England's ancient capital is steeped in history and culture. Settlement in the area dates back to long before the Romans. Overlooking the city from the western edge is a typical Iron Age hill fort. The Romans recorded the name of the city as Caergwinntguic or Caergwintwg which literally means 'White Fortress'. Later in Anglo-Saxon times this name changed to Wintanceastre.

In about 686 AD the city became the capital of the ancient kingdom of what as then the Kingdom of Wessex. Soon thereafter it also became the capital of England. It was not until the Norman Conquest of England that the capital moved to London.

Following this, and during the reign of William the Conqueror, the Doomsday Book was put together in the city. Over the centuries that followed Winchester became an important centre for the south's wool trade.

But in 1141 a serious fire saw the decline of a once very prosperous city. To this day the curfew bell housed in the bell tower still strikes at eight o'clock every evening. This tradition comes from a time when at this time of the evening all home fires had to be extinguished until the following morning. The Bishop of Winchester was responsible for the restoration of Winchester from the early 1300s. And much of the restoration of the city immediately surrounding the cathedral was his doing.

Originally built in 1079, Winchester Cathedral is still the longest in Europe. But building continued from the eleventh through to the sixteenth century. More recently, the Cathedral was used for the filming of certain scenes for the popular film 'The Da Vinci Code'. The interior of the Cathedral is used for to represent a London church.

The famous English novelist Jane Austen died in the city on 18 July 1817. She is buried in the Cathedral. A few years later in 1819 the romantic poet John Keats stayed in Winchester for a few months, and it was here some of his well known poems were written.