Writers of note

Winchester today has a wealth of talented writers and here we have focused on writers from the past who have a connection to the city and the district.

On the edge of the South Downs, the city of Winchester and its surrounding district have inspired a wealth of literary classics; from Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility to John Keats’ ode To Autumn. Step into the shoes of these literary greats and see the treasures of England’s ancient capital through their eyes. From memorials and guided walks to it’s fitting place as the setting for the Annual Writers' Conference, Winchester’s literary heritage is waiting to be discovered.

For those on the literary trail, a visit to Chawton, 17 miles from Winchester, to the house where Jane Austen lived from 1809 to 1817, is a must. Here she wrote and revised six of her novels including popular classics Emma and Sense and Sensibility. You can view family memorabilia, original manuscripts and a bookcase containing first editions of Austen’s novels.

Austen moved to the city in 1817 - suffering from ill health she wished to be close to her physician. She lived her final days at 8 College Street before she was laid to rest in the cathedral. The original memorial stone over her tomb in Winchester Cathedral made no reference to her literary achievements. A brass plaque was added in 1872 to redress this omission, and in 1900 a stained glass window was erected in her memory, acknowledging her reputation as a famed writer.  To find out more go to VisitWinchester.gov.uk

John Keats
"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, close bosom-friend of the maturing sun." Perhaps two of his most famous lines, John Keats' ode 'To Autumn' was written during his stay in Winchester in September 1819. This was the last ode he wrote, inspired by his daily walks through the Cathedral Close and water meadows to St Cross. Follow in the footsteps of this famous Romantic with the self-guided Keats' Walk leaflet available from the Tourist Information Centre.

 Izaak Walton
Regarded as the father of angling, Izaak Walton lived in the Close and published The Compleat Angler in 1653. It is now the most reprinted fishing book of all time with over 400 editions so far. Walton was known to have spent happy days at the water meadows and considered the River Meon the best for trout fishing in England, a legend that holds fast today with the prime trout fishing section stretching from Wickham to Meonstoke. Visit Walton's tomb in Winchester Cathedral where a memorial stained glass window contains the epithet, 'Study to be quiet'. Or take a trip to East Meon where you can sip a pint in his honour in the pub named after him.

Watership Down
More beautiful countryside is on offer at the scenic downlands between Winchester and Newbury, the inspiration for Richard Adams' best-selling book Watership Down. Follow in the tracks of Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig and companions as you walk along the footpaths of the Wayfarers' Walk, the best way to enjoy Hampshire's diverse countryside. A route map is available from Winchester Tourist Information Centre.

Charles Kingsley
Charles Kingsley, author of The Water Babies is reputed to have written his famous novel at Itchen Abbas. This picturesque village is located between Winchester and New Alresford, set on the banks of the River Itchen.

Gilbert White
18th century author, naturalist and poet, Gilbert White, was born and spent the greater part of his life in the village of Selborne. Today, visitors can tour the house where he lived on Selborne High Street.

The Winchester Bible
Winchester Cathedral is home to the Winchester Bible, widely recognised as the finest of all the great 12th century bibles. A single scribe wrote out the entire bible in the Latin of St Jerome, and the initials, which stand at the beginning of each book of the bible, were drawn and coloured by a team of artists over a period of 20 years. The colours, including gold and lapis lazuli, are as intense today as they were 800 years ago.

A literary guide for Winchester by Keiren Phelan
'Winchester Out Loud' has inspired Keiren and WCC’s Cultural Services Division to create a new guide to the historical and contemporary writers who have a special Winchester connection. From Austen and Keats to Cope and Cornwell, Winchester has been a muse for so many of our great authors.