♱let's explore Winchester, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@clowderlibrary]

Hi Friends!! I am so floored by the positive responses that I've had on my videos 🥹--we are close to 500 subscribers, which means soon the community tab will be open 🎉 !! Thank you all so much for your kind words and the many suggestions of things I should do! I'm taking notes and my bucket list is getting long ✍️

[@phoenix-xu9xj]

I can’t believe how quiet it was. So few people , a dream when visiting something like that. Windsor is usually crammed .

[@michaelrush6083]

You look so happy . The place is gorgeous

[@paulbreen8533]

Winchester is awesome, I'm going back there again the day after tomorrow. For literature fans, it's part of Hardy Country and the Butter Cross on the High Street is mentioned in Tess of the D'Urbervilles.

[@davidstuckey2546]

Spent many years living and working in Winchester. Great memories. Great city. Great cathedral.

[@grahamstubbs4962]

Those chalk streams around Hampshire are unbelievably clear. Clear and pure enough to grow wasabi.

[@clowderlibrary]

Looking at it made me instantly thirsty because it looked so good lol

[@archiebald4717]

@@clowderlibrary A great deal of watercress is grown in those streams. The railway, still runs steam engines and is now a society run heritage line, is named The Watercress Line.

[@lawrenceglaister4364]

​@@clowderlibrary , the chalk filters the water hence they are so clear and it's why you can grow water cress in them , apparently England has about 80% of the worlds chalk streams and it's a constant battle to keep them clear of weeds etc and pollution from farms and surage treatment plants

[@grahambaker9377]

really interesting and well made video

[@rebekahknight6036]

We were there this weekend it was beautiful

[@alisonallen8658]

I had a simlar experience at Wells cathedral (Hot Fuzz was filmed at Wells)! in the evening with the organanist was practsing!

[@downsman1]

I hope you enjoyed your visit to Englands Saxon capital. It was originally called Witancaestre (the Witan was the Kings council, caestre because it was a Roman fortress, castrum).

[@catt8001]

Thank you very much for this video! I've never been to GB before. But now I am sure that if I travel, I' ll go to this marvelous city.😍

[@neilboulton9813]

Glad you had an enjoyable visit to my birthplace and the fabulous cathedral! Great filming and editing and a fun nerd related lunch. There is much to see and also on a summers day fantastic walks along the Itchen and to the Bishops Palace and the beautiful Hospital of St Cross. Winchester School is one of the oldest and most venerable private schools in the country, and I believe you can tour it outside term time in the summer. I would highly recommend Cheltenham literary festival as well as Hay, which are both nice places to visit.

[@clowderlibrary]

Thank you so much for the suggestions!!! I can’t wait to visit Winchester again!

[@_ca19]

Hello my friends, good morning, I have come to support you, I hope your channel grows quickly. Greetings from new followers, I wish you success in your work ❤️

[@WVHSFootball]

Thanks Irvin!

[@davegreenwood1663]

Love the video .So much work put into it .Thanks

[@clowderlibrary]

Thank you!!

[@denisrobertmay875]

In commenting on the clear waters of the Itchen (which are home to Watercress Beds and the preserved railway The Watercress Line) the wealth of Winchester (and Salisbury and many other places) which built the Cathedral was built on the Wool Trade. Medieval Winchester would have had a stinking pollution problem with the Fulling mills, bleaching and dyeing of wool as well as Tanneries.

[@keithlillis7962]

How about taking a trip up North to York, (capital of Yorkshire). York Minster can rival Winchester Cathedral. And there are lots of book shops in York. Check out 'The Shambles'. Also the Romans and Vikings settled there.

[@decimustv4257]

Important and infamous battles took place in Westminster during the medieval period.

[@richardhuddart7185]

Just found your videos.Can I compliment you on the beautifully styled and filmed quality of your work. Really excellently done!! If you get a chance try to see Durham Cathedral and castle, a World Heritage Site.Best wishes and thanks for your videos.

[@clowderlibrary]

Thank you 😊

[@martinswiers6653]

When using the train get tickets in advance through raileasy or the trainline. Cheaper than buying at the station

[@clowderlibrary]

Yup! We also have a “two together” rail pass!

[@andyonions7864]

You have to venture further north. Hay on Wye must be 'to die for' as a bookworm.

