Winchester

Winchester was an important Roman centre and had a rennaissance under Alfred the Great when it became the capital of the Saxon kingdom of Wessex. It was one of the burhs with extensive use being made of the existing Roman fortifications.

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records fighting over Winchester between Wessex and the Vikings in the year 860.

The city was also an important ecclesiastical centre with a bishop, and gained even more prominence in 971 following the relocation of the bones of St Swithun. Swithun was an obscure 9th century bishop of Winchester, but came to fame following a publicity campaign by bishop Aethelwold (963-84). The bones were moved on the 15th July from an outside grave to the new Minster.