Review : City roots

Few English cities have an archaeological heritage as rich as Winchester’s.
Iron Age remains at Oram’s Arbour, northwest of the city, gave way to the early
Roman town of Venta Belgarum, then to Saxon Wintanceaster around AD 450. This
history, which moves from ancient times to the Renaissance and the modern era is
admirably described and lavishly illustrated in Tom Beaumont James’s Winchester
(Batsford/English Heritage, £15.99, ISBN 0 7134 7447 5).