When you get to Windsor, it looks like a promising English town, with small antique shops, independent cafes, and a cobbled pedestrian bridge over a misty river.
But as you near the entrance of the Castle, an explosion of chain eateries and stores buzzing with tourists brings you right back to reality.
We bypassed the chains and found the entrance to the Castle. One of the great things about visiting the Royal attractions is that when you purchase a ticket, it also grants you free access to the site for the next 12 months.
Windsor Castle is the home to the Queen and we knew she was home this very day as the flag was flying high on the mast.
We picked up free audio guides but also joined a tour conducted by the smartly dressed wardens who are a wealth of information about the Castle, the Royals and their history.
Here are some interesting facts we learnt on our trip to the Castle:
- There are 1000 rooms in the Castle, and every one of them is in use today;
- In 1992, a great fire swept though some of the Castle’s apartments and dining hall. It started by a lamp being too close to a curtain which was set alight and quickly spread a fire. Everything inside the area was saved except for one painting and a sideboard, both of which were too large to be moved;
- Some of the rooms we were able to tour are actually used by the Queen to entertain guests;
- The Castle’s library holds, not just books, but also 600 Leonardo Da Vinci prints.
My favourite part was Queen Mary’s doll house, on display in a light-controlled display room to prevent the deterioration of the priceless artefacts. The dolls house is the grandest of all dolls houses one will ever see. It even has fully functioning electricity and water.
(picture from Queen Mary's Doll House website)The dolls house architecture and miniature interiors were commissions undertaken by some of England’s most famous manufacturers, architects, designers, artists and writers. Some of the house’s features include:
- A garden, designed by the famous garden designer, Gertrude Jeykell;
- A library with books contributed by famous authors such as Aldous Huxley;
- A grand dining table (which can be extended) with a place setting of real silver crockery and cutlery;
- A linen room with miniature linens that are exact replicas of linens used by the Royals;
- A miniature set of the Crown Jewels (yes, replicas of the real Crown Jewels housed and on display in the Tower of London);
- A wine cellar, with glass bottles of real wine.
(picture from Queen Mary's Doll House website)After our tour of the Castle, we wondered back to the old part of Windsor town and picked up nougat and peppermint hot chocolates from The Wren Chocolate Theatre Café (highly recommended) which is right by the foot bridge that connects the town of Windsor to Eton.
We strolled along the small streets of Eton, home to the famous Eton College.
We didn’t have time to see the school close up, but had spied it’s chapel from Windsor Castle.
Eton is much quieter and quainter than Windsor, full of cosy restaurants, antique stores and a second-hand book store.
If you are after some old worldly English experiences, then Windsor and Eton are definitely worth the visit.
