There were queues reaching far down two streets as I walked towards the Castle but fortunately I already had my ticket so I went straight in, through the ticket desk and scanner ...
... and came to a halt; couldn't see why but could hear a brass band - the guards were practicing and we had to wait ...
... looking back as I waited - Pug Yard on the left and Lord Chamberlain's Lower Yard on the right which leads back to the ticket office ...
... didn't have to wait long though ... passing King Henry III Tower and a nice Juliette balcony ...
.. towards King Edward III Tower and Lancaster Tower ...
... the reason for our wait are now behind bars gates, the Household Cavalry continuing with their practice ...
... St George's Gate to be precise looking towards the State Entrance
Fortified walls and an archer's window ...
... stair towers to ...
... the battlements ...
... and an amazing ...
... garden ...
... in the dry moat (which has never held water) ...
... below the Round Tower ...
... exquisite!
Click to play a video of the garden - turn up your sound to hear the band of the Household Cavalry
... the Queen's ensign flies to denote that she is at home
St George's Chapel and ...
... looking back to King Henry III's Tower
Changing of the Guards - marching up the hill to the Norman Gate
Winchester Tower
the Norman Gate
The view over the wall, across the river to Eton College
To the State Rooms
The North Terrace
Eton Church of England College over the Thames
Cornwall Tower ...
... lovely windows
Still practicing my videos - Guarding Windsor Castle
Standing waiting in the queue for the State Rooms - gargoyles!
George IV cast iron rain collector/spout complete with its own gargoyle
... this definitely reminds me of someone!
A big disappointment although I had half expected it - no photography inside the State Apartments!
The quadrangle - the arches just to the left of centre is where I watched the Queen get into her car to go to Ascot whilst I was in the Grand Reception Room - if I'd been outside I could have got a picture.
the cars go in on the left, pick up the royal family members and leave through the arch on the right - behind is the Brunswick Tower and Prince of Wales Tower
Statue to Charles II who built new apartments here ...
... and the quadrangle guard
Engine Court
the garden of the Governor of Windsor castle really is a fantastic below the Round Tower
the Store Tower
King Henry III Tower ...
... leading down to Mary Tudor Tower
looking down the hill past Albert Memorial Chapel and St George's Chapel on the right and Mary Tudor Tower, King Henry VIII Gate on the left with Salisbury Tower and Garter House at the end
Albert Memorial Chapel and St George's Chapel beyond
on the march again up the hill from the Guard Room at Salisbury Tower
The Galilee Porch leading into Albert Memorial Chapel
click to enlarge to read ...
... the ceiling in the porch ...
... a fragment of original wall painting dated 1240 which may be of Henry VIII
looking up the hill past Mary Tudor Tower and King Georg's Chapel to the Round Tower
Salisbury Tower on the left and the Guard doing his bit outside the Guard Room
... and just look at him ...
... he's naught but a bairn!
Horseshoe Cloisters ...
... built in 1478 - 1481 ...
... for priest vicars at St George's Chapel ...
... restored and remodelled ...
... in 1871 ...
... now the homes of ...
... the Lay Clerks, the gentlemen of the choir ...
... and their families.
St Georges Chapel from Horseshoe Cloisters
King Henry VIII's Gate as I left the castle
I had a great day - just wished for pictures of the inside - you'll have to visit yourself, it's well worth it.
Went there last week, took Mother in law (82) had a brilliant day, finished it off with a nice meal at Wetherspoons across the road, which incidently didn't cost much more than I had to pay for the extortionate cost of parking the car for the day
ReplyDeleteBeardy Chas (friend of G&J NB Matilda Rose)