Winchester Castle

The layout of Winchester Castle reflects its long history, combining Roman military earthworks with later Norman and medieval stone construction. The site sits atop a large Roman earth rampart, measuring about 800 feet (approximately 240 meters) in length and 200 feet (around 61 meters) in width. Originally constructed around AD 70, this earthwork formed the defensive base for a Roman fort that protected Venta Belgarum. It remains a prominent feature of the castle’s setting.

From the Norman period, a round tower still stands as a visible fragment of the castle’s original 11th-century fortifications. This tower includes sally ports, which are small, securely gated openings allowing defenders to make sorties during a siege. Its survival offers a rare glimpse into the military architecture introduced by William the Conqueror soon after his arrival in England.

The Great Hall, erected between 1222 and 1235 under Henry III’s direction, is the castle’s most notable architectural element. Its design follows the “double cube” principle, with dimensions of 110 feet in length by 55 feet in width and height (about 33.5 by 16.8 meters). The hall is constructed mainly of flint, accented with stone detailing. Originally, the walls were lower and the roof contained dormer windows, but these were replaced over time by tall, two-light windows featuring early plate tracery — a simple form of stone window decoration characteristic of the period. Recognized for its historic value, the Great Hall is a Grade I listed building.

On the ruins of the Jews’ Tower, which is part of the castle complex, an inscription in Hebrew dating to 1287 is preserved. This was written by Asher, son of Licoricia of Winchester, providing direct evidence of the Jewish community’s presence in medieval Winchester.

Inside the Great Hall, several medieval objects connect to England’s legendary past. Among these is the Winchester Round Table, originally created in the 13th century and later repainted during the reign of Henry VIII. The table bears the names of King Arthur’s knights, with a central portrait of Arthur himself depicted in a likeness resembling the young Henry VIII. Alongside it, the Winchester Panels are displayed; these are a set of illuminated pictorial works thought to represent twenty-five knights from the Arthurian circle and to illustrate the medieval concept of the “Wheel of Life.”

Behind the Great Hall, the grounds include Queen Eleanor’s Garden, established in 1986. It is designed to evoke a medieval garden style appropriate to the castle’s historical context.

Positioned near the Westgate, part of Winchester’s surviving city walls, the castle and its remaining structures provide a layered record that spans Roman military origins, Norman conquest, medieval royal administration, and later judicial use.