Location

Winchester was once England’s ancient capital city and home to King Alfred the Great, King of Wessex who reigned from 871-899.

Notable places of interest include the Cathedral, Winchester College (the oldest public school in England), the Great Hall (with the Round Table) and Jane Austen’s house (where she spent the last weeks of her life in 1817).

The WYGF takes place at the West Downs Performing Arts Centre at Winchester University, a Grade II listed building built in 1880 which was originally a boy’s preparatory school. Single bedroom accommodation is provided on the West Downs campus and all meals are served in the Shakespeare dining room

West Downs Performing Arts Centre, Romsey Road, Winchester SO22 5HT

By Train

Winchester is approximately one hour by train from London (Waterloo). Direct services also link Winchester with many major towns and cities including Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

By Air

The international airport of Southampton is less than 10 miles from Winchester and can be reached in 15 minutes by road or rail. The University is also well placed for the international airports of Heathrow and Gatwick.

By Road:

Car

Winchester is located just off the M3 motorway (Junctions 9-11). Festival residents will be issued with parking permits for the duration of their stay.

Bus and Coach

Main bus and coach routes stop at King Alfred’s Statue in central Winchester. The walk to University takes approximately 15 minutes.

Taxi

Taxis are regularly available from the Railway Station and King Alfred’s Statue in the city centre.