east wing which is where the current Bishop of Winchester lives.
Castles are cool!
ReplyDeleteI used to enjoy rambling around there while my son was playing overlong games of cricket in the grounds nearby.
ReplyDeleteThis place from the days when bishops were powerful men was attacked by Matilda, the only queen of England that no one has ever heard of, during The Anarchy. By chance I photographed the grave of a bishop of Bradford last week, very ordinary memorial, I was really getting a picture of the CWGC headstone of his son who died as a pilot in WW2 and oddly his headstone was lying on the grave of his parents.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is just the kind of place I'd love to walk around! I lived in Germany for five years and some of my favorite places to visit were castle ruins. Very nice photo.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great looking place and wonderful history of it's survival.
ReplyDeleteThere's some great history here
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