19 December, 2012 - 22 December, 2012
Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire

A selection of Christmas carols and music are sung by Winchester's famous boy and girl choristers, at 1pm.

Winchester Cathedral dates back to the 7th century when a church was first built on the site. The Cathedral itself dates back to 1079 when it was begun in Romanesque style. Winchester's diocese lay at the heart of King Alfred's Wessex, and its bishops were enormously wealthy and influential. The Chantry chapels and memorials of these prelates are a major feature of the cathedral. The most notable are dedicated to William of Edington  and William of Wykeham - there are six in all.

Winchester was a popular destination for many Medieval pilgrims, many of whom came to the shrine of St Swithun, who has entered English weather lore (if it rains on St Swithun's Day, 15 July, it is said it will rain for the next 40 days).

Christmas is a big festival at Winchester Cathedral, which lies at the heart of this picturesque Hampshire city. As well as the attractions of the cathedral itself, and the sublime music of the cathedral choirs, there is also a Christmas market and temporary ice rink within the cathedral close.

Carols dominate the cathedral from 19-22 December, with cathedral carol services at 6.20 pm on 19th, 20th and 22nd December, and - at 1pm on Friday 21st - Benjamin Britten's A Ceremony of Carols.

2012 dates are provisional.

http://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk

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