Apart from a few segments of foundations, all that remains of Winchester Castle is Henry III’s Great Hall.  In 1066 Winchester surrendered without at fight to William the Conqueror and shortly after his coronation he gave orders for a castle to be built. The castle remained the seat of government under the early Norman kings.

During the reign of Henry III the castle was almost completely rebuilt. A fire in 1302 caused much damage and the castle ceased to be used as a royal residence, the monarchs moved to the nearby bishop’s palace of Wolvesey. In 1651 the castle was demolished but the Great Hall was kept as a venue for assemblies and county assizes.

The Great Hall was used for the administration of justice until the 1970s and it was here that Sir Walter Raleigh was condemned to death in 1603. The Great Hall is now linked to the new court house by two archways. The arches lead to the judges’ gallery. In 1983 two pairs of  wrought steel gates, designed and made by Antony Robinson were installed within the arches as a commemoration to the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer in July 1981.