Once again we were blessed with fine weather as we followed a packed programme of visits to sites in and around Winchester ranging in date from Roman through medieval to the 19th century.

We drove first to the Hospital of St Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty, founded between 1133 and 1136 by Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester and grandson of William the Conqueror. The Hospital is oldest continuing almshouse in England and, according to its charter, was originally established to care for 13 poor men and to feed one hundred other poor persons each day. It still provides lodging for 25 Brothers, drawn from all walks of life and parts of the country, who still wear the traditional gown dating back to the Knights Hospitallers, who managed the Hospital during the latter part of the 12th century.
We were met by two entertaining and informative guides (a Brother and a City Guide), who explained the history and architecture of the site, including the magnificent Transitional Norman church; the Beaufort Tower and Hall of the Brethren, both built in the 15th century; the Tudor ambulatory and Georgian kitchens.

The formal gardens, including the Compton Garden, commemorating Henry Compton, Master of St Cross 1667-75 and later Bishop of London, contributed to the tranquillity of the site.

After refreshments served from the 14th century Hundred Mens Hall, we were free to stroll through the meadows of the River Itchen or take the coach into Winchester to explore the city before gathering at the City Mill for a talk and demonstration by National Trust volunteers. Milling is known to have been carried out on this site on the River Itchen since Saxon times.

The Domesday Book records the mill in the ownership of the Benedictine nunnery of Wherwell but its current name dates from 1554 when the mill was gifted to the city by Mary Tudor partly to offset the cost of her wedding in Winchester Cathedral to Philip II of Spain.

Since its prosperous beginnings the mill suffered long periods of neglect and dereliction until it was rebuilt in its present form in 1743. It operated profitably throughout the 19th century until competition from new milling techniques forced its closure in the early 1900s. After a major restoration programme, the mill started operating again in 2004, producing high quality flour which is much in demand.

After tea at the Guildhall we drove to Silchester, where the 12th century church of St Mary the Virgin stands within the surviving walls of the Roman town Calleva Atrebatum, previously the centre of the Iron Age kingdom of the Atrebates. The church has been modified frequently over the centuries to reflect different styles of architecture and patterns of worship, and we were able to admire the recently exposed 13th century painted decoration on the chancel walls. A quick dash across the road to the remains of the Roman amphitheatre concluded a fascinating and enjoyable day.

Yvonne Masson