Bishop's Waltham

About

Bishop’s Waltham is a historic market town with a foot in the South Downs National Park. It was named after the brother of King Stephen, Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester. He was the bishop and founded Bishop’s Waltham Palace here in the 12th century. It has been home to many of Winchester’s Bishops and at least 13 Kings and Queens of England stayed here.

The impressive ruins of the Palace are near the heart of the town and free to visit and you will find the Bishop’s Waltham Museum in a 17th Century original Farmhouse.

Archaeological finds show that people have been living in Bishop’s Waltham since at least 5,000 BC. The town’s Saxon name (‘wald’ meaning forest and ‘ham’ meaning settlement) is important. It is one of only 12 Saxon settlements with the name and suggests Bishop’s Waltham was settled by Anglo-Saxon migrants as early as 450 to 550 AD, not long after the last Roman legions left.

The town boasts many beautiful, listed buildings and a well-preserved medieval High Street that is now home to a vibrant selection of shops, cafés and restaurants.

There are plenty of ways to burn off any indulgences though as Bishop’s Waltham is surrounded by miles of walking and cycling trails. For a gentler pace, why not take a wander through the nature reserves, a meander along the riversides and discover the former Botley railway line?

The friendliness of Bishop’s Waltham combined with its strong sense of community has resulted in a calendar bursting with events. It holds a summer carnival as well as vintage markets, music and arts festivals and an annual Christmas Fayre. To find out what’s going on during your visit see www.lovebishopswaltham.com/

You can pick up a guide to all Winchester’s market towns from Winchester Visitor Information Centre or download it here. There is also a Bishop’s Waltham Map to help you find your way around.