Winchester College Publication A Winchester Walk | Page 16

A Winchester Walk 16
Moving on , drawn by the looming masonry cliff of the Cathedral , it is worth stopping for a minute next to the massive stone columns of the former Chapter House of the Cathedral . The columns themselves are repurposed Saxon or Roman ; but to their right , and just in time as we have walked for a while and are probably in need of a break , is the entrance to the Dean Garnier Garden . Laid out in 1994 – 95 , above the undercroft of what was once the monks ’ dormitory , the Dean Garnier Garden is a delight , with views over the Cathedral , Deanery ( to the south ), and Inner Close . Information panels give a concise account of the history of the Cathedral .
Return to the route , and take the arch and passage , built for Bishop Curle in 1662 , through to Outer Close and your first sight of the West
Front of the Cathedral . Shelves of books have been written about Winchester Cathedral , explaining the building campaigns that together created this most architecturally rich of English cathedrals ( mostly 1089 – 1520 ). Wykeham played his part , ordering the remodelling of the nave from 1394 onwards , work at Winchester College by then mostly complete .
The entrance fee , £ 9.50 for an adult at the time of writing , provides an annual pass and helps keep the Cathedral standing , a problem since at least 1107 when the crossing tower fell down ( blamed by medieval chroniclers on the burial under it of the widely hated William Rufus in 1100 ). Problems of subsidence have , alas , persisted : in the early 20th century the diver William Walker would spend five years working underground to replace and strengthen waterlogged foundations , working by touch in darkness to prop up walls dangerously close to collapse . 900,000 bricks , 114,900 concrete blocks , and 25,800 bags of cement later , and the work of the ‘ diver who saved Winchester Cathedral ’ was complete .
Inside the Cathedral , a badged guide will point out the architectural and historical details , or , if you have time ,
The Pilgrims ’ School .