Windsor Castle - A Royal Home in Windsor

Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, and as one of the main residences of The Queen, it has been here for almost one thousand years. The Castle  contains the beautiful State Apartments and is furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection. Within the walls is St. George's Chapel which is one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in England and the burial place of 10 British monarchs.  

 

 

Windsor Castle covers an area of about thirteen acres and contains the magnificent State Apartments which are furnished with thousands of treasures from the Royal Collection including paintings, furniture, sculpture and militaria, The castle is also home to Queen Mary's Dolls House, a masterpiece in miniature.

Most of the Kings and Queens of England and the United Kingdom have had their influence over Windsor Castle starting in about 1070 with William The Conqueror. It was in this timeframe that the first wooden structure was built on this site as part of the defensive "ring" of castles around the City of London. At this time the castle was only a military stronghold and it was not until Williams son, King Henry I, ascended the throne that it became a royal residence.

The earliest part of Windsor Castle that survives to this day was built in about 1160 by King Henry II and can be seen, in a much altered state, as the East Terrace. Windsor Castle survived a siege during the revolt of the English barons in 1214 against Prince John who was forced to sign The Magna Carta, as King, at nearby Runnymede. The castle was further improved by King Henry III, John's successor, including the Curfew Tower which was built in 1227 At around the same time the first Henry III built the Chapel of St. Edward, the predecessor to today's St. George's Chapel. in 1272 Henry III died and between this time and the middle of the 14th Century little was added to the Castle.

On 13 November 1312 King Edward III was born in Windsor Castle and it was he that exerted a considerable influence over the shape of the current building. In around 1350 Edward III embarked upon a 24 year programme to rebuild the castle and is believed to have spent in the region of fifty thousand pounds. In order to achieve this restoration the majority of the castle was demolished, with the exception of the Curfew Tower and what remains of the original East terrace, and the rebuilt structure is more or less what we know today as Windsor Castle. The major features that Edward III added included the castle's most prominent feature The Round Tower which was built on the site of the original "Keep". All of this activity led to Edward III becoming known as Edward of Windsor.

The reign of King Edward IV saw the building of the present day Chapel of St. George which marked a significant change in the history of Windsor Castle. The political climate of Europe began to settle down and the threat of invasion or civil unrest became less and therefore attention could be turned towards making Windsor Castle a true palace rather than a military fortress. King Henry VIII added the main Castle gateway and his daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, added the North Terrace which remains largely unaltered today.

The English Civil War was a bleak period for Windsor Castle and after its capture by the Roundheads it became the headquarters of Oliver Cromwell's "New Model Army". In this period many of the treasures were looted and it became a home to vagrants and paupers.

It was not until the Restoration of the Monarchy that Windsor Castle was restored to its former glory. with King Charles II adding features like "The Long Walk" a three mile avenue of trees which was inspired by the French Palace of Versailles.

A further period of neglect fell upon Windsor Castle during the 18th and 19th Centuries with Monarchs such as William and Mary favouring Hampton Court Palace. King George III was the next ruler to fully inhabit the castle as it provided plenty of room for his family of 15 children. It was here, in Windsor, that George III spent the last years of his life in almost solitary confinement.

It was in the reign of King George VI that Windsor Castle was to be changed in the most dramatic fashion. Three hundred thousand pounds was acquired from the government to undertake the restoration which lasted for 12 years. In this time a significant remodelling of the Upper "Ward", the private apartments and The Round Tower was undertaken. From this point onwards Windsor Castle has become one of the principal residences of the Royal Family.