St Swithun-upon-Kingsgate Church
Encyclopedia
St Swithun upon Kingsgate is an Anglican parish church in Winchester
, Hampshire
, England, built in the Middle Ages
in the Early English style. Located above the medieval Kingsgate
, one of the principal entrances to the city, the church is unusual in forming a part of the fabric of the old city walls. St Swithun's first appears in 13th century records and achieved some literary fame, under the fictional name of St Cuthberts, in Anthony Trollope
's novel The Warden
.
St Swithun was an Anglo Saxon saint, born in Winchester and in 852 becoming the 19th bishop of the city. He died in 862 when King Alfred the Great was still a young man. It is possible that St Swithun was tutor to the young king, and accompanied him on a pilgrimage to Rome
.
According to legend, St Swithun has a special association with the English weather, a legend which dates from July 971 when the bones of the saint were moved from outside the old Saxon cathedral and brought inside the building, apparently causing a great thunderstorm:
St Swithan's Day is celebrated on July 15th.
was destroyed, and in 1539 the monastery
was dissolved. St Swithun upon Kingsgate became a parish church. The East wall niche, which today lies empty, most likely once held a statue of St Swithun, which was probably destroyed at this time.
By the 17th century the church had fallen into disrepair, and had become home to one Robert Allen, the porter of Kings Gate, and his wife, "who did and doth keep swine at ye ende of the Chapell" . The situation was improved around 1660 when the church was restored, its bells re-hung in 1677. It has remained a place of worship since that time.
's novel The Warden, in which Warden Harding is appointed Rector of St Cuthberts' (a thinly disguised St Swithun's), after he has resigned from Hiram's hospital (most likely based upon the Hospital of St Cross
). Writing in the 1850's, Trollope describes the church, in Chapter 21, as follows:
, which were brought in 1961 from St Peter's Chesil. Entry to the church is via a narrow staircase, dating from the 1500s, accessible from the close.
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England, built in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
in the Early English style. Located above the medieval Kingsgate
Kingsgate, Winchester
Kingsgate is one of two surviving medieval gates to the city of Winchester, England . The name was first recorded in 1148. The gate is on, or near, the site of one of the Roman gates to the city, and was the entrance to the royal palace before the Cathedral Close was enclosed in the 10th century...
, one of the principal entrances to the city, the church is unusual in forming a part of the fabric of the old city walls. St Swithun's first appears in 13th century records and achieved some literary fame, under the fictional name of St Cuthberts, in Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...
's novel The Warden
The Warden
The Warden is the first novel in Anthony Trollope's series known as the "Chronicles of Barsetshire", published in 1855. It was his fourth novel.-Synopsis:...
.
Medieval origins
The first mention of the church is recorded in 1264, when it was apparently burned by the citizens of Winchester during a dispute with the Priory. Most likely the church served as a chapel for lay people who worked for the Abbey. In 1337 some woodwork was done on the church, costing a total of fifteen shillings, and in 1484 the windows underwent repair.St Swithun was an Anglo Saxon saint, born in Winchester and in 852 becoming the 19th bishop of the city. He died in 862 when King Alfred the Great was still a young man. It is possible that St Swithun was tutor to the young king, and accompanied him on a pilgrimage to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
According to legend, St Swithun has a special association with the English weather, a legend which dates from July 971 when the bones of the saint were moved from outside the old Saxon cathedral and brought inside the building, apparently causing a great thunderstorm:
- "On St Swithun's Day, if then dost rain,
- For forty days it will remain:
- St Swithun's Day, if then be fair,
- For forty days 'twill rain nae mair."
St Swithan's Day is celebrated on July 15th.
Reformation
In 1538 the Shrine of St Swithun in Winchester CathedralWinchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral at Winchester in Hampshire is one of the largest cathedrals in England, with the longest nave and overall length of any Gothic cathedral in Europe...
was destroyed, and in 1539 the monastery
Winchester Cathedral Priory
Winchester Cathedral Priory was a cathedral monastery attached to Winchester Cathedral, providing the clergy for the church. Cenwealh son of Cynegils is credited with constructing the Old Minster of Winchester in the 640s, and a new bishopric was created in the 660s with Wine as the first bishop...
was dissolved. St Swithun upon Kingsgate became a parish church. The East wall niche, which today lies empty, most likely once held a statue of St Swithun, which was probably destroyed at this time.
By the 17th century the church had fallen into disrepair, and had become home to one Robert Allen, the porter of Kings Gate, and his wife, "who did and doth keep swine at ye ende of the Chapell" . The situation was improved around 1660 when the church was restored, its bells re-hung in 1677. It has remained a place of worship since that time.
19th century and literary fame
St Swithuns' appears in Anthony TrollopeAnthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...
's novel The Warden, in which Warden Harding is appointed Rector of St Cuthberts' (a thinly disguised St Swithun's), after he has resigned from Hiram's hospital (most likely based upon the Hospital of St Cross
Hospital of St Cross
The Hospital of St Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty is a medieval almshouse in Winchester, England, founded between 1133 and 1136. It is the oldest charitable institution in the United Kingdom...
). Writing in the 1850's, Trollope describes the church, in Chapter 21, as follows:
- "The church is a singular little Gothic building, perched over a gateway, through which the Close is entered, and is approached by a flight of stone steps which leads down under the archway of the gate. It is no bigger than an ordinary room - perhaps twenty seven feet long by eighteen wide - but still a perfect church".
Modern era
Today the King's Gate is maintained by the City of Winchester, while the duty of maintaining the church falls upon the parish. The East window has some fragments of medieval stained glass, most likely depicting the AnnunciationAnnunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
, which were brought in 1961 from St Peter's Chesil. Entry to the church is via a narrow staircase, dating from the 1500s, accessible from the close.
External links
- "St. Swithin or Swithun, Bishop and Patron of Winchester, Confessor", Butler's Lives of the Saints Retrieved November 2011
- Catholic Encyclopedia entry on St. Swithin. Retrieved November 2011
- Guardian netnotes on St. Swithin's Day. Retrieved November 2011
- Wilson's Almanac Retrieved November 2011
- Prosopography of Anglo Saxon England entry for Swithun Retrieved November 2011
- BBC "Landward" feature on St. Swithin's Day Retrieved November 2011