Salisbury or Winchester? (stop from LHR to Southampton)

[kaymoz]

Looking for stopover decision feedback!  We like to arrive a couple of days early before embarking and will be sailing from Southampton (which we've explored previously), so trying to decide between Salisbury and Winchester.  Our flight from the US arrives at Heathrow late in the evening (assuming it operates as scheduled) so we would have two nights and one day for this stop.  Both are cathedral cities with lots of history and on direct train routes to Southampton.  We won't have a car and plan to take a taxi from the airport to the hotel and the train to the ship.  Of course, if there is some other compelling location that also makes sense in terms of logistics, I'm open to other suggestions!    (Note:  I've visited Stonehenge already, so that would not be a factor in choosing Salisbury!)

[Harters]

I've spent time in both cities, mainly visiting for the history (both are home to military museums - in real life, my second career was as a military history researcher and author). You could easily spend an enjoyable day in either. I can only suggest you toss a coin to decide. Sorry not to be of more direct help.

 

Should you decide on Salisbury, I can recommend this historial novel. Good read.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sarum-Edward-Rutherfurd/dp/0099527308

[John Bull]

I have a personal preference for Salisbury, it’s more laid-back than

Winchester, which always seems crowded and hemmed-in.

Salisbury cathedral is in a quiet close, five minutes away from the hub-bub, and there are more city centre river walks - It’s the confluence of five small rivers.

Cathedral is younger but more spectacular, and has an original 1215 Magna Carta (like a Bill of Rights)
Much wider selection of historic but affordable city centre pubs, restaurants and hotels too.

Rail stations for both are a five-minute drive or 15-minute walk. Trains from Salisbury to Southampton half-hourly, from Winchester 3 per hour.

 

Of course others will have their own favourite, but as per Harters’ post I don’t think either will disappoint.

 

JB 🙂

[carlmm]

I really my similiar, two nights stay in Winchester and can gighly recommend it.

Instead of using a taxi you could also take the direct coach from LHR albeit I am not sure if it is currently running reliable.

Note that there is substantial walking involved if you want to see and reach everything by foot.

[Turtles06]

18 hours ago, John Bull said:

Cathedral is younger but more spectacular, and has an original 1215 Magna Carta (like a Bill of Rights)

 

As an American, I totally loved seeing that.  And there was a wonderful and interesting docent talking to us about it; age wise, she appeared old enough to have been around when Magna Carta was issued.   ☺️  (J/k of course; she was fabulous.) 

 

And the Cathedral is indeed spectacular. 

 

 

(photo by turtles06)

[phabric]

3 hours ago, carlmm said:

 

Instead of using a taxi you could also take the direct coach from LHR albeit I am not sure if it is currently running reliable.

 

When I stayed in Winchester in 2018,  I used National Express Coach from LHR, the Coach stopped in the middle of Winchester.

 

May 27, 2022, I used National Express Coach from LHR  to Winchester  to Southampton final stop Bournemouth.  The Winchester stop was at a car park, I did not see any taxis around.  I don’t know how you would get into Winchester.

Edited July 2, 2022 by phabric

[Harters]

Salisbury Cathedral is also home to the world's oldest clock,  dating to the 1380s.

 

FWIW, of the other three original copies of Magna Carta, one is at Lincoln Cathedral, with two held by the British Library. I've seen one of the latter when it was on loan as part of an  exhibition at the National Archives.

[kaymoz]

I neglected to mention that our flight is scheduled to arrive at Heathrow at 9 pm, so it's too late for trains or coaches!  (It's one of the rare daytime flights from the US to Europe, which we prefer to avoid the airplane overnights that always wreck us for days.)
Thanks for the enthusiasm about Salisbury; I've been intrigued by the water meadows just west of the Cathedral.

[John Bull]

10 hours ago, kaymoz said:

I neglected to mention that our flight is scheduled to arrive at Heathrow at 9 pm, so it's too late for trains or coaches!  (It's one of the rare daytime flights from the US to Europe, which we prefer to avoid the airplane overnights that always wreck us for days.)
Thanks for the enthusiasm about Salisbury; I've been intrigued by the water meadows just west of the Cathedral.

whichever city you choose, you,ll arrive about midnight or later, so do check the hotel’s ability to cater for late night arrivals.

