Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1901-03-08
THE STORY OF WINDSOR.
sn English Castle Since the Norman
Conquest.


Conquest.
Those Of us who have passed pleas
ant hours wandering roundabout
Windsor Castle are very wildly re-
minded of it by the sad ceremonies
performed there recently. The history
If Windsor Castle Is the history Of
England since the Norman Conquest.
Edward the Confessor granted the
site OF the castle and the town to the
Abbot Of Westminster, but William
the Conqueror was so struck with the
beauty of the surrounding scenery and
he Importance of the situation as
military post that he traded" with the
Abbot for some lands in Essex, and
erected fortress, which Henry the
First enlarged.
Court was first held in the new pal
ace In ITO. after which it was OFTEN
The scene of regal festivities.
Stephen during his reign considered
if only next in Importance as strong
hold to the Tower of London.
Henry II. held parliament within
it's walls in ITO. when. in addition 10
the English Barons, King william Oh
Scotland was present.
Nothing but the fear of treachery
prevented Windsor from being associ-
ated with Magma Charta, instead OF
the neighboring plain of Runnymede'
where the meeting of the Barons ana
King John took place.
ContenCing factions alternately had
possession of the castle during the
reign Of Henry ILL.,, and many aitera-
tions were made during that period.
Indeed, the only parts which remain
exactly as in the time of Henry Ill.
are the towers on the western wall,
and even these have been refaced.
While alterations were going On IN
1852, some houses being pulled down
in Thames street, a subterranean pass
age, from the Garter tower to the Dot
tom of the ditch, with the masonry in
GOOD condition, was discovered. The
magnitude of this is appreciated by
looking down the precipitous Castle
slopes" from the heights of the north
terrace. This noble promenade was
added by Queen Elizabeth.
Another sally port was discovered
later on the south side, but is probably
later than Henry III.
Windsor was the principal residence
of the first and second Edwards, and
here Edward III. was born.
Edward Ill, who instituted the no.
| BILE Order of the Garter, rebuilt the
castle almost entirely, employing WIZ
liam de Wykeham Bishop of Winches-
teri as superintendent of the works at
weekly salary of seven shillings,
with three more for his clerk. He
also rebuilt the chapel of st. George.
In 1854, August 3, Queen Mary and
her consort, Philip II. of Spain, made
their grand public entry into Windsor.
TO Charles l. this castle was first a
palace and then prison.
Charles H., the merry Monarch"
took up his residence here after the
restoration, and made alterations"
rather than improvements. His in
terror changes are not criticised, how
ever.
Noble avenues Of elm and beech
trees, and park improvements general
ly marked the regimes of William Ill.
and Queen Anne.
George l., who frequently resided
here. introduced the Continental GUS
tom of dining in public every Thurs
day.
George III. made it bis chief resi-
dence. Mainly out of his own private
purse he restored the north front
renovated the Chapel Royal and built
the Royal Vault.
In 1923, when George Nv. took w
his residence here, began the enormous
expenditure that made the castle what
it is to-day.
His brother the "Sailor King" vii
liam w., though very popular. re
ceived little credit for the carrying or
Of this work.
But the entire plan, made by Sii
Jeffrey Wyattville, in 1924, was only
completed in the reign of Victoria, who
is to rest here, where, with the Prince
Consort, she loved to live beautiful
home life so different from the hollow
pomp and circumstance which dis
tinguished that Of most of her prede
cessors.
Windsor Castle and Windsor towr
are on the best of terms, the latte
being the dearest, sleepiest, old place
possible