WINCHESTER residents will be able to take a look into the past with a special free exhibition in the city centre.

The exhibition is being held by the City of Winchester Trust at the Heritage Centre on Upper Brooks Street and features dozens of photographs comparing how Winchester looked in the 19th and 20th centuries and how the city looks today.

The photos, which cover 25 “topics”, are on display this weekend (Saturday, September 7 to Sunday, September 8) and next weekend (Saturday, September 14, and Sunday, September 15).

The photos of modern Winchester were taken by Javaid Akhtar, who runs Gervades dry cleaners.

The Heritage Centre in Upper Brooks StreetThe Heritage Centre in Upper Brooks Street (Image: Chris Atkinson)

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Judith Martin, trustee for the City of Winchester Trust, said: “Javaid is a gifted amateur photographer, he took these photographs for the love of it, he’s really good.

“We paired them up with the older photographs – I don’t know if it was his idea or the trust’s idea. The old photos are from our collection, because we have a rather large photographic archive.”

Volunteer David Gleave said: “What the trust is about is seeking to protect the architectural and historic value of Winchester by lobbying. We also have The Design Awards – that is about illustrating best practice, and what’s excellent in design.”

More information about the City of Winchester Trust can be found on its website.