Despite Wars, Disease, and Reformations, Winchester Cathedral Continues to Stand Strong

I was in Winchester to write a travel story about visiting Jane Austen’s England. Jane Austen was staying with a friend in Winchester when she died on July 18, 1817. She was 41 when she passed away after a bout with Addison’s disease. On July 24, she was buried at Winchester Cathedral. I stepped inside the cathedral with my daughter to pay respects to Ms. Austen, but I left with a history lesson and greater appreciation for Winchester.
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At one time, Winchester was the seat of Saxon power. In 642, King Cenwalh of Wessex commissioned the building of a church dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. It was originally built of wood and was later reinforced with stone. In 1079, Bishop Walkelin, who was appointed by William the Conqueror, oversaw additions to the cathedral. Stones from the Isle of Wight were hauled into Winchester for the reconstruction.

At the time of its completion, the Winchester Cathedral had the longest nave in all of Europe. Pilgrims from far away arrived to pay homage to St. Swithun, a bishop whose bones were said to have healing powers. Henry VIII later demolished his shrine during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

During the 14th century, the Gothic style had swept through Europe and influenced new pointed arches, stained glass windows, and carvings on the walls and pillars.

In the 14th Century, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn visited the cathedral and Mary I married Prince Phillip II of Spain at the cathedral on July 25, 1554, making Winchester Cathedral not only a place of worship, but a place where English power portrayed itself in all its glory.

Over time, the foundation grew weaker and waterlogged. Cracks opened up within the walls, and the cathedral needed help. William Walker, and legendary deep-sea diver, dove beneath the murky floodwater beneath the cathedral. From 1906 to 1911, the diver restored the concrete beneath the church, saving the famed cathedral.

Winchester Cathedral remains a pilgrimage for a variety of people. Many showed up, as I did, to locate the modest grave of a literary hero. Fans of the Canterbury Tales begin their Pilgrim’s Way from the steps of the church. St. Swithun can no longer be found within the church, but glass and stone that once ordained his burial site can be found. And the burial site of Cnut the Great lies underneath the beautiful church.

Choirs still sing within the cathedral, and worshipers fill the seats. The towers still stretch towards the sky. And people continue to flock towards the majestic Gothic building. Despite wars, diseases, and reformations; the cathedral remains open. Winchester Cathedral is not only a place of worship; it is a representation of England’s extensive past and a reminder for the future, that England will always stand strong.

And one more thing:

Winchester Cathedral does a fantastic job of teaching kids about the history of the church and about Winchester. Rarely does a church invite kids to play and run within the sanctuary, but there are stations throughout the church for kids to do so. I loved visiting with my daughter, because she could play, color, and write, while I learned more about the cathedral and the people who occupy it.