Winchester is a city that wears its history on its sleeve, but beneath its ancient facade lie some surprising quirks.

From literary legends to architectural wonders, here are 5 quirky facts about Winchester that you may not have known.

King Alfred’s remains went missing

King Alfred the Great died in Winchester in 899 AD and was originally buried in Winchester's Old Minster which was replaced by the cathedral in Norman times. However, his bones were moved to Hyde Abbey 200 years later due to the old Minster being demolished for renovation. For 400 years he laid untouched, up until King Henry VIII destroyed the site during the reformation in 1539. His bones have yet to be found since then. Analysis of bones discovered at St Bartholomew's church suggest it might be that of Alfred.

Winchester Cathedral appeared on page 1 of the original Alcoholics Anonymous 

Alcoholics Anonymous is a global fellowship of people who come together to discuss their alcohol problems, but did you know that on the very first page of the ‘Big Book’, which was published in 1939, Winchester Cathedral was named?

The author of the book was an American called Bill Wilson and he visited Winchester towards the end of World Ward 1, where he saw the famous tombstone of ex-soldier, Thomas Thetcher, who died from drinking a 'small beer'. This moment stuck with Wilson because on the very first page of the book, which has been read by millions of people around the world, Winchester Cathedral, and in particular, Thomas Thetcher’s gravestone, gets a very surprising shoutout.

Hampshire Chronicle: North Hants Militiaman who died in 1764 from ‘drinking small beer’, buried on the cathedral

Winchester's Monopoly game

You may be used to buying houses at Pall Mall or Mayfair when you play Monopoly, but a special edition of the game lets you celebrate Winchester and its iconic landmarks.

Properties like Winchester University, Jewry Street and of course Winchester Cathedral all feature as properties to purchase in the game. This interesting twist on the classic game lets you play your way through Winchester’s rich heritage. Did you know that Winchester has its own monopoly game?

The UK’s longest-running festival for outdoor arts

Hat Fair is an annual festival that celebrates street performance and outdoor arts, and it is the oldest festival of its kind in the UK.

The festival has been taking place since 1974 which means this summer will be the 50th edition.

The festival began when a group of friends performed different routines in front of an audience. After the performances the audience paid the friends by dropping money into a hat, which is where the name ‘Hat Fair’, originated. 

Dropping money into a hat is a tradition that lives on today, and this year’s festival takes place on July 5-7.

The cathedral regularly floods

Did you know that a room under the cathedral tends to flood during the wet months of the year?

The Crypt, which dates to the 11th century, is the earliest phase of building the cathedral.

When heavy rain starts to fall, the Crypt floods and the sculpture inside the room is sometimes knee deep in water. It increases the impact of the famous statue by Gormley.