The Great Hall of Winchester Castle, Winchester (must see)

Winchester Castle stands as a significant medieval structure in Winchester, built in 1067. For over a century, it served as the administrative center for the Norman Kings. Henry II notably constructed a stone keep, used to house the royal treasury and the famed Domesday Book. A round tower from the original castle remains visible, equipped with sally ports.

The castle played a pivotal role during The Anarchy in 1141 when forces of the Empress Matilda were besieged by King Stephen's army at the castle, known as the Rout of Winchester. Henry III, who was born within Winchester Castle, contributed the impressive Great Hall between 1222 and 1235. The Great Hall, designed as a "double cube," measures 110 feet by 55 feet, built primarily of flint with stone dressings.

Adding to its heritage, Edward II incorporated extensions to the castle. The Great Hall itself is listed as a Grade I building. Behind the Great Hall, Queen Eleanor's Garden, designed in medieval style, was established in 1986.

The castle's Great Hall features the legendary Arthurian Round Table, originally crafted in the 13th century and later repainted for Henry VIII. This round table once displayed the names of King Arthur's knights. Hanging in the Great Hall, the Winchester Panels, painted in a monastic style, depict the 25 knights of the Round Table, portraying the challenges faced in the great "Wheel of Life."

Interestingly, the Great Hall served as the venue for the trial and conviction of six Provisional IRA members in 1973 for the Old Bailey bombing. However, it ceased to hold criminal trials after the Winchester Law Courts were erected in 1974, situated nearby to the east of the Great Hall. The castle is also close to the Westgate, which remains part of the surviving city wall, further enriching Winchester's historical landscape.