[@johnboy2562]

If you're someone who reads books only once, a cheaper option is to go into charity shops, they all have a varied selection, usually costing not much more than £1.50 for a paperback. Some of them even go to the trouble of categorising their stock. Plus you're giving to a good cause. I never walk past a charity shop without going in, it's always worth a try.📚

[@clowderlibrary]

There’s some UK covers I want and books friends want me to buy for them but 8/10 times I buy used books, borrow from a library, or read digitally

[@richardbrown8966]

@@clowderlibrary I've watched a few videos comparing US and UK book covers and the UK covers seem to be slightly better. Do you have an opinion on this?

[@clowderlibrary]

@@richardbrown8966 I like UK covers a lot more. Sometimes even titles of books are different. Most of my collection of books back in the states are UK covers 😅

[@richardbrown8966]

@@clowderlibrary Maybe you could do a comparison video.

[@laninepomuceno6774]

God bless us I want to travel around the world together my family, friends and relatives. In God all things are possible po. Thanks po. From Lani D. Nepomuceno, Philippines

[@wellum1959]

Only just subscribed and seen you've been to Salisbury and Winchester, both are city's I enjoy. I also think that Hereford Cathedral with the Mappa Mundi and the chained library might be of interest to you.

[@nebulacoffee]

Loved this video! Piecaramba is so fun! Josie's on Jewry street does an amazing brunch for not too expensive (I'd recommend the breakfast burrito and tater tots) and Hoxton Bakehouse on the same street does amazing sourdough. The Old Gaol across the road from them is a Wetherspoons so also good for a cheap and cheerful meal (Winch can be sooooo expensive). Coffee Lab is also good for drinks. Did you check out the Deanery Bookstall at the back of the Cathedral? The arch above Kingsgate Books has a little chapel hidden inside which is quite cool to see. Down the road from P&G Wells is Wolvesey Castle which is free to visit. Not sure if you mentioned this but the house where Jane Austen died is right next to P&G Wells. The water meadows and St Catherine's hill are near the centre and popular spots for a walk. Looking forward to seeing more of your travels! ☺️💗

[@clowderlibrary]

Ahhh!! Thank you so much for the recommendations!!! I can’t wait to plan another trip to Winchester!! Finding affordable food was definitely the most challenging thing so thank you so much for the suggestions!

[@johncarmichael372]

There is a temptation to ask if your time in England is going well...but your videos are so happy, the answer seems obvious. Long may it continue! A book suggestion seems appropriate so I'll go with: The Magus by John Fowles :)

[@lemming9984]

I read that many years ago. I can't remember the plot at all, but I remember I enjoyed it immensely.

[@johncarmichael372]

The plot is so convoluted it's no surprise you don't remember it :)

[@richardcook9794]

Have you seen Magna Carter in sailbury it was the template for the declaration of independence and your rule of law, also on the way back from Winchester to Salisbury just after the change at basingstoke and just before the first station you past where Jane was born and raised... Talking of that first station once throught it to the right is the actual route the rabbits took in another UK literary classic Watership down

[@clowderlibrary]

I’ve seen the magma carta! I’ve never read Watership Down but it’s on my reading list!

[@plong6246]

Another very enjoyable vlog - thank you. Now you've been to both Southampton and Winchester did you know that there's a great walk between the two? It's along the Itchen Navigation Canal and is around 12 miles long I think (I haven't done it for a while). I'm from Southampton myself - did you know Jane Austen lived there quite a while, just round the corner from the Tudor house you saw? BTW I'm the guy who recommended you read the wonderful book "Sarum" to get the most out of your time in Salisbury - it's long, but a very entertaining read.

[@clowderlibrary]

I download a copy of Sarum on my iPad!! Going to start reading it soon!!

[@plong6246]

@@clowderlibrary Wow, I'm very impressed!!! From your vlogs, I'd guess that you'd rather read about people, their stories and relationships rather than impersonal subjects - "Sarum" won't disappoint you there. It's about several local families - rich/poor, good/bad - and their relationships across centuries and millennia, set against a backdrop of real local and national history. Rutherfurd writes somewhat in the style of your own country's James A. Michener. Michener's book "Centennial" got me absolutely fascinated in the history of Colorado/Wyoming and the early american settlers there, and it motivated me to explore that region and travel the whole of the California emigrant trail eventually. Incidentally, that weird pattern on the ground you saw in Southampton is an example of a mizmaze which is a kind of medieval labyrinth used for prayer and contemplation while crawling along it. There are only 8 real, ancient ones in the country and one (around 800 years old) is just south of Salisbury at Breamore. 3 guesses in what book you can read about a mizmaze near Salisbury...

[@stirlingmoss4621]

the Round Table..? It's a giant darts board..!

