Winchester has one of the best high streets in the UK (Image: Getty)
A small UK city with one of the country’s best high streets is home to an impressive 200 independent shops. Winchester in Hampshire is known for its quaint English style, and was the ancient capital, as the former seat of Alfred the Great.
Shoppers can explore independent boutiques, charming shops, and artisan retailers, while food enthusiasts can enjoy local delicacies and craft beverages at various eateries and cider houses.
Winchester features a vibrant independent scene with nearly 200 independent shops, cafes, and services operating within the city centre. The Business Improvement District (BID) area highlights this diverse community through the dedicated #IndieWinch campaign, which maps these local businesses.
Key areas for independent shops include Parchment Street, Jewry Street, The Square, and the High Street. Well-known and long-running independent retailers include P & G Wells bookshop, Burrells Jewellers, The Old Fashioned Sweetie Shop, and Warren & Son stationers.
Winchester is home to 200 independent shops (Image: Getty)
P&G Wells is the oldest shop in the city and possibly the longest-running bookshop in the country. Having been open since 1789, it beats out Hatchards in London, which is the bookseller to the Royal Family and claims to be the UK’s oldest bookshop, opening in 1797.
The city also hosts the UK’s largest farmers’ market twice monthly, which was voted the best in the country by The Guardian Food Magazine. There are 30 to 40 stalls selling local produce.
The Winchester City Street Market is held three times a week, and the Antiques, Vintage, Retro & Collectables Market and the Art & Design Market are held once a month.
Winchester Cathedral was originally built in 1079 and remains the longest Gothic cathedral in Europe. It was once an important pilgrimage centre, and the ancient Pilgrims’ Way to Canterbury begins at Winchester.
Winchester Castle was a royal residence founded in 1067 by William the Conqueror and served as a seat of royal power in the medieval period.
Much of the castle has since been lost, but two structures survive: the Great Hall, regarded as one of the finest surviving medieval halls in England, and the Westgate, once the castle’s principal defensive gateway. It is famous for King Arthur’s Round Table, which has been displayed in the Great Hall since at least 1463.
The city walls were originally built in the Roman period, covering an area of around 138 acres and have been rebuilt and expanded over time. Today, only a small portion of the original Roman wall itself survives, near Wolvesey Castle.
Those hoping to visit Winchester can get there via train from London, Weymouth, Portsmouth, Southampton, Manchester, Reading, and Birmingham.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
