New Bishop of Winchester

(Photo Credit: Jeremy Woodham)

Downing Street announced yesterday that the next Bishop of Winchester will be the Reverend Canon Tim Dakin who is 53 and is currently head of the Church Mission Society. He'll be consecrated as the 97th Bishop of Winchester in January and assume the role in Spring 2012. Winchester's previous bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Scott-Joynt, retired in May after 16 years.

As I mentioned in a previous post when a new Bishop of Winchester is on his way to his enthronement in the Cathedral, he first comes to the tiny church of St Lawrence be presented to the Mayor, clergy and citizens, definitely a photo opportunity for next year!

Easton

I was out on a bike ride recently and passed through the pretty village of Easton. The village is 2¾ miles North East of Winchester. Although technically this isn't the city of Winchester, but the village does lie in the district of Winchester. I stopped and took a photo of this pretty thatched cottage, and there were plenty of them in the village.

Cycle 4 Life & 1st anniversary

1 year ago today I started this blog! I must admit in September and October 2010 the 'daily' aspect was a bit lacking, but after this false start I have published a photo every day, bar one when my modem broke! I still feel there are many more things to photograph here especially as so far the blog has been very central Winchester orientated! So here's to the next 365 days and thank you to everyone who has ever dropped by the blog and to anyone who has taken the time to comment, it's really appreciated!

Back to today's photo.. yesterday I got totally drenched at the Cycle 4 Life sportive in aid of Cancer Research. It was a 25km, 50km or 100km cycle ride - I chose the 25km! The weather was horrible, pouring with rain and cold, not great cycling weather! The event even had its own celebrity taking part - Les Ferdinand, ex England, Tottenham & QPR footballer.

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Halls of Residence

This is the Queen's Road Student Village of the Winchester University. It houses 399 students in ensuite flats. It was built in 2010 to ease housing issues for students and it took many 1st year students out of private accommodation in areas such as nearby Stanmore.

The rooms are around 12 sq metres with a bed, desk, wardrobe, ensuite bathroom and free internet access, there are shared kitchens and eating areas. The rent is £106 a week. Quite a few years ago I stayed at the halls of residence at Sussex University in Brighton, they were nothing like this! En-suite? I wish!

Stained Glass

More art from last weekend's open studios at the Link Gallery, a modern take on stained glass.

Wolvesey Castle

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.

Model trains

Celebrating 125 years of the Great Western Railway, this model railway exhibition was taking place at the cathedral yesterday. I remember my brother had a Hornby trainset as a kid and had it on a wooden base and began building up a whole little town around it with miniature trees, people, animals, houses etc. I wonder if kids still do that these days?