Evening star., 1936-03-29
King Edwards
Summer Home
BY Frederic ]. HaskiR.

BY Frederic j. HaskiR.
Although five years earlier the 25-year-
old Duke of Cumberland had inflicted
a crushing defeat on the Highland army
Of the pretender. Bonnie Prince Charlie,
it appears that the English did not feel
wholly secure from attack and, in 1850,
the castle of Fort Belvedere was erected
in Berkshire, about eight miles north Of
Windsor Castle, to serve as an outpost.
a preliminary defense of the great castle
Of Windsor itself, where the King dwelt.
1t proved an unnecessary precaution, Tor
the Scotch cause was lost forever at
Culloden.
Perhaps because Fort Belvedere stands
as sort Of symbol Of the final entrench-
ment Of the present royal line on the
throne Of Britain, King Edward VIII has
made Fort Belvedere his Summer home.
Indeed. he took it over some three years
ago when still Prince of Wales. There
is possibility that he will occupy Sand
ringham House at least a part Of the
time, but it is indicated that he will re-
tain the more modest Fort Belvedere res
idence because he has become SO much
interested in gardening there.
4 4
1t was in the reign of George III that
the fort was built by the Duke Of Cum
berland, who also held the position of
ranger of the park. Originally it was
indeed fortress. Built of smooth-faced
stone, the older part shows Sits for
artillery fire and the battlements are
machicolated. Thirty-one four FOUNDERS
are ranged along the battlements. They
have been there since the place was
built. Later, another battery of 16 brass
six-pounderS, brought back from the
PeninSular War, was added, but these
guns were afterward removed. The
four Founders saw actual service at Cul-
loden.
The fort is dominated by tall oc-
tagonal tower, and as the entire struc-
ture is situated on an eminence it doubt
less was we'll adapted to serve its in
tended purpose as lookout and an OUT
post in those far days when there was
not even such thing as mail service.
BY the time of George w the fear Of
the Scots was gone and that monarch.
called Farmer George because of his
fondness for gardening. remodeled the
fort into a country house. Spreading
wings were added to the Sterner central
fortress and wide windows of late Tudor
design were set in the walls. The gar
dens were developed and the place is now
q miracle of smooth green lawns, hedges
of roses and a profusion of every kind
of English flora. From a distance Fort
Belvedere still reveals the outlines of a
fortress, but on nearer approach Its
peaceful amenities are more in evidence.
The interior, Of course, has been altered
from sort of barracks to all that mod
ern luxury allows.
Although but 20 miles from London,
Fort Belvedere is in a definitely rural
setting. The surrounding country is well
wooded and there are nearby farms.
Since Edward has been in possession he
has laid out an airplane landing field
for his private use.
The view from the battlements IS
superb and there one gains more Of the
earlier military feeling, with the 81 guns
still frowning through the machicola-
tions. They look quaint today if that
word may be applied to ordnance.
Mounted rather high on wheeled car
riages, they appear more like museum
pieces, but they are capable OF being
discharged. Indeed, dnring the reign of
Queen Victoria they we're regularly used
by the garrison to fire salutes on royal
birthdays and similar state occasions.
John Turner a veteran of the Crimean
War and master gunner at Windsor, had
his headquarters at Fort Belvedere then
and was in charge of the guns. Although
King Edward VII discontinued the Sa-
luteS, Turner continued to live there
until his death at 80 in 1910. The fort
next was occupied by Sir Malcolm Muir
ray, deputy ranger of the park. He
vacated it when the late King turned it
over to the Prince Of Wales.
There is an old legend to the effect
that an underground passage connects
Fort Belvedere with Windsor Castle,
eight miles away. This is not regarded
as improbable, as many English houses
had such ways of communication and
escape in the troubled times of earlier
centuries. That there was an older house
on the site is indicated by the fact that
there is a leaden cistern at Fort Belve-
dere of beautiful Jacobean design and
bearing the date 1927. The passage may
have dated from the older structure.
Fort Belvedere is not the only sub
sidiary residence of British royalty. Upon
his marriage the Duke of York received
from his father, the late King, the gift
Of Royal Lodge, which stands only about
three miles from Windsor Castle. This
is a simple Georgian house of white,
built by George Nv in 1910. That King
was keenly interested in country life
and spent as much time as he could amid
rural surroundings. He lived there for
q period when Windsor Castle was being
remodeled and repaired and Queen Vic
toria as a child of years visited him.
Afterward Royal Lodge became the res
idence of the Duke of Edinburgh. 1t
has long been, like Fort Belvedere, the
property of the crown.
Smaller than Fort Belvedere, Royal
Lodge Is sufficiently commodious, but
its principal glory lies in its gardens,
which are even finer than those Of Fort
Belvedere. There are hedges of roses
surrounding the place and beds Of bulb
flowers, arbors of climbing Towering
plants, with broad, smooth lawns. The
Duke and Duchess of York spend much
of their time there. 1t is their favorite
residence, and there the young princeSSeS,
Elizabeth, who some day may be Queen
Of England, and the little Margaret Rose
play in the gardens.
The princesses have their own house.