Old Minster, Winchester facts for kids
The Old Minster was an important church in Winchester, England. It was the main church, or cathedral, for the region from about 660 to 1093. It was built by the Anglo-Saxons, who lived in England a long time ago. Today, its old spot is right next to, and partly under, the famous Winchester Cathedral.
Historians believe the Old Minster was built around 660 AD. It became the main church for the first bishop of Winchester, Bishop Wine. Over many years, the church grew bigger and was decorated. A famous person named Saint Swithun was buried outside it in 862. By the 900s, the Minster was the church for St. Swithun's Priory. This was a group of monks who followed the rules of St Benedict.
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A Busy Place
In 901, another church, the New Minster, was built very close by. It was so close that the singing from the monks in both churches supposedly mixed together! Later, in the 970s, Saint Æthelwold of Winchester and Saint Alphege rebuilt the Old Minster. They made it much larger during a time of big changes for monasteries.
The new, huge church was officially opened in 980 and again in 993. It had a tall central tower and different sections called aisles. It also had a special underground room called a crypt. Saint Swithun's body was moved inside the church to a special shrine. At this time, the Old Minster was one of the biggest churches in Europe!
The End of the Old Minster
After the Norman conquest of England in 1066, a new bishop named Walkelin decided to build a new cathedral. This new building was constructed right next to the Old Minster. Because of this, the Old Minster was taken down in 1093.
Many kings of Wessex and England had been buried in the Old Minster. This included Egbert, who was king from 802 to 839. Many bishops were also buried there. Their bodies were carefully dug up and moved to the new cathedral.
Discovering the Past
The site of the Old Minster was dug up by archaeologists in the 1960s. Today, you can see the outline of the old building marked with bricks in the churchyard. This is right next to Winchester Cathedral. The first burial spot of Saint Swithun is also clearly marked.
Things found during the digging can be seen at the Winchester City Museum. The bones of the kings and queens that were moved to the cathedral are now kept in special chests. These chests are located around the choir area of the new Winchester Cathedral.
Important Moments at the Old Minster
The Old Minster was the site of several key historical events:
- The signing of the Regularis Concordia by King Edgar the Peaceable (973). This was an important set of rules for monks in England.
- The coronation of Edward the Confessor (1043). A coronation is when a king or queen is officially crowned.
- The marriage of Edward the Confessor and Edith (1045).
- The coronation of Matilda of Flanders as queen (1068).
