Kirklees

It’s our Windsor day today. So up,showered, shopping at M&S for picnic food and while Tabby dried her hair I packed the lunches. By ten o’clock we were ready. Tabby was our designated driver today,so the hire car got a run. It was pretty straightforward to get there following the sat nav. We found a car park but were surprised at the price of parking it was $28 to park for five hours. As we had not booked the castle entry tickets, we could not visit the castle as the queues were horrendous.

later British royal family and for its architecture.

Windsor Castle
Windsor, Berkshire in England
Windsor Castle at Sunset - Nov 2006.jpg
Viewed from the Long Walk
Windsor Castle is located in BerkshireWindsor CastleWindsor Castle
Location within Berkshire
Coordinates
51°29′0″N 00°36′15″W
Type
Three bailey wards with a round keep
Site information
Owner
Queen Elizabeth II in right of the Crown
Operator
Royal Household
Open to
the public
Limited access
Site history
In use
Late 11th century – present
Materials
Bagshot Heath stone
Events
First Barons' War, English Civil War

Scheduled monument
Official name
Windsor Castle
Reference no.
1006996[1]
Listed Building – Grade I
Official name
Windsor Castle Including All The Buildings Within The Walls
Designated
2 October 1975
Reference no.
1117776[2]
National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
Official name
Windsor Castle and Home Park
Designated
31 August 1999
Reference no.
1001434[3]
Part of
Royal Estate, Windsor
The original castle was built in the 11th century after the Norman invasion of England by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I, it has been used by the reigning monarch and is the longest-occupied palace in Europe. The castle's lavish early 19th-century State Apartments were described by the art historian Hugh Roberts as "a superb and unrivalled sequence of rooms widely regarded as the finest and most complete expression of later Georgian taste".[4] Inside the castle walls is the 15th-century St George's Chapel, considered by the historian John Martin Robinson to be "one of the supreme achievements of English Perpendicular Gothic" design.[5]

Originally designed to protect Norman dominance around the outskirts of London and oversee a strategically important part of the River Thames, Windsor Castle was built as a motte-and-bailey, with three wards surrounding a central mound. Gradually replaced with stone fortifications, the castle withstood a prolonged siege during the First Barons' War at the start of the 13th century. Henry III built a luxurious royal palace within the castle during the middle of the century, and Edward III went further, rebuilding the palace to make an even grander set of buildings in what would become "the most expensive secular building project of the entire Middle Ages in England".[6] Edward's core design lasted through the Tudor period, during which Henry VIII and Elizabeth I made increasing use of the castle as a royal court and centre for diplomatic entertainment.

Windsor Castle survived the tumultuous period of the English Civil War, when it was used as a military headquarters by Parliamentary forces and a prison for Charles I. At the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Charles II rebuilt much of Windsor Castle with the help of the architect Hugh May, creating a set of extravagant Baroque interiors that are still admired. After a period of neglect during the 18th century, George III and George IV renovated and rebuilt Charles II's palace at colossal expense, producing the current design of the State Apartments, full of Rococo, Gothic and Baroque furnishings. Queen Victoria made a few minor changes to the castle, which became the centre for royal entertainment for much of her reign. Windsor Castle was used as a refuge by the royal family during the Luftwaffe bombing campaigns of the Second World War and survived a fire in 1992. It is a popular tourist attraction, a venue for hosting state visits, and the preferred weekend home of Elizabeth II.
We had booked a Hop on Hop off bus so at least we were able to see the town and Eton college which was situated in the town of Eton. I found this journey fascinating as I did not know where Eton was. We also saw the building where Beatrice and Eugenie took ballet when they were younger. William and Harry attended Eton too. Eton College is an English independent boarding school for boys in Eton, Berkshire, near Windsor. It educates more than 1,300 pupils, aged 13 to 18 years. Wikipedia
Houses: 25
Founder: Henry VI of England
Founded: 1440
Head Master: Simon Henderson
Color: Eton blue
Motto: Floreat Etona; May Eton flourish (Latin)
Total enrollment: 1,314 (2013)
We also passed Runnymede where the Magna Carter was signed. Arriving back in Windsor we walked by the river and then found Jubilee park where we had lunch. The park was small but had a lovely fountain. Getting back on the bus we alighted at the long walk and walked to the gates of the castle. Next door to the long walk entrance was a very cute pub where we had a rest and a drink. Tabby did a bit of shopping in TJ max. Our five hours were up and it was time to head home. We are once again tired out. Holidays and having fun are exhausting. Michael cooked us a lovely dinner of pork belly with crispy topping. The meat was accompanied by green beans, peas and broccoli. We finished off with strawberries and clotted cream. My night was not finished,three games of UNO and an hour of Fortnight and I was ready to drop. I am now playing words with friends,then it’s goodnight diary.Read more