Middle Ages
In 1066 the Normans invaded and William The Conqueror was crowned King. This was the last time in English history that an invading army would succeed.
One thing the Normans liked to do was build, and in 1079, construction of the present day cathedral was begun. In 1086 the Domesday Book was compiled in Winchester.
It was during this time that the shift of power from Winchester to London occured. The Normans saw Winchester as a symbol of England's Saxon past, a past that they were keen to wipe out, however, two castles were constructed in Winchester, one for the Bishop (called 'Wolvesey Castle') and one for the King.
The King’s Castle
The King's castle was built in 1067 by William the Conquerer, and held the Domesday Book. It was held by the Empress Matilda when attacked by King Stephen - Matilda is said to have escaped by pretending to be a corpse in a coffin. It was Henry II's favourite castle, and Richard I held his second coronation here. In 1207, Henry III was born in the castle. In 1216, Prince Louis easily captured the castle, after which it was extensively fortified. In 1486, Henry VII's son Arthur was born at Winchester Castle, and in 1603 it was there that Sir Walter Raleigh was sentenced to death. It was a Royalist castle in the Civil War, and was captured by Parliament and slighted. Sir Christopher Wren started to rebuild it as a palace for King Charles II, but this was not finished. Only the hall, one of the finest Medieval halls in England, remains.
Wolvesey Castle
The other castle of Winchester, Wolvesey Castle, was built in 1110 by Henry of Blois, King Stephen's brother and Bishop of Winchester. The keep was built in 1138. It was destroyed when Henry II ascended to the throne, but was rebuilt by 1171 as a palace. The keep and north end of the hall survive to this day.
After Winchester's flourish as England centre, the town began to decline, although it still earned a high status in the medieval period most notably as one of the largest and most powerful bishoprics in the Church of England. Winchester reached the bottom of its decline in the early 17th century. There is much documentary evidence to suggest this decline with several local letters attributing this to a wide variety of factors from the decline in the price of agricultural commodities to an act of God. Winchester's plight was further exacerbated during the English Civil War (1642-1649) when the town faced many occupations and sieges and had many buildings destroyed.
Some important events in Winchester:
1137 Bishop Henri de Blois founds Hospital of St Cross.
1160 Illuminated Winchester Bible created.
1222 King Henry III (often Henry of Winchester) born at Castle, baptised in Cathedral.
1348 Black Death kills half of Winchester's population.
1382 Bishop William of Wykeham founds Winchester College.
The Tudors and The Reformation
The reformation in England was begun by Henry VIII and had a profound effect on Winchester. The 3 monasteries within the city were dissolved and the king's henchmen destroyed St Swithun's shrine in the cathedral. When Henry died, his daughter, Queen Mary, succeeded to the throne. She was a devote catholic and immediately began to reverse the changes her father had wrought on the chruch. In 1554, Queen Mary married Prince Philip of Spain in Winchester Cathedral.