<P> Winchester developed from the Roman town of Venta Belgarum, which in turn developed from an Iron Age oppidum . Winchester's major landmark is Winchester Cathedral, one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, with the distinction of having the longest nave and overall length of all Gothic cathedrals in Europe . The city is home to the University of Winchester and Winchester College, the oldest public school in the United Kingdom still using its original buildings . </P> <P> The area around Winchester has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with three Iron Age hillforts, Oram's Arbour, St. Catherine's Hill, and Worthy Down all in the nearby vicinity . In the Late Iron Age, a more urban settlement type developed, known as an oppidum, although the archaeology of this phase remains obscure . It was overrun by the confederation of Gaulish tribes known as the Belgae sometime during the first century BCE . It seems to have been known as Wentā or Venta, from the Brittonic for "town" or "meeting place". </P> <P> After the Roman conquest of Britain, the settlement served as the capital (Latin: civitas) of the Belgae and was distinguished as Venta Belgarum, "Venta of the Belgae". Although in the early years of the Roman province it was of subsidiary importance to Silchester and Chichester, Venta eclipsed them both by the latter half of the second century . At the beginning of the third century, Winchester was given protective stone walls . At around this time the city covered an area of 144 acres (58 ha), making it among the largest towns in Roman Britain by surface area . There was a limited suburban area outside the walls . Like many other Roman towns however, Winchester began to decline in the later fourth century . </P> <P> Following the Roman withdrawal from Britain in 410, urban life seems to have continued at Venta Belgarum until around 450 AD, and a small administrative centre might have continued after that on the site of the later Anglo - Saxon palace . Ford identifies the community as the Cair Guinntguic ("Fort Venta") listed by Nennius among the 28 cities of Britain in his History of the Britons . Amid the Saxon invasions of Britain, cemeteries dating to the 6th and 7th centuries suggest a revival of settlement . </P>

How long was winchester the capital of england