Photograph of the King's House, Winchester
Taken about 1880
The King's House was designed by Sir Christopher Wren as a palace for Charles II, although the King died in 1685 before it was completed. Succeeding monarchs took little interest in the building and just over a century later it was used to accommodate soldiers prior to embarcation for the continent to fight in the Napoleonic Wars. In the early nineteenth century the building was altered to make it better suited to the role of a barracks, which it fulfilled until it was severely damaged by fire in 1894.
The image shows the east front with its fine portico which was to have looked down a cour d'honneur and wide boulevard to the west front of the Cathedral. The row of small windows at second floor level indicates the construction of an additional storey of accommodation for soldiers, which was achieved by the division of Wren's lofty state apartments.
The photograph was taken by Winchester photographer William Savage (1817-87).
