Winchester

Overview
The former Anglo-Saxon capital of England, and the seat of the legendary King Alfred the Great, Winchester used to be a major political and cultural centre for the English, with its prestigious cathedral, royal palace, mint, and centres of learning - as well as other innovations, such as the Lockburn drain to wash waste far away from the city.

But the late civil war was not kind to Winchester. The city bore the brunt of some of the most vicious and desperate fighting of the conflict during the bloody "Rout of Winchester". Throughout the summer of 1141 the forces of the Empress Matilda and the local Bishop clashed in siege and counter-siege, with the Bishop's men burning much of the city to the ground before Blesevin forces loyal to Stephen arrived to gain a decisive victory over Matilda.

Now the townsfolk seek to rebuild their shattered city from the ashes that remain, but the future is not without hope. Winchester still has its cathedral and mint. It still enjoys royal favour - for it is here that the Royal Seals are kept. And its Bishop - Henry of Blois, brother to the late King Stephen and the very man whose troops burned the city to the ground - is very possibly the richest man in England.