Winchester Cathedral

Cathedral in Winchester, Hampshire, England, begun in 1079 by Bishop Walkelin. Of his Norman building, only the crypt, transepts, crossing tower, and some of the hidden structure of the nave remain. He gave the building its present exterior length of 170 m/558 ft, making it then, as now, the longest cathedral in Europe. The retrochoir and Lady Chapel were rebuilt from 1189 to 1204, and the nave was remodelled in the Perpendicular style by William of Wykeham, from about 1394.

Wykeham's master mason, who worked closely with him, was William de Wynford. He recut the sturdy Norman piers and gave them refined vertical mouldings, rising to a lierne vault (a type of ribbed vault). The Early English Lady Chapel was remodelled between 1486 and 1492, and finally the choir was remodelled from 1500 to 1528, with a wooden vault and carved bosses.

Noteworthy features of the choir are the altar screen, the carved stalls, and chests containing the bones of Saxon kings. There are several chantry chapels, including those of William of Wykeham, Cardinal Beaufort, and Bishop Waynflete. Among kings of England crowned or recrowned at Winchester were William the Conqueror, and Richard I after his return from captivity. Here also Queen Mary was married to Philip II of Spain.

Izaak Walton and Jane Austen are buried in the cathedral.