WINCHESTER. iXV. 



trees. This is said to be the scene of the familiar picture 

 " To-morrow will be Friday." 



WOLVESEY CASTLE. 



At St. Cross the party were joined by Mr. Norman Nisbett, 

 the architect to the Dean and Chapter of Winchester Cathe- 

 dral, who led them by the beautiful riverside walk through 

 the watermeads by the Itchen to the ruins of Wolvesey Castle, 

 the scene of the Winchester Pageant. 



The Bishop of Winchester had the responsibility of guarding that 

 part of the city, and for this purpose the castle was rebuilt by Henry 

 of Biois, when he was appointed bishop by Henry I. in 1129. The 

 new Bishop knew that his brother Stephen was likely to become one 

 of the candidates for the throne before very long, and, not being satis- 

 fied with the buildings which he found there, he immediately turned 

 his attention to strengthening them. The castle stood on what was 

 originally a Roman site, as was proved by the finding not only of coins, 

 but also of tesselated pavement ; and the Kings of Wessex afterwards 

 lived there. Mr. Nisbett indicated clearly the lie of the Norman 

 castle hall, which, long and narrow, measured 130 feet by 29. Wolvesey 

 Palace, hard by, was built in 1607, largely out of the ruins of the 

 Castle. It was formerly used as the Bishop's Palace, and now as a 

 Diocesan Church House. 



THE CITY CROSS. 



On the way back to the hotel Mr. Nisbett said a few words 

 about the lofty and dignified City Cross, where originally 

 butter was sold. Forty-three feet high from the base to the 

 crocketed finial, it was erected in the reign of Henry VI., 

 probably by the great Cardinal Beaufort, and on the site of 

 an earlier market cross. The cross, which has become decayed 

 and defective, was restored in 1885 by Sir Gilbert Scott. The 

 four full-length figures occupying the niches are those of 

 Alfred the Great, Laurence de Anne, mayor of Winchester, 

 William of Wykeham, holding the book of statutes of his 

 college and also the pastoral staff, and St. John the Evangelist. 

 This last is the only old figure remaining. 



