The original Windsor castle was built during the reign of William the Conqueror to help guard and protect the approach to London

The original Windsor Castle was built during the reign of William the Conqueror to help guard and protect the approach to London. The construction was a simple earthen mound, fortified with wooden palisades high on a plateau overlooking the river Thames. Today, Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world and one of the Queens favourite residences.

Henry I replaced the wooden structure with stone, and Henry II rebuilt the defences and added a second bailey in 1175, and at the same time provided for more comfortable accommodation. It was Henry who built the first royal apartments, the foundations of which can still be seen in the basement of the present apartments.

During medieval times, Windsor castle came under siege several times, once was in 1194 when Price John attempted to take control of the throne when his brother Richard I (known as Richard the Lion Heart) was away during the crusades. Later when John was crowned King the castle came under hostilities from the nobles which lead to the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215.

Later additions were added to the castle to form what we know today as Windsor Castle. Henry VIII built the great entry gate which bears his name and the last major building work took place when the tower was raised by George VI to make it the tallest in England. The grounds at Windsor Castle contain one of the best examples of medieval churches in England - St. George's Chapel. The chapel took 50 years to construct and was started in 1475 by Edward IV and is the official home of the Order of the Garter. The Order was founded by Edward III in 1348 and the Garter Knights are selected by the Queen.



Within the chapel are the tombs of 10 monarchs, including Edward IV, Charles I, George V and Queen Mary, and George VI. Also buried here is Henry VIII, who lies beside his favourite wife, Jane Seymour. Behind St George's Chapel is the entrance to the Albert Memorial, built by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband and consort, Prince Albert. Albert himself is buried in the Frogmore Mausoleum in the grounds of Windsor Great Park.

Not surprisingly this historic building has its fair share of ghosts, these include King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, King Charles I and King George III (mad King George). Henry is supposed to haunt the cloisters near the Deanery with ghostly groans and the sound of dragging footsteps and the library is also said to harbour the ghost of George III.

The Long Walk is said to be haunted by a young guardsman who shot himself because, according to legend, he had seen the ghost of Herne the Hunter.

 

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