Janine Di Giovanni

Joseph Campbell

Click on the photo below to access my video taken from the peaceful Dean Garnier Garden on Easter Morning .

Click on following link to view video

https://www.flickr.com/photos/-cherrypie-/46754200015/in/dateposted-public/

Mottisfont derives its name from a spring:

Fertile land and a plentiful water supply attracted the first settlers. The site’s name comes from a spring (“font”) that is still producing water in the grounds. It was the font around which the local community held its moots or meetings. An Augustinian priory was founded here in 1201 by William Briwere, a businessman, administrator and courtier to four Plantagenet kings who chose to make a public demonstration of his wealth and piety. The canons welcomed pilgrims en route to Winchester, who came to worship Mottisfont’s relic, said to be the finger of St John the Baptist.

Struck by the Black Death, the initially prosperous priory suffered from the mid-14th century onwards. During the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII, the priory was dissolved and the king gave Mottisfont to a favoured statesman, Sir William Sandys, who turned it into a country home, but rather unusually, chose not to demolish the existing priory. Sandys instead turned the church nave into the main body of the new mansion, building additional wings on either side. Sections of the original medieval church may still be seen, with the later additions built around them. The 13th-century cellarium also remains present today.

In the 18th century, the old monastic cloisters and Tudor courtyard were demolished by the Mill family, creating the modern appearance of the estate’s facade. It was at this time that the owners added “Abbey” to the name of the house rather than the more historically correct “Priory”. The National Trust speculates that the name was considered to be more romantic.[3] Then, under Sir John Barker Mill, in the early 19th century, the estate became a centre for hunting, shooting and fishing, and a new stable block was built.[3]

The last decades of the 19th century saw Mottisfont let to wealthy banker Daniel Meinertzhagen under eccentric terms that forbade the installation of electric light or central heating. The ten Meinertzhagen children included Daniel and Richard, who built aviaries for their collection of eagles, hawks, owls and ravens. Richard wrote detailed diaries about his childhood and growing interest in the natural world.[4]

Angel Mosaic by Boris Anrep
The arrival of Maud and Gilbert Russell in 1934 made Mottisfont the centre of a fashionable artistic and political circle. Maud was a wealthy patron of the arts, and she created a substantial country house where she entertained artists and writers including Ben Nicholson and Ian Fleming. She commissioned some of her artist and designer friends to embellish Mottisfont, always with an eye on its history, which fascinated her. Rex Whistler created the illusion of Gothic architecture in her salon (now known as the Whistler Room), a piece of trompe-l’œil painting that recalls the medieval architecture of the priory. Boris Anrep contributed mosaics both inside and outside the house, including one of an angel featuring Maud’s face – the couple had a long love affair.[citation needed]

During World War II, Mottisfont was commandered as a hospital with 80 beds.[4]

Maud Russell gifted the house and grounds to the National Trust in 1957, although continuing to live there until 1972.[5] One of the artists who had visited regularly was Derek Hill, a society portrait painter who had a private passion for landscape painting, and who collected work by his contemporaries. He donated a substantial collection of early 20th-century art to the National Trust to be shown at Mottisfont, in memory of his long friendship with Maud Russell. Today, these works are joined by a changing programme of temporary exhibitions of 20th-century and contemporary art.

The Church of St Swithun upon Kingsgate has been a place of worship for more than 750 years. The church, built in the middle ages is located above the medieval Kingsgate, one of the principle entrances to the city. The church is unusual in that it forms part of the city wall.

From Wikipedia:

The first mention of the church is recorded in 1264, when it was apparently burned by the citizens of Winchester during a dispute with the Priory.^[2] Most likely the church served as a chapel for lay people who worked for the Abbey.^[1] In 1337 some woodwork was done on the church, costing a total of fifteen shillings, and in 1484 the windows underwent repair.^[2]

St Swithun was an Anglo Saxon saint, born in Winchester and in 852 becoming the 19th bishop of the city. He died in 862 when King Alfred the Great was still a young man.^[2] It is possible that St Swithun was tutor to the young king, and accompanied him on a pilgrimage to Rome.^[2]

By the 17th century the church had fallen into disrepair, and had become home to one Robert Allen, the porter of Kings Gate, and his wife, “who did and doth keep swine at ye ende of the Chapell”.^[1][2] The situation was improved around 1660 when the church was restored, its bells re-hung in 1677.^[1] It has remained a place of worship since that time.^[2]

During my stay at the Wykeham Arms in Winchester I was intrigued by slots in the dining tables which stated ‘for the cathedral’.

You will notice that the pub has a number of historical themes. Most notably that of Lord Nelson and Winston Churchill. Our long bar as you enter through the iconic curved front doors is named after Nelson, and the smaller bar ti its left Hamilton. We also have two bedrooms named after England’s former vice Admiral and his lady love. It is reputed that he stayed here on his way to Portsmouth. Sadly he didn’t sign the visitor’s book, but we will have to stick with the story regardless.

As for Churchill, he was revered by former license couple of the Wykeham arms, Graeme and Ann Jameson. The far dining room is named in Graeme’s memory. The couple tirelessly collected all of the authentic bric-a-brac you see around the house, and also implemented the Cathedral donation slots you will notice in the tables. This was, and still is, to collect funds to restore the cathedral.  In the 1980’s Graeme created this fundraising idea, and in its first year pledged to match each pound collected with a pound of his own. £30000 was pulled from the coin boxes, and Graeme stayed true to his word. A bond was forged with the cathedral that remains to this day.*

*Information quoted from the hotel information book.

The ‘Post Box’ room is situated above the the old victorian post box which gives the room its name:

Your room ‘The Post Box’ is named after the 1854 Victorian wall letter box over which it sits. As one of the oldest Post Boxes in England, it was probably installed at the instigation of Anthony Trollope (himself a Wykehamist) who was at that time the Postmaster General and also writing his novel ‘The Warden’ in which the local area is strongly featured.

Many famous politicians, military figures who were at Winchester College would have used this tiny post box over the 150 years of its life. Names like Hugh Gaitskell, Field Marshall Lord Wavell, the Nawab of Pataudi and many others spring to mind.

The local Post Office has, for the last 150 years, combined with the local General Stores and Grocers’ Shops to serve the needs of the bustling local community which centres around the Cathedral and the College. Today the tradition survives and still, against all trends, the Post Office and Shop continue very much as they always have done.

Tales of the characters who have run the local Post Office and Shops abound – but I particularly like the story of a local who recalls the story of a Postmaster in the 1920’s who had his life so organised that he could sit on the lavatory, fry his breakfast and keep a beady eye on the Post Office through a wooden hatch – all at the same time.*

*From information in the room

Winchester City Mill has stood at the heart of the historic city of Winchester – the capital of Kind Alfred’s Wessex – since Saxon times. With a history of over 1000 years, Winchester City Mill is also the oldest working watermill in the country.

A rare surviving example of an urban working corn mill, the City Mill was rebuilt in 1744 and remained in use until the early 20th Century. Having entered the care of the National Trust in the late 1920’s, the City Mill was restored to full working order in 2004.