Winchester Collections

We welcomed thousands of visitors over the summer and we asked each visitor to tell us: 'What does Jane Austen mean to you?' Here are just some of the wonderful responses we received.

We had a great time welcoming pupils from All Saints Primary School to Treasury again recently as part of @kidsinmuseums 'Takeover Day'! The pupils set up an exhibition of their drawings of our objects, before guiding visitors around the exhibition during our afternoon opening.

Welcome back to our #ObjectOfTheWeek series! This richly illuminated manuscript is a Book of Hours, a liturgical book that contains prayers to the Virgin Mary to be recited at certain times of day. It dates from c. 1455–85 and was donated to us in 1906. winchestercollections.co.uk/collection/hou…

To kick off our new #ObjectOfTheWeek series, we're starting with our set of Parthenon frieze casts. Made in the late 19th century, these casts are of reliefs from the frieze of the Parthenon in Athens, c. 443-437 BC. Find out more: winchestercollegeheritage.org/news/uncategor… @WinCollMuseums

#OTD in 1875, the wife of Captain George Strong Nares attended one of our Natural History Society meetings and exhibited some specimens obtained from her husband's exploration of the deep sea on HMS Challenger - including possibly some from this box.

Our Monthly Treasures tours include a visit to the Fellows’ Library, our collection of rare books and manuscripts. Currently on display are some recent acquisitions, including this Persian miniature from a manuscript of the ‘Khamsa’ of Nizami, made in Shiraz in about 1520.

Our Archives tours allow a rare opportunity to view two medieval rooms at the College which house the school’s Archives. Uniquely, our Archives are still stored in the medieval rooms that were built for this purpose in the 14th century. Find out more: winchestercollegeheritage.org/whats-on/archi…

We are lucky to have many historic paintings of Winchester in our collections. This watercolour of St Catherine's Hill was painted by Albert Goodwin (1845-1932) in 1874. You can our artwork collection online here: winchestercollections.co.uk/?collection_ca…

Winchester College is an architectural treasure-trove, with dozens of listed buildings on campus. Our monthly Treasures Tours examine some of the highlights, including buildings in the Perpendicular, English Baroque & Gothic Revival styles. Find out more: winchestercollegeheritage.org/whats-on

Today is the anniversary of the Crown Licence issued by Richard II to William of Wykeham, permitting him to found Winchester College. Here is the License itself, its seal, and Richard II as depicted in our stained glass in Chapel.

Cosy season has arrived... who else is suddenly finding lots of spiders in their home? This page is taken from a Notions Book compiled by one of our pupils in about 1857, which now belongs to our College Archives.

This Saturday 13 September, join us for some FREE, sustainable, family-friendly crafts including zebra bookmarks, monkey masks and origami boxes, as well as an interactive science activity tent! We'll be open from 2-4pm as part of our @WinchesterHods programme.

As memories of summer holidays begin to fade, this watercolour of Venice may lift the spirits. Painted by Hercules Brabazon Brabazon (1821-1906), it narrowly escaped destruction in the Second World War. It is one of over 500 watercolours in the College’s collection.

#OnThisDay, the painter and printmaker Christopher Nevinson (1889-1946) was born. He was one of the best-known war artists of WWI and painted ‘Twilight’, shown here, in 1916. Twilight now hangs in our picture gallery, where it can be seen on our monthly Treasures Tours.

In the late 19th century, plaster and terracotta casts of Classical and Renaissance sculpture were popular additions to the collections of museums, universities and schools. Our collection includes this terracotta copy of Donatello’s David. Find out more: winchestercollections.co.uk/collection/aft…

This watercolour of Winchester Cathedral, painted in c. 1802 by James Cave, is currently on display in Treasury as part of our free JA250 exhibition. It is one of many watercolours @WinCollMuseums that depicts Winchester and the local area over the years.

This is Henry Austen's manuscript draft of the text for the ledger stone of Jane Austen's grave in Winchester Cathedral. It is currently on display in our Treasury museum, as part of our free JA250 exhibition, open everyday from 2-4pm. Find out more: winchestercollege.org/visit-us

This tapestry, probably made in Tournai c. 1475, depicts a scene from the Old Testament story of David and Abigail. It is one of two large fragments owned by the College and both are included on our monthly Treasures Tours. Find out more: winchestercollections.co.uk/collection/tap…

The Winchester College Archives has four Anglo-Saxon Saxon charters, including this 1019 charter from King Cnut concerning a grant of lands in Drayton, Hampshire, to New Minster in Winchester. You can explore our Archives on guided tours. Find out more: trybooking.com/uk/EIHM

Celebrating the 250th anniversary year of Jane Austen’s birth, our current Treasury museum exhibition explores the relationship between Austen and Winchester College, where eight of her nephews were educated. Entry is free and the museum is open everyday from 2-4pm.