Windsor Castle Visit

Friday, April 1

Friday we took a local train to Windsor Castle to see the Queen.  Unfortunately, she wasn't there until after we left.  OK, we really didn't go to see her, but a few of our group did stay late enough to see the regular flag come down and the queen's flag go up.  Windsor is generally the Queen's weekend home.

Changing the guard at the castle

On the battlements

He didn't look, but he kept cutting his eyes

It would be easy to say "oh, look, another 1000 year old castle," but that would hardly be fair to Windsor.  It is still a working castle and is really cool inside.  The castle still has most of the royal apartments set up as they have been since around the reign of Charles II (about 400 years ago!).  And some of those rooms still get used for state functions.  Unfortunately, we could't take pictures of most of that.

Wren's house

We also got to see "Queen Mary's Dollhouse" - which is an extraordinary miniature dollhouse that Hope loved.  The dollhouse has an amazing level of detail down to working lights and plumbing, and miniature copies of books and linens.

The castle was built by William the Conqueror as part of his plan to awe the Saxons into obedience.  It is an imposing building sitting high with a view over the London countryside.  It has been one of the primary residences of the English sovereign's since the early 1100s.  Windsor, the city, is also the location of Eton College, which is one of England's elite preparatory academies.  Christopher Wren, who was the architect of many of London's churches, lived in Windsor.  His house, which he also designed and built, is now a hotel and conference center.