Winchester College
This prestigious "public" (meaning private) school—Britain's oldest in continuous operation, with several buildings still in use after six centuries—was founded in 1382 by Bishop William of Wykeham, whose alabaster tomb sits in a chapel dedicated to him in Winchester Cathedral. The wooden ceiling of the school's 14th-century chapel is notable for its delicate fan vaulting. The boys wearing monk-style cassocks are "scholars"—students holding academic scholarships. The campus can only be visited by one-hour afternoon tours that take in the Museum, the Treasury, the medieval Chamber Court, the Chapel, the College Hall, Cloisters, and the 17th Century School building; college events can cause cancellations, so call ahead. In 2025, the college will open 8 College Street, the house in which Jane Austen died, and host an exhibition about the writer and Winchester. The house will be open Wednesdays and Saturdays June through August; tickets must be prebooked on the website.
