Winchester and its Setting
The Setting inside the City
The value of the landscape setting is not just confined to the outside view of Winchester. It also has a value when moving through the City and from many vantage points, emphasizing the close link between town and country and also the compact urban area, which at its centre from east to west is only two miles wide. Approaching the city centre on the radial roads from the west, the countryside to the east can be viewed from the Stockbridge and Romsey Roads, which gives emphasis to the compactness of the City. Unlike many comparable towns, the approaches to Winchester are not spoiled by unsightly sprawling development.
Stockbridge Road
Romsey Road
The approaches from the west, and to a slightly lesser extent the north and south, cross a clearly defined division between town and country while those in the east along Easton Lane and NBar End exhibit the first stages of sprawl.
Easton Lane
Bar End
Within the City there are many fine views that reinforce the close links between town and country. From Stanmore and St James’s Lane in particular, there are extensive views to the east of the National Park and St Catherine’s Hill.
Stanmore
Oram's Arbour
In addition to the view of St Giles Hill from the High Street, there are views of the wider countryside to the east from the area around the Castle and the Law Courts and from Oram’s Arbour.
High Street and St Giles Hill
View from the Law Court