Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-19
ANCIENT WINCHESTER
A Peep at the Old Seat of British,
Norman and Saxon Royalty.
SOME QUAINT CITY PICTURES
And Rural Pest in the Valley Where
Isaak Walton Angled
A CATHEDRAL NEARLY 1000 YEARS OLD

H..
WINCHESTER, ENGLAND, Aug. 8-Per.
haps the best place for time to muse upon
the ancient city of Winchester and its his
toric surroundings is the summit of St.
GILES hill. which, within the borough
bounds, rises high above the roofs of the
city. almost within stones throw of the
east window of its mighty cathedral.
Cushioned in its velvety beds of scented
clover, you feel the gentle breeze coming
softly over the Hampshire downa It sends
myriad wisps of teathery clouds across
the blue vault above. These checker the
valley and city foliage and roofs with
changeful arabesques of sunshine and
shadow. In and out of these your fancy
plays hide and seek with the annals, legends
and wralths of Winchester's long ago.
Round about this lovely Hampshire val
ley threaded by the cleaning Itchen, be-
loved haunt of Isaak Walton, is wondrous
wreath of story dim and legend old. Over
to the north lis Slichester, an exhaustless
mine of Roman remains, within whose walls
the Usurper Constantine was invested with
the purple, and legend has it that King
Arthur there received his crown. Near it
is Basing, site Of one of the lordliest castl ss
of early England A little nearer Win
chester still is Oldham, birthplace of the
famous old grammarian, William Lilly. To
the northeast, at Andover, Anlaf the Dane
promised King Ethelred never to recon-
mence hostlities against the English. Just
below this is Danebury Hill with its famous
Roman encampment Just west of you is
the sleepy hamlet of King Sambourn where
John of Gaunt had his old-time palace. At
the same distance. to the east, near Aires
ford are the great Tichborne estates. And
nearby to the south is Romsey, with its
quaintest old abbey church in England and
the New Forest depths, where the arrow
from Tyrrel's bow pierced the heart of
rufian Rufus, England's second Norman
King.
Tho Oldest City in Grent Britain.
Old annalists will tell you that Win
chester is perhaps the oldest city in Britain.
They point to ST. Catharine's Hill, over
there just at the southern edge of the city,
still plainly disclosing the fortified camp of
Vespasian, who conquered the place from
Belga, whence its Roman name, Venta Bel
garum.
Far. far beyond these they have seen with
clear historic eyes. They will tell you in
all seriousness that Winchester was founded
892 years before the Christian era. That
would be 139 years before the founding Of
Rome, or matter of 2,7S4 years ago! A
king Of ancient Britain, Sudor Rous Hudi-
brass, is said to have been the royal founder;
and it was his son, Bladud, who built and
enriched with the indistinguishable fires OF
Minerva the fine old Somersetshire city of
Bath.
Some things about royal Winchester's an
tiquity and history are easy enoughto know
with exactitude, and they mellow the
thought perspective of the rare old town
charmingly, invest every gray old stone Of
the place with wonderful associative inter-
est, and give to every tone of the huge old
Cathedral bells the thrilling voice of a
rchly-storied past.
Julius Caesar visited the city B. G. "a,
and the Emperor Vespasian few years
later occupied it and built walls, vestiges of
which remain. For the next 800 years Win
chester was celebrated tor its magnificent
embroideries for the Imperial Court, ex-
amples of which remain. Egbert, the first
King of all England, was crowned here and
established sort of empire with sub-kings
under him, out of which came the English
monarchical and nobility systems of to-day.
Full of Historic Memories.
The first English guild of merchants was
established here in 85S. The wise laws of
Alfred were made here, the first great sur
vey of the kingdom was completed here,
and in the scriptorium of the very cathedral
you will now find in Winchester, in 1896,
was done that wonderful specimen of Win
chester illumination known as the "Golden
Book of Edgar" The first standard
measures ever possessed by England were
ordered and made here under edict of King
Edgar, and you will find these identical
measures in the Winchester Museum at the
Guildhall.
Over there in that turreted structure
which now frowns above the western gate
of High street, or rather in the great hall
of its Oldest portion, lived William the