We didn’t set off to Winchester as early as we planned and after picking up my mum and a brief stop on the motorway led to us arriving in Winchester at lunch time. We parked on the hotel car park and Mr C went to reception to tell them that we had arrived and would be leaving our car on the car park. He was informed that the rooms were ready so we decided to book in before having lunch. Booking in turned out to be a bit of a saga… The French receptionist couldn’t understand why two identical room bookings had different room rates. Mr C tried to explain that it was because one was single occupancy and the difference was the breakfast rate. The receptionist didn’t understand, but thankfully a colleague sorted him out. Eventually we booked in and took our bags up to our rooms!
After the booking in saga we set out for a late lunch in the Cathedral Refectory. Mum,Mr C & I all chose cheese and watercress scones, watercress being a speciality of the area and they were delicious 
We then made our way to the cathedral, stopping off at its gift shop along the way. The gift shop had some delightful christmas decorations and advent candles, which we decided we would come back and buy just before we left Winchester.
Our visit to the Cathedral was not as peaceful as it had been was on our previous visit. It was a Saturday and lots of guided tours were taking place. Previously I enjoyed peace and tranquility in the North & South transepts but on this occasion both were disrupted. The North transept is housing a temporary structure to display the Winchester Bible whilst the South transept is undergoing restoration. and is currently closed. It houses the Fisherman’s Chapel which I found so peaceful last time. The disruption led to us noticing features unseen on our previous visit and we very much enjoyed seeing the historically important Winchester Bible in its temporary home. We just missed seeing it on our previous visit when it was being shipped to America for display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
As we left the we were caught by a brief shower of rain, so we retired once again to the Cathedral Rectory for a refreshing cup of tea, before returning to the hotel to unpack our bags, before we dined in the ‘Old Vine’, which was just as good as we remembered it from our previous visit. We called in at a pub on our way back to the hotel, but the music was so loud that we couldn’t hear ourselves think. We returned to the hotel where we could chat more easily and enjoy a nightcap before bed even though there was a wedding disco with kids noisily charging around the hotel.
It sounds as though those kids should’ve been tucked up in bed hours before. Love Winchester – used to cycle there in my teens and – it’s been years since I visited. Need to go back – Wessex calls me!! Did you get out into the nearby Meon Valley – lots of watercress there!
They should have been tucked up or at least kept in a bit more control at that time of night. One of the hotel staff had to come and rescue one little lad who had a tumble on the spiral staircase. The lad was OK but was too young to be left alone running around the hotel like that.
We did not get to the Meon Valley, thank you for highlighting it. The area looks lovely
your images inside the Cathedral are much more dramatic than what you had for lunch cherie:)
….peter:)
The Cathedral is a feast for the eyes (and soul) and lunch was a feast for the tastebuds
It was in Winchester Cathedral that I first found a love for church architecture
Winchester Cathedral is stunning. I am not sure what first inspired my love of church architecture and art. The churches I enjoy the most are the ones where I feel a presence, I got that feeling on my first visit to Winchester Cathedral. On my recent visit it was too busy and the renovations were disrupting the space.
What a beautiful cathedral – lovely photos. Hope you managed to buy your advent candle – you’ve reminded me I need to get one for this year. Usually buy from cathedral shops as they are relatively inexpensive there!
Yes I did manage to purchase an advent candle. Cathedral shops always have appropriate designs. This year we chose a church candle type (rather than a stick candle) for a change.
I am glad you like the photos of the Cathedral
Rather nice layout, that hotel room.
I do my research
But on this occasion we had been before so we knew what the rooms would be like.
Once inside, I guess I would probably forget about the scaffolding outside!
The scaffolding was intruding to some extent on the inside! The reason why my peaceful areas were not available
i liked the view down the cathedral, CP and also of the window.
Thank you