Winchester is blessed with many historic light brackets and lamp posts.

Join us as we take a trip back in time to explore a few of the beautiful lamps scattered around the city of Winchester.

Placed on Great Minster Street, overlooking Winchester Cathedral, this is a Webb Sewage Destructor lamp.

Created by Joseph Edmund Webb in 1895, this type of lamp was designed to pull biogas from the sewers below and discharge it above the heads of passers-by… dissipating the odours.

Frédérick Inkerman Ventham (born 5th November 1854) was a Winchester lamplighter until his death in 1930.

Though largely obsolete today, Lamplighters were dedicated individuals that played a vital role in ensuring urban visibility during the dusk and evening hours, manually lighting and extinguishing gas lamps lining the streets.

The splendid lamp post at The Hospital of St Cross is one of many Victorian style lamps erected by Winchester City Council in recent years – although they are modern electric lamps, they certainly enhance the ambience on the street.

There are fantastic old light brackets outside the Great Hall in Winchester that have been lovingly restored… and given a modern-day upgrade with electricity and candle bulbs.

Thank you to Chris Barnham who brought this information to our attention and provided the image of his Great Grandfather Frédérick. Next time you are strolling around Winchester, take a second to glance up and you are likely to spot an old piece of history.