Lavender

Some pretty lavender at the gardens of Peninsula Square

Peninsula Cafe

Not a great photo, but just thought I'd snap this as I was leaving Peninsula Square as I'd had a comment about the cafe here. It opened (or perhaps re-opened) in April 2010, but there was some controversy initially over the name. The new owner decided to call the cafe The Falling Plates Cafe, but apparently this offended some of the military still based at Peninsula Barracks as 'Falling Plates' is a derogatory nickname for heavy casualties suffered in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. After a Facebook campaign and local press coverage the owner changed the name to Peninsula Cafe in September 2010 and everyone was happy.

Gardens at Peninsula Square

Another view of Peninsula Square, it has some lovely communal gardens, I bet the service charge for their upkeep is quite a bit though!

I guess there's enough green in this photo for it to glass as a 'green' theme day photo!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Skinner's Horse

At the Armed Forces fun day at Peninsula Barracks last Sunday there were a number of military re-enactment societies including Skinner's Horse. This was a unit of the British Indian Army founded by Colonel James Skinner in 1803. After Indian independence the regiment became part of the Indian Army.

Royal Logistics Corps Band

Yesterday there was an Armed Forces day at Peninsula Barracks. It was a beautifully hot and sunny day although I did feel sorry for the Royal Logistics Corps Band who were playing in this heat!

Pillars

Peninsula Square in Winchester used to be an army barracks although it was originally destined to be a palace for King Charles II. It is now private housing. I think it would be a beautiful place to live, but rather expensive.

Baron Seaton

At the entrance to Peninsula Square is this statue of Baron Seaton. I hadn't heard of him before, but a quick google lead me to discover what an amazing life he must have had...

He was born in Hampshire, and educated at Winchester College. He joined the military and served in Egypt (1801) and Sicily (1806), participated (1808–14) in the Peninsular War, and helped to defeat Napoleon at Waterloo. He was appointed lieutenant governor of Guernsey (1825) and lieutenant governor of Upper Canada (1828). In 1835 he was made commander in chief of Canadian forces, governor in chief of British North America in 1839, the year he was made a baron. After he left Canada he served as lord high commissioner of the Ionian Islands (1843–49) and commanded the forces in Ireland (1855–60). He was made a field marshal in 1860 and was appointed honorary colonel of the Rifle Brigade (95th) in February 1862 (the Peninsula Barracks here in Winchester becoming the home of the Rifle Brigade in 1858.) Quite a life he must have lead with so many experiences..

Fire!

Yesterday the blog visited Peninsula Square which was once the home of The King's House, a palace designed by Sir Christopher Wren for King Charles II in 1683. This wall is one of the only remaining parts of the original King's House as the building was destroyed by fire in 1894. The wall itself is now part of Queen Eleanor's Garden behind the Great Hall, and although not very interesting in itself I found it fascinating as you can see on the wall the lines of melted pitch from that came from the roof during the fire.

The King's House

This is Peninsula Square that I have visited previously in this blog. The luxury houses and apartments here are housed in what was previously Peninsula Barracks.

The original buildings which stood here before were built by Sir Christopher Wren for King Charles II and were destroyed in a fire in 1894. King Charles fell in love with Winchester, and was determined to build a huge royal palace here. He was offered the site of Winchester Castle  and Sir Christopher Wren produced a superb design which was to rival the palace of Versailles. Work began demolishing all the remaining traces of Henry III's medieval castle except the Great Hall in early 1683. Charles II, knowing that he was approaching the end of his life and wanting to see his palace completed before his death, said, 'If it be possible to be done in one year, I will have it so, for a year is a great deal in my life.'

Sadly it was not to be, Charles II died in February 1685 and although the outside of the Palace was built and roofed, it was little more than an incomplete shell. The following monarch (James II), abandoned the project and the building, known as the King's House, fell into disrepair. In the 18th century it was used to hold military prisoners and eventually became military barracks in 1796.

 From the Winchester Museum Archives here is a photo of the original King's House, the style being not too dissimilar to the building of today

Military Museums

The military museums of the Gurkas and the King's Royal Hussars at Peninsula Square. The Hussars are a cavalry regiment and played a prominent part in the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava. The Gurkas of Nepal have been fighting with the British Army for 200 years. 

Peninsula Square

Many organisations eventually move out of the centre of Winchester to make way for the all important luxury apartment (the Fire Brigade are next..). Peninsula Barracks was a military barracks from 1796-1986. When the military left it was renamed Peninsula Square. Today the site continues to accommodate some Ministry Of Defence offices, including the Regimental Headquarters of The Rifles, and Winchester’s Military Museums. Peninsula Square with its smart houses and landscaped gardens is also one of the most desirable places to live in Winchester.