| Mayor of Winchester | |
|---|---|
 Arms of the City of Winchester | |
 Incumbent since 15th May 2024Russell Gordon-Smith | |
| Winchester City Council | |
| Style | Mr Mayor/Madam Mayor |
| Member of | Winchester City Council |
| Residence | Abbey House |
| Nominator | Political parties |
| Appointer | Winchester City Council |
| Term length | One year |
The Office of Mayor of Winchester is the second oldest mayoralty in England, dating back to the period when Winchester was the capital of Wessex and England. The Mayor of Winchester thus stands second only to the Lord Mayor of the City of London in the order of precedence of civic heads.[1]
Winchester is one of just five local authorities in England to have an official residence for its Mayor. Abbey House was built in about 1700 and sited in the Abbey Gardens just off The Broadway in Winchester. It was acquired by the City Council in 1889. The house stands on the site of a monastic establishment known as Nunnaminster and later as St Mary's Abbey, which was founded around AD900 by Alfred's Queen Ealhswith. The Abbey survived until the late 1530s when it was formally surrendered to the Crown as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.[2]
- ^ The History of The Mayor, Winchester City Council, retrieved 30 May 2017
- ^ Abbey House, Winchester City Council, retrieved 30 May 2017