17 Things To Do In
The Rain In Winchester
Architecture
This amazing piece of architecture and history is a great activity for a rainy day. The Great Hall, “one of the finest surviving aisled halls of the 13th century”, contains the greatest symbol of medieval mythology, King Arthur’s Round Table, and is all that now remains of Winchester Castle. Free admission and guided tours available on request. The castle is open all year round.
A walk round the Cathedral takes you through centuries of English church architecture, from the massive vaults of its early Norman crypt to the ornate glories of its Renaissance chantry chapels. It’s also home to some great works of art, including paintings, sculptures and carvings.
Winchester City Mill has stood at the heart of the historic city of Winchester – the capital of Kind Alfred’s Wessex - since Saxon times. With a history of over 1000 years, Winchester City Mill is also the oldest working watermill in the country.
Kids
An exciting family destination, Winchester Science Centre is the South of England's interactive science and technology centre with the largest standalone planetarium in the UK. Open 7 days a week, we provide exciting, hands-on science experiences to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation of great scientists!
The Adventure Barn is a brilliant indoor adventure playground where your children can play safely and securely whatever the weather. Part of Marwell Outdoor Activity Centre, they also offer a range of outdoor activities , offer great parties for children of all ages. The Adventure Barn also have an on-site bistro and host all kinds of events all year round.
Everyman creates a warm and friendly atmosphere, with an excellent food and drink selection and fantastic customer service. With a wide array of mainstream, independent and classic films, special events, launches and a diverse calendar of live satellite broadcasts, there is something for everyone at Everyman.
Arts
The Theatre is a beautiful 400 seat venue, rich in history but fully attuned to the 21st century presenting a dynamic programme of the highest quality drama, music, dance, comedy, children’s theatre and pantomime. Situated at the cultural heart of the city of Winchester we are committed to bringing our audiences the best work, as well as supporting artists and performers.
The Colour Factory is a wonderful hub of creativity now in its 24th year with a vibrant programme of art courses run by the resident artists. A unique and inspiring environment which was formerly the old park keeper’s house next to River Park Leisure Centre. The Colour Factory Studios sits in an idyllic secluded setting with a beautiful beach garden and classroom within the city centre and only minutes away from the train station. Along with the artists’ studios you will find a wonderful shop and gallery selling original works of art that are definitely “not on the high street”.
The Arc is the place to come together to experience arts, reading and community under one roof, in the heart of Winchester. From live music, comedy and family theatre shows, to high-quality art exhibitions and classes for all ages, The Arc is taking forward the venue's rich history as a live-performance venue and is also home to one of Hampshire's most popular libraries, Winchester Library.
The Arc's new digital lab features state-of-the-art iMacs and offers introductory and advanced digital classes for all ages. The updated café has a new menu offering light meals and refreshments throughout the day, while products to accompany our programme of world-class exhibitions are available to browse and buy in The Arc's shop.
Quirky
Cabinet Rooms was founded by Gary and Marcus in 2014 as a way to share their passion for learning more about the food and drink they enjoy. The pair are behind events both large and small, from Winchester Cocktail Week and the Ginchester Fête to cocktail workshops for small, private groups. Visit the Cabinet Rooms for jazz nights, film clubs and other quirky events, great for a drizzly evening out.
ClueCapers offers challenging, fun escape room gameswith lots of unique puzzling conundrums! Organise yourself in to teams of two to six to take on missions requiring keen observation skills, lateral thinking and problem solving. The twist is that you have just seventy-five minutes to achieve your goal and escape from the room.
The Railway Inn is the longest established and only dedicated Live Music venue in Winchester, Hampshire. Dating back to 1856 as a public house, The Railway Inn is a blend of traditional bar and a music venue/arts centre. They provide some of the finest live entertainment in the south of England hosting well known artists including Beans on Toast and The Sound of Sirens.
If you're not afraid of some rain and want to truly embrace the wet weather then book in a 3.5 hour session tank driving! Juniper Leisure offer their customers the excitement and experience of driving a range of tanks and ex-military / heavy plant vehicles round a dedicated marsh track.
History
Located in the heart of the historic city of Winchester, City Museum tells the story of England’s ancient capital, the seat of Alfred the Great. From its origins as an Iron Age trading centre to Anglo‑Saxon glory, the last journey of Jane Austen to the hunt for King Alfred’s remains, explore the sights and sounds of Winchester past and present in the museum’s three galleries.
Situated on the historic site of Peninsula Barracks, next to the Great Hall, no visit to Winchester would be complete without visiting Winchester's Military Museums. A unique site with six military museums, there is plenty to see and do and with the delightful Copper Joe's Café located on-site, this is the perfect day out for a rainy day.
Situated adjacent to Winchester’s Great Hall and within easy walking distance of the City centre, The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum, opened in 1989, is one of the best regimental museums in the Country. It is also one of Winchester’s five military museums. Visited by thousands every year, the Museum records, visually, graphically and entertainingly, the history of The Royal Green Jackets and their predecessors who were three of the finest and most famous regiments in the British Army.
The Gurkha Museum takes you on a journey through Gurkha history, beginning with their origins in Nepal and the moment in 1815 when Gurkhas were first enlisted to fight for Britain. The extraordinary stories on display and housed in our archives cover not only the battles and campaigns but the culture and religion of the homeland of this unique fighting force. We see them locked in battle with mutinous sepoys in 1857, then standing guard in India’s North West and North East frontiers before being sent half a world away to the trenches of the Western Front in 1914 and The Falkland Islands in the early 1980s.
The Gurkha Museum aims to honour and promote the heritage and culture of the Gurkha Soldier and his continuing service to Britain.
