Photograph of St Swithun Street, Winchester
Taken about 1880
St Swithun Street is bounded by the precinct wall of the old Priory of St Swithun to the north, with a mixture of dwellings and a few businesses on the south side; a plumber, straw hat manufacturer and baker are mentioned in Warren's Winchester Directory for 1879.
In the foreground is Kingsgate, one of two of the city's gateways to survive into the nineteenth century. Above it is the small Church of St Swithun-upon-Kingsgate with its stairway and bell-cote built against the adjoining property. Both gateway and church were closely associated with the Priory, which was responsible for their maintenance until its dissolution under Henry VIII.
The photographer is unknown, but was probably William Savage (1817-87); the photograph and is found in an album entitled 'Winchester Views of Old Buildings'.
