Winchester or Salisbury Cathedral stopover?

[CJcruzer]

on our private transfer from London to Southampton pier, we are deciding whether to make a stop at Salisbury Cathedral or Winchester Cathedral.

 

Winchester is closer to our final destination - has also the great hall with knights of round table displayed on wall (probably takes a second to look at)....town is smaller.

 

Salisbury, although a little further out of the way, has a PHENOMENAL cathedral and copy of Magna Carta in chapter House...city is larger.

 

We were planning to spend 2 hours in winchester, if Salisbury - possibly 2-1/2 hour stopover.

 

Any advice?

[handfordr]

on our private transfer from London to Southampton pier, we are deciding whether to make a stop at Salisbury Cathedral or Winchester Cathedral.

Winchester is closer to our final destination - has also the great hall with knights of round table displayed on wall (probably takes a second to look at)....town is smaller.

Salisbury, although a little further out of the way, has a PHENOMENAL cathedral and copy of Magna Carta in chapter House...city is larger.

We were planning to spend 2 hours in winchester, if Salisbury - possibly 2-1/2 hour stopover.

 

Any advice?

 

Both are in many ways similar, the guides at Winchester will brag they have the longest one, the ones at Salisbury the tallest one. Winchester has Jane Austen's grave, Salisbury the oldest clock. Salisbury has the Magna Carta, Wichester the King Alfred's Round Table and museum about 10 minutes walk from the Cathedral.

 

Salisbury currently has a lot of scaffolding around much of the Cathedral at the moment but the Close is more impressive with lots of museums and church college within the Close walls.

 

Personally I find Winchester more saitisfactory as it has the feel of a working Cathedral. As you walk around there will be a school group here, priests having a meeting there. Salisbury to me has more of a feel of tourist orientation.

Salisbury is impressive architectually but was built fairly quick and is all one style. Winchester evolved more and you can see example of Gothic architecture through all the phases.

 

I would suggest you look at the list of tours at both cathedrals on their web sites rather than take the bog standard one with the volunteers when you turn up. They both have specialist tours which may strilke a chord.

 

Both towns are similar regional market towns, with decent sized shopping centres adjacent to the Cathedral but nothing special. Not much to choose between them.

[FinelyRetired]

We thoroughly enjoyed our stop in Winchester on the way from London to the Pier.

 

The cathedral was very nice, large but with a homey feel. Busy place and choir rehearsal was going on when we were there. One of the most famous people buried there is author Jane Austen. Interestingly, her initial grave marker makes NO mention of her as an author. I enjoyed the area surrounding the cathedral (called Cathedral Close) which is where Keats walked and wrote "Ode to Autumn."

 

Just a short walk away, we had a wonderful pub lunch at the Wykeham Arms Hotel. The pub was built & operating since mid 1700's and is Georgian with a bow front entrance. Original school desks are used as tables in one section. Casual fare...lots of locals. There was a small market accross the street where we bought cheese/crackers/wine & flowers for onboard the ship.

 

Your driver will be familiar with the area.

 

Enjoy your day.

 

Martha

[rsquare]

We were in Salisbury in April and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The Cathedral is impressive and only had some scaffolding at one end; there was a choir practice while were there, and it was magical. We also enjoyed going through Mompesson House, one of the large town houses in the Cathedral Close which is operated by the UK National Trust. We timed our visit for a Saturday, which is one of Salisbury's two market days (the other is Tuesday); if you haven't seen an English market town on market day, you are missing something essential to understanding England outside of London. If you choose Winchester, you could probably easily find its market day(s).

[DougH]

I stayed in Southampton for a couple of days pre cruise, on Sat I took the train over to Winchester. I thoroughly enjoyed wandering around Winchester form a couple of hours. Lots of shoppers out enjoying a beautiful moring in a nice town, didn't go thru the Cathedral but Knights of the Round table was kind of neat.

[CJcruzer]

We thoroughly enjoyed our stop in Winchester on the way from London to the Pier.

 

The cathedral was very nice, large but with a homey feel. Busy place and choir rehearsal was going on when we were there. One of the most famous people buried there is author Jane Austen. Interestingly, her initial grave marker makes NO mention of her as an author. I enjoyed the area surrounding the cathedral (called Cathedral Close) which is where Keats walked and wrote "Ode to Autumn."

 

Just a short walk away, we had a wonderful pub lunch at the Wykeham Arms Hotel. The pub was built & operating since mid 1700's and is Georgian with a bow front entrance. Original school desks are used as tables in one section. Casual fare...lots of locals. There was a small market accross the street where we bought cheese/crackers/wine & flowers for onboard the ship.

 

Your driver will be familiar with the area.

 

Enjoy your day.

 

Martha

 

 

Martha: can you tell me how long you stopped in Winchester? Our driver recommends 2 hours to be enough time, but I never mentioned if we would be stopping to eat at the Wickeham Arms or not.....

 

Carol

[Wendy The Wanderer]

It's a very tough decision, they are both great, but I vote for Winchester. The city itself is very walkable and has a small feel to it, which Salisbury does not so much.

[CJcruzer]

thanks Wendy - I've decided to go to Winchester - got some info in the mail from their tourist info centre --- and decided on Winchester based on:

 

1) directly enroute to Southampton

2) smaller and therefore easier to get around, and see in a short amount of time

3) MARKET DAYS are Wednesday to Saturday ---- Salisbury's market days are ONLY Tuesday and Saturday -- we are travelling on a Wednesday and that should make for interesting walk among the market stalls....

 

now around how much time to see Cathedral, Great Hall, a little walkabout in town and market, possibly eat at wickeham Arms??

[NancyIL]

thanks Wendy - I've decided to go to Winchester - got some info in the mail from their tourist info centre --- and decided on Winchester based on:

 

1) directly enroute to Southampton

2) smaller and therefore easier to get around, and see in a short amount of time

3) MARKET DAYS are Wednesday to Saturday ---- Salisbury's market days are ONLY Tuesday and Saturday -- we are travelling on a Wednesday and that should make for interesting walk among the market stalls....

 

now around how much time to see Cathedral, Great Hall, a little walkabout in town and market, possibly eat at wickeham Arms??

 

Can I ask what private transfer company you are using?

[Hambagahle]

If you want to have lunch at the Wykeham Arms (and I love this pub!!) then make a reservation. it fills up fast! If you can't do that, and it is full, try the refectory at the Cathedral. Good food in a nice atmosphere.

[CJcruzer]

NancyIL: we are using Woodford Chauffeurs for both transfers, from London to pier with another couple with stop in winchester, and then 6 of us with Woodford again from pier to heathrow ---- with a few couples, it came out to half of what Princess wanted for their transfer!!!

 

We used them 2 years ago for our transfer with another couple and were very pleased with their service....

[NancyIL]

NancyIL: we are using Woodford Chauffeurs for both transfers, from London to pier with another couple with stop in winchester, and then 6 of us with Woodford again from pier to heathrow ---- with a few couples, it came out to half of what Princess wanted for their transfer!!!

 

We used them 2 years ago for our transfer with another couple and were very pleased with their service....

 

Thank you!

[handfordr]

Its worth pointing out that these are working Cathedrals and that visits on a Sunday are very problematic and not recommended.

If you do go on a Sunday, then go to Salisbury not Winchester but don't get there until midday after the services. The Chapter House at Salisbury with the Magna Carta doesn't open formally until 12:45 on a Sunday for example, I was there Sunday and it still hadn't opened at 13:15.