KING ALFRED THE GREAT STATUE - WINCHESTER

The city of Winchester has played an important role throughout history. During Saxon times, King Alfred, crowned here in 871, made Winchester a royal city.  At the time of his enthronement the Vikings had taken control and were threatening Wessex.  After initial setbacks, Alfred's armies won a great battle at Edington in 878, resulting in the conversion of the Viking King Guthrum to Christianity.  He gradually won back some of the lands taken by the Vikings and his diplomacy led eventually to the formation of the English nation.

The bronze statue of a suitably heroic Alfred was designed by Hamo Thornycroft, R.A., and erected in 1899 to mark one thousand years since Alfred's death.  The huge statue measures 17 feet from the base to the top of Alfred's arm.   Curiously, the sword was made to be detachable, though the rest of the statue is a a single, solid bronze casting.