hospital of st cross

Very informative and beautiful, the church is surprising and well cared for. Stunning windows and tranquil gardens even on a cold February morning a lovely place to spend your time.

A short walk along the water meadows will bring here along the River Itchen. Only really available from the outside, but worth the stroll

What a beautiful place very tranquil and well worth a visit Tony the porter was very informative and told us lots of interesting things even though you have all the leaflets it's nice to hear,,thankyou for our ale and bread.

The hospital is a short walk from winchester along the river and through water meadows. Perfect for a cold winter day. The building was shut when we got there but very beautiful and peaceful.

An oasis of peace, especially in the summer. A twenty-minute walk along the river - with John Keats associations. Magnificent church, gardens and dining hall. Very good value refreshments available in the summer.

Great architecture, well-kept gardens and a beautiful setting. A perfect destination to walk to/from via the Water Meadows.St Faith's Church is lovely too and well worth viewing.Sadly, no refreshments were available in the winter. Some hot chai tea would have made a huge difference ;-)It's understandable that the almshouses themselves are private and out-of-bounds for visitors, but it would have very interesting to be able to see one. We weren't sure if public access is ever available here (eg on Open Door days?), but we would love to re-visit in the future if it was.

Very old building with tons of history. Very interesting to walk and to see where the people who now live there stay. People were very pleasant and it is nice to take time to have a coffee in the cafe and chat to whoever is there. (Tea/coffee exceptionally cheap for a cafe). There is a bus directly from Winchester or you can walk along the river. We caught the bus as it was drizzling with rain. We had the pleasure at the bus stop going home to meet two of the gentlemen who reside there. One a very happy, pleasant character who spoke about life at the St. Cross, a definite bonus to our visit.

We had a walk across the water meadows to get here last Friday - it was a lovely sunny, crisp day.This was my favourite place I visited in Winchester as it was so tranquil. We sat in the Master's garden for a while and then went to the church. The whole area is beautifully looked after and I believe the tower in the church has recently had some renovations.As other people have stated it is like stepping back in time especially the kitchen area.I would thoroughly recommend visiting.

Fascinating old monastic alms houses. The great hall was like stepping back into the middle ages and similarly with the kitchen. There is a beautiful stillness about the whole place which almost make me wish I was a monk (almost!)

Actually enjoyed Hospital St cross, interesting to see so much history and ancient history in one place. Ever helpful volunteers made it even more special. Worth a stop in if in Winchester.

Well worth a visit, take the tour of the buildings with one of The Brothers or the helpful Porters, eat tea in the little café or take the Wayfarer's dole (a free of charge small tot of beer and a piece of bread given to traveller's so that they didn't go hungry), which is a unique old tradition that has been kept alive. There is a certain peace and stillness about this place, that the visitor cannot fail to absorb which is rare in this day and age. A must see if you are in the Winchester area.

Wonderful history and tradition of this still working and living establishment. Quiet grounds overlooked by impressive chapel and still occupied residences. Clergy and officials in attendance to answer questions!

This establishment has been providing hospitality to travellers and 'nobly impoverished' gentlemen for almost 1,000 years. It was founded by the grandson of William the Conqueror. These time periods are so vast that it's difficult to absorb the facts and come up with any meaningful comprehension, so don't even try. Just let the peace and tranquillity wash over you and cleanse you of the trials and tribulations of modern life. The quiet, ancient church with its stained glass and intricate carving, and sixteenth century graffiti; the lofty Bretheren's Hall where for centuries brothers gathered round the central, open fire; the line of alms' houses with their tall chimneys and elderly gentlemen sitting in the late October sunshine; the tranquil gardens and pond. All of this, set in the water meadows of the Itchen Valley, looking across to St. Catherine's Hill with its Iron Age bank and ditch.This is a lovely part of the world. If you have time, it's a pleasant walk into the city of Winchester, steeped in Roman and Saxon history, avoiding the heavy traffic of St. Cross Road. In the opposite direction, heading south towards Southampton, is a delightful riverside walk. One stretch, near Twyford, is called Kingfisher Trail. You just know that with a name like that you're not going to see a kingfisher, but I did. Three times the same bird flew up in front of me, down the river, and perched on a branch. There is a church at Twyford, rebuilt in the Arts and Crafts era. Legend had it that the original Norman church was built on Druidic remains. When they were rebuilding, in the nineteenth century, they discovered 12 stones that might have been a Druidic circle. They were left in place, part of the foundations for the tower.At St. Cross it has always been the tradition to offer hospitality to travellers. Nowadays a symbolic crust of bread and a cup of ale is offered to anyone who asks. I didn't know about this until I returned home, but if you don't have the nerve to ask, or if you feel you are not 'nobly impoverished', the tea room will be happy to take your money in exchange for something a little more appetising..

Nestled between St Cross road, Winchester and the river lies a tranquil setting in the shape of the Alms houses and St Cross hospital. There's a welcome escape here from the hussle bussle as soon as you step away from the road. The church in the grounds is exceptional both in size and architecture and its pipe organ is lovely. Its not possible to ascend the spiral staircases and towers and these would have offered another dimension. Nevertheless a worthwhile visit in you are in the Winchester area. A stroll around the large pond adds to the state of well being, particulalry if the weather is dry. There is a gently priced simple cafeteria which allows refreshment either prior to or after the visit and a seperate gift shop to boot.

The hospital at St Cross is still home to 25 gentleman and these alms houses nestle in the water meadows alongside the River Itchen. Combine your visit with a walk out of Winchester by the water meadows and visit the ancient Hospital of St Cross. The setting is tranquil and the Hospital is one of England’s oldest continuing almshouses.These fine medieval buildings are open to the public and if you time it right you can take tea and cake and drink in your surroundings.