Winterson was born in Manchester and adopted by Constance and John William Winterson on 21 January 1960.[3] She grew up in Accrington, Lancashire, and was raised in the Elim Pentecostal Church. She was raised to become a Pentecostal Christian missionary, and she began evangelising and writing sermons at the age of six.[4][5]
By the age of 16, Winterson had come out as a lesbian and left home.[6][7][8] She soon after attended Accrington and Rossendale College,[9] and supported herself at a variety of odd jobs while studying English at St. Catherine's College, Oxford (1978–1981).[7][10]
