 |  Windsor Castle is not quite all that it seems. It has the appearance, especially from a distance, of a great mediaeval fortress. But much of the structure, especially on the side that faces the Park, actually dates from periods of re-building in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. And although the Castle was certainly intended for military purposes, royal lodgings had already been built within the walls as early as the 13th century; they have been extended ever since. Inside the Castle, too, is one of the finest examples of religious architecture in Britain, St George’s Chapel. In fact, Windsor has only been the scene of military action twice - in each case a siege, and within only 22 years of each other, in 1193 and 1215. The Castle began life in 1070. It was one of the chain of fortifications built around London by the Normans to control the south-east of England. Its commanding position, on a hill overlooking the River Thames, seems the natural place for the principal building in the area. But that was not always the case. Before the Castle had even been thought of, there was a royal hunting lodge close to the river, in what is now known as Old Windsor. And before that, the Benedictine abbey at Chertsey - founded in 666 - had been the grandest building for miles around. Unlike the Castle, however, both hunting lodge and abbey have long since disappeared.
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Windsor Castle - about the Royal Residence
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