Description of the attraction
The castle in the city of Winchester was built in 1067, immediately after the conquest of England by William. It was part of a defensive system of castles located on the coast and around London - one day's march from London and from each other.
Unfortunately, only the Great Hall, built in the 13th century, has survived to this day. Its dimensions are the so-called double cube - 110 feet by 55 feet by 55 feet (approximately 33.5 mx 16.8 mx 16.8 m). The rest of the buildings of the castle were destroyed by order of Cromwell after 1646. The Great Hall is open to tourists and hosts concerts and exhibitions from time to time. During archaeological excavations near the Great Hall, the remains of the Round Tower and part of the fortress wall were found.
The Great Hall houses the King Arthur Round Table. Legends associate Winchester with the name of the legendary king, claiming that it was here that noble knights gathered. Historians, however, are not convinced that Arthur was a historical person at all. But this does not prevent thousands of tourists from coming here to watch the Round Table. Tree-ring studies and radiocarbon dating date this table to the 13th century and was painted under Henry VIII. The table top is made of English oak, its diameter is 5.5 meters, weight is 1200 kg. The names of the Knights of the Round Table are written along the edge of the tabletop.
Behind the Great Hall is Queen Eleanor's Garden - a copy of a medieval garden, a great place for walking and relaxing.
