Section of iconic wall in Winchester, UK, collapses

A section of a historic wall located in Winchester, UK collapsed on July 6, 2021.

Winchester is a city located in Hampshire, South England. The wall gave way at about 5:00 am local time.

The historic monument is of unknown age but it comprises rock fragments from the final resting place of Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons (871 to 886 AD) and the Anglo-Saxons (886 to 899 AD), who defended England against the invasion of Vikings and implemented social reforms.

The wall collapse was preceded by heavy rainfalls that struck the region and probably contributed to the failure. A local mentioned that the conditions of the wall had deteriorated and concerns were raised but the city council to which the wall belongs, took no actions. "...it's [the wall] been leaning and cracking for a while. I have reported it to the council. A surveyor came but nothing was done," a local mentioned. Nonetheless, the council mentioned that repair works were applied to the wall in late 2019. 

The collapsed section of the wall was secured by authorities. No injuries were reported. The city council stated that repair works to restore the historic monument will be implemented as soon as possible. The stones from which the wall was constructed will be stored and possibly re-used when the wall is repaired.

Sources: Hampshirechronicle Winchestertoday