Tours of the medieval wine cellars of Winchelsea are restarting on Easter Monday with the first of the Winchelsea Archaeological Society's (WAS) 2016 programme of "Under Winchelsea" guided visits.
Winchelsea has over 50 medieval cellars, thought to have been built between 1285 and 1300. This is more than anywhere else in the country, with the possible exceptions of the cities Bristol, Norwich and Southampton.
Modern scholars believe that the cellars were more than just storage spaces. The tours discuss the various theories and explain how the cellars were built. They also take in some of key historic buildings in the village. And you can learn more about the history of Old and New Winchelsea, drawing on recent historical research and archaeology, some of it commissioned by WAS.
Last year, over 800 visitors joined the WAS tours.The tours start in Castle Street, come rain or shine, usually at 2pm (but check the timetable). The cost is £5 a head, which includes a guide book. The money goes towards archaeology in Winchelsea (WAS is a registered charity). The tours last about 90 minutes but can take longer depending on numbers. Visitors are reminded that the cellar steps are old and steep. The dates announced for 2016 are:
- March - Monday 28
- April - Sunday 17
- May - Monday 2, Sunday 15, Monday 30
- June - Sunday 19
- July - Saturday 2, Saturday 16, Sunday 31
- August - Wednesday 10 (11am), Monday 30
- September - Saturday 3, Sunday 18
- October - Saturday 1, Sunday 16
- December - Wednesday 28 (11am)
- January 2017 - Monday 2
Photos: Richard Comotto
