Windsor Castle Facts

One of the most splendid facts about Windsor castle is that it is the queen’s go-to residence. The queen moves to visit this monumental beauty once in a while and enjoy a fabulous stay. Windsor castle is located in Berkshire and is renowned for being the oldest palace of residence in Europe. Whenever the queen is at the residence, then the flagpole above the round tower is hoisted and it remains so until the queen departs. This is one of the most luxurious palaces which was built alongside the River Thames to protect that castle from foreign invasion. 

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 There are a plethora of Windsor castle facts that will leave you impressed. One such extravagant fact about Windsor Castle is that it's the burial ground for many inspiring royal family members. The exquisite white palace of the castle is the burial ground for Charles I who was convicted of treason back in the 17th century. The burial took place without pump or noise as instructed by the then royal family. Following this episode, many renowned figures of the royal family like Edward IV, Henry VI, Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and George V and Queen Mary have been buried at the Saint George's chapel in the white palace. 

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A mini-mansion that won’t fail to surprise you! - Another one of the most historic facts about Windsor Castle is the dollhouse which belonged to Queen Mary. The doll house was created in the year 1924, and has splendid architectural details that make it look almost real! You will find this doll house in the state apartments of Windsor castle. One of the many incredible Windsor Castle facts is that this doll house was the work of two significant architects back in time, namely, Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll. Efforts were made to construct the house including electricity, running water, flushed toilets and even a library with real handprint reading material. 

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On your tour you will come across another one of the Windsor castle facts, which is that the royal family’s last name was derived from the castle itself. Up until 1919, the royal family had the surname Saxe-Coburg-Gotha which had association with the German community. The royal family considered this to be a bad impression, hence changed their last names to Windsor in honour of this exquisite place of residence. The word Windsor comes from an English word, meaning 'winch by the riverbank'. Discover more such facts about Windsor castle in your tour. 

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The castle which was built with a motive of protecting the royal members from Norman dominance, has actually presented and overcame successful attacks. In your tour, you will discover Windsor castle facts like how the guards were in charge of the castle security all the time and protect it from intruders from the countryside by attacking them with hot oil or heavy stones. History also depicts how the castle had a two month sierge in the baron war conducted back in the 1200s. The castle also went under reconstruction in the 11th and 12th century to include more modern designs. 

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 An Inspiring 19th-Century Blind Traveller .- One among another Windsor castle facts that you will discover in your tour, is that the popular blind traveller Holman, who beat infamous world travellers like Marco Polo, James Cook, and Ibn Battuta resided in the castle and served as a knight for a short time. This man, James Holan, was a blind solo traveller, British adventurer, author and social observer who wrote extensively about his travel journeys. Despite being completely blind and having limited mobility he had covered more distance than most renowned world travellers and it is one of the interestings facts about Windsor Castle.

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Windsor Castle, originally constructed in the 11th century as a fortress by William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion of England, has since been used as a royal residence. It was first used as such during the reign of Henry I, who ruled England from 1100 until his death in 1135. Today, it is a weekend retreat for the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, but it has served as a retreat for around 40 other reigning monarchs throughout history. Among them, Elizabeth I held a particular fondness for the castle, while Henry VIII used it as a playground for his hobbies, such as shooting, dancing, wrestling, and playing tennis on the castle's grounds.

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Windsor Castle boasts one of the oldest and still functioning kitchens in England and the United Kingdom. With a long history of catering to the royalty, it is a massive operation, especially when the castle hosts a state dinner. The kitchen staff faces the challenge of maintaining the sense of pomp and ceremony while preparing and serving the meals. Even rolling and stamping the butter with the royal crown is a meticulous task. The kitchen's clock is also set five minutes fast by one person to keep the entire dinner service running smoothly.

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Windsor Castle boasts a staggering 300 fireplaces and more than 450 clocks, which require constant attention to keep them functioning properly. A team of fendersmiths is available 24/7 to tend to the fireplaces, while resident horologists work tirelessly to ensure that the clocks are keeping accurate time. Preparing for daylight savings time is a daunting task that requires approximately 40 hours of work, while changing all 450 clocks takes roughly 16 hours to complete. The sheer size and historical significance of the castle demand that its upkeep be executed with precision and dedication, making the work of the fendersmiths and horologists an essential part of keeping Windsor Castle functioning at its best and one of the less known facts about Windsor Castle.

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