[@clowderlibrary]

I thought the same thing 😂

[@stirlingmoss4621]

@@clowderlibrary I love your channel 😍

[@leonardpierce7276]

The oldest pub near me The Royal Standard of England at Forte Green can trace its history back 900 years but the oldest in the UK is supposed to be the Ye old fighting cocks dating back to 793 but it is now closed.

[@clowderlibrary]

Why did it close?? Seems like a piece of history they'd want to keep open

[@leonardpierce7276]

Closed during COVID lock down. Hopefully someone will take it on soon

[@cdkmonkey2699]

For refurbishment

[@raiskis1]

Alfred the Great, anyone?

[@WVHSFootball]

He was that cool dude from Vikings on Amazon Prime, or the Last Kingdom on Netflix right? Hah, just kidding. Yeah, we made a mistake by not checking out his statue. That was my fault, I am more of the history buff than Abbie is, and at the time I wasn't too aware of what Winchester was most know for. We will need to go back :)

[@tonyrantnrave6854]

Morning, you do know if you don't go north you will turn to stone that's a fact and north means north of the Mersey hope get up north soon, so you don't turn to stone

[@clowderlibrary]

😂 I’ve got plans to go up north!

[@terry9325]

Its pretty , is that all you can say about those beautiful Cathedrals you might as well say it’s “ok “or it’s “not bad “ .come on Jeff you can do better than that .

[@WVHSFootball]

You are 100% right! My head exploded after using a big word like "aesthetically". I definitely did not give them their due as far as how beautiful they are. I am a big fan of the cathedral cities and we want to see as many as we can. To clarify, I was trying to say that of all of the cathedrals I have been to so far, I felt that Salisbury was the most beautiful. However, the other cathedrals such as Winchester are also very beautiful. Additionally, Winchester has history that I am more interested in (William the Conqueror, The Great Hall with the fabled round table, etc.). I am a nerd when it comes to knights, medieval warfare, machinery, etc. so I found Winchester as a whole to be one of my favorite cities so far.

[@terry9325]

@@WVHSFootball Jeff you should go to Leeds Armoury in the North of England ,that place will certainly blow your mind with weapons and armour going back to the Middle Ages .plus it’s about an hour away from York .

[@WVHSFootball]

​@@terry9325 Thanks for the recommendation! We plan on heading north in the next 3 weeks or so when Abbie's brother comes to visit from the States. He is going to take care of Ted (our cat) so we can venture out further. Currently we are limited only to day trips. I am really looking forward to checking out Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, and the smaller cities like York and Scarborough on the coast. If you have any other recommendations for armories, or weaponry collections/machinery, please let me know! Side note: you may already be a subscriber to these 2 channels, but if not, you might like them: 1) Modern History TV with Jason Kingsley OBE. An English video game developer located in the Oxford area and a modern knight. His videos are amazing: kzbin.info 2) Bjorn Andreas Bull-Hansen's channel, the Viking Bushcrafter: kzbin.info He's a Nordic dude that is essentially a modern day viking. He covers a range of topics about current events, but he also has some really cool videos about making viking weaponry (for example: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJnOmJqEod9-Y7s) Lastly, since you mentioned the north, I am hoping we can stop by the smaller town of Bakewell. I want to check out All Saints Church and maybe meet John Butler, who has a really mellow channel about spirituality that I find interesting: kzbin.info Have a good one!

[@terry9325]

Bakewell as a very good cycle trail called the Monsal trail it used to be an old railway line it covers some spectacular scenery while going through some long tunnels and over bridges it’s about 8.5 miles long ,you could walk it or hire bikes at Hassop Station just north of Bakewell ,we have done this ride many times and never get fed up with it .

[@WVHSFootball]

@@terry9325 This is why I love the comment section. Excellent suggestions that we never would've known about :) A bike ride is definitely something I am always down for. Maybe I can convince Abbie to ride on a tandem bike. I'll let her pedal while I enjoy the scenery!

[@excession3076]

You went to Winchester and didn't mention Alfred the Great, (or even look at his statue)? Shame on you. There wouldn't be an "England" without him. And he was a scholar, check out the "Alfred Jewel". Seriously, how can you not know about the significance of Alfred?

[@clowderlibrary]

…I’m an American. I don’t know how you expect me to know every bit of British history

[@WVHSFootball]

This is more my fault then any. I am aware of Alfred from (don't laugh) watching Vikings and The Last Kingdom on Netflix. Things like this are much more interesting to me than Abbie I think. I may have to go back to Winchester and see what we missed !