 

JB 🙂

[John Bull]

Salisbury and Winchester have many more similarities than differences

.

For something very different, consider the conjoined cities of Portsmouth and Southsea. Portsmouth is home to the Royal Navy, and on Portsmouth Historic Dockyard you can step aboard Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory, and the world’s first steam- powered ironclad, Warrior. Plus Henry V111’s flagship, Mary Rose. And various exhibits in the dockyard buildings - enough for a very full day. The Spinnaker Tower close by.

And a long waterfront walk or a short taxi ride to Southsea Esplanade. Southsea is a resort city, waterfront views across The Solent to the Isle of Wight, a small Henry V111 castle and adjacent D-Day museum, and lots of other seafront attractions. Portsmouth does have a cathedral, but it’s quite new (about 1925) and quite diminutive - unworthy of a visit.

Google Portsmouth, Portsmouth historic dockyard, Southsea etc

About 30 minutes further from LHR than Salisbury or Winchester, direct hourly trains (or buses) to Southampton take just under an hour and cost about £11

Ideally located hotels are Holiday Inn Express in Gunwharf Quays, and The Royal Maritime Club - both very close to the Historic Dockyard and Portsmouth Harbour train station. But a wide choice of other hotels.

 

JB 🤗

 

 

 

 

 

[kaymoz]

17 hours ago, John Bull said:

whichever city you choose, you,ll arrive about midnight or later, so do check the hotel’s ability to cater for late night arrivals.

 

JB 🙂

Yes!!  The first two places I wanted for lodging couldn't accommodate our late arrival, so I ended up booking this lovely spot by the river.  (We did finally decide on Salisbury, for this time around!) 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g186414-d192945-Reviews-Legacy_Rose_Crown_Hotel-Salisbury_Wiltshire_England.html

[John Bull]

20 hours ago, kaymoz said:

Yes!!  The first two places I wanted for lodging couldn't accommodate our late arrival, so I ended up booking this lovely spot by the river.  (We did finally decide on Salisbury, for this time around!) 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g186414-d192945-Reviews-Legacy_Rose_Crown_Hotel-Salisbury_Wiltshire_England.html

 

 

Excellent location, semi-rural but close to the city centre.

Five minute walk to the Cathedral Close, less than five minutes more to the cathedral itself.

The market place in Blue Boar Row, which I've always considered to be the city centre, is a little more than 5 minutes further. Market days tuesdays & saturdays.

The train station is 1 1/2 miles from the Rose & Crown.

 

BTW you mentioned that you "plan to take a taxi from the airport"

Don't just take a cab from the rank at Heathrow, it'd cost an arm & a leg - hailing a cab is fine for short journeys of a mile or three, but for LHR to Salisbury - about 75 miles - you need to pre-book a fixed-price private transfer.

 

Here are a few located at the Salisbury end (probably best given the time of night because the driver can get to bed at a sensible hour), sorry I don't know any of them so no recommendations

https://www.allthesevens.co.uk/

https://www.spiretravel.co.uk/airport-taxi-from-salisbury/

https://triple4triple4taxis.co.uk/

https://www.your-taxi.co.uk/about-us

https://www.aa-taxis.com/

https://salisbury-valuecars.co.uk/

https://www.hengecabs.com/services

Or there are dozens based at Heathrow.

 

JB 🙂

[kaymoz]

Thank you John.  We'll be there for a full day on a Tuesday so it's exciting that it will be a market day!  I did arrange a taxi already -- asked the hotel to suggest someone and they were already booked (a month ahead) so I went with the people they suggested, Spire Travel which is on your list.  We might have to use a cab to the train station when it's time to leave if our little rolling bags won't be good for that walk.  My oldie was on its last legs so I had to order a new one and since it hasn't arrived, I don't have much confidence about it.  Will do some fully loaded trials!