Location: Castle Hill
Tel 020-7766 7304
Open: 9:45m- 5:15pm daily
9:45am- 4:15pm Nov- Feb
Last admission: 1hr 15min before closing
Closed: Good Fri, Dec 25- 26
Windsor Castle is located in the English town of
Windsor in southern England in the county of Berkshire. It is the
largest continuously inhabited castle in the world. Windsor Castle's
origins date back to the times of William the Conqueror. The castle,
along with the entire Windsor estate, is owned by the British Crown
and administered by the Royal Household. It is part of the Royal
Collection while the Windsor estate is part of the Crown Estate.
Along with Buckingham Palace in London and Holyrood Palace in
Edinburgh, Windsor Castle is one of the British monarch's main
official residences. Below the castle flows the Thames on its way
east to the capital, London, 35 km away. Windsor Castle is also
known as "English Versailles".
Windsor Castle was the
official weekend residence of Queen Elizabeth II. It was used by her
for a month each year at Easter while she spent the Christmas
holidays at her private estate, Sandringham House, and August and
September at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The Queen took up
permanent residence at Windsor Castle on the occasion of her 80th
birthday and has since spent only three days a week (usually Tuesday
to Thursday) at London's Buckingham Palace for work. Their presence
was recognized by the royal heraldic standard atop the Round Tower,
while the Union Jack was flown in their absence.
Most of the
kings and queens of England had a direct influence on the
construction and development of the castle, which in their time
served them as a garrison, fortress, residence, official palace and
sometimes prison. Today the buildings serve both as a museum and for
state events as well as for the private purposes of the king. The
history of the castle and that of the British monarchy are
inextricably linked; it can be traced chronologically through the
reigns of the monarchs who owned it. In times of peace, large and
sumptuous rooms were added to the castle. In times of war, the
castle was fortified more strongly. This pattern continues to this
day.
Overall Layout
The castle occupies a steep chalk cliff above the
River Thames and is divided into three main wards (baileys) arranged
around a central artificial motte (mound):
Lower Ward (western
section): Contains St George’s Chapel, the Horseshoe Cloister,
Curfew Tower, and various service buildings. It lies below the motte
and opens toward the town of Windsor.
Middle Ward: Centers on the
motte and Round Tower (the keep). It acts as a transitional space
between the Lower and Upper Wards.
Upper Ward (eastern section):
Features the State Apartments (north range), private royal
apartments (south and east), and a central quadrangle. It overlooks
the Home Park and East Terrace.
The motte rises 50 ft (15 m)
high, built from chalk dug from the surrounding ditch. The entire
complex is enclosed by stone curtain walls interspersed with towers
and gates. Key access points include the Henry VIII Gate (southwest
entrance to Lower Ward), Norman Gate (between Middle and Upper
Wards), and George IV Gate (south side of Upper Ward). Terraces
(North Terrace overlooking the Thames and East Terrace) provide
dramatic views.
Historical Architectural Development
Norman Origins (11th–12th centuries, William the Conqueror and Henry
II): Founded c. 1070 as a classic motte-and-bailey castle with a
wooden keep on the motte and timber palisades. Henry II (1170s)
rebuilt it in stone using local Bagshot Heath stone: the Round Tower
became a stone shell keep with a chemise (encircling wall), and the
outer walls received square towers and curtain walls. This phase
established the basic defensive footprint that survives today.
13th–14th centuries (Henry III and Edward III): Henry III
strengthened the Lower Ward walls, added towers (Curfew, Garter,
Salisbury), and built luxurious royal lodgings. Edward III
(1350–1377) undertook the most expensive secular building project of
the English Middle Ages, transforming the Upper Ward into a Gothic
palace with three courtyards (including a new hall and chapel
range), the Norman Gatehouse, and extensive stone vaulting. He
founded the Order of the Garter here in 1348.
Late Medieval–Tudor
(15th–16th centuries): Edward IV began St George’s Chapel in 1475
(completed under Henry VII and Henry VIII). Henry VIII added his
namesake gateway and a terrace along the north cliff.
Stuart and
Baroque era (17th century, Charles II): Architect Hugh May created
extravagant Baroque interiors in the State Apartments—painted
ceilings by Antonio Verrio and wood carvings by Grinling Gibbons—to
rival Versailles. The North Terrace was expanded.
Georgian and
Gothic Revival (late 18th–early 19th centuries, George III/IV and
Jeffry Wyatville): George IV hired Wyatville to give the castle a
more imposing, uniform Gothic exterior. He raised the Round Tower by
30 ft (9.1 m) for a taller silhouette (visible as a ring of stone
marking the original height), added crenellations, turrets,
battlements, and Gothic windows throughout. This created the iconic
skyline but drew criticism for disproportion and “vandalism” of
earlier fabric. Interiors mixed Rococo, Gothic, and Baroque
furnishings.
Victorian and 20th century: Minor changes under
Queen Victoria. A devastating 1992 fire destroyed parts of the Upper
Ward (including the Private Chapel and Crimson Drawing Room).
Restoration (completed 1997) used “equivalent” techniques with
modern materials while recreating historic appearances—some areas
adopted a lighter “Downesian Gothic” with exposed oak structures.
Key Architectural Features
Round Tower (Middle Ward keep):
The castle’s most distinctive landmark, built by Henry II on the
motte. It is not perfectly cylindrical (pear-shaped due to the
motte’s form) with a 103 ft × 94 ft base. Lower sections show
12th-century battering plinths and pilaster buttresses; the upper
extension and battlements are Wyatville’s 19th-century work. A
gallery at the base and internal redesign (1991–1993) now house
Royal Archives.
St George’s Chapel (Lower Ward): One of
England’s supreme Perpendicular Gothic achievements (1475–1528). The
exterior features tall pinnacles, flying buttresses, large traceried
windows, and fan vaulting (added by Henry VII). The interior boasts
15th-century choir stalls with unique Knight of the Garter brass
plates, Victorian stained glass, and Henry VIII’s oriel window. It
serves as the Order of the Garter’s spiritual home and a royal
mausoleum.
State Apartments (Upper Ward, north range): A
sequence of grand rooms progressing from public to private spaces.
Highlights include:
Grand Reception Room: 100 ft long with Rococo
gilding, chandeliers, and Gobelins tapestries (restored post-1992).
Waterloo Chamber: Added by George IV to celebrate Napoleon’s defeat;
features a grand entrance and staircase.
St George’s Hall:
Extended with hammer-beam roof elements in the 19th/20th centuries.
Semi-State Rooms (south side): Created for George IV with rich
crimson and green drawing rooms, French Empire furnishings, and
elaborate 19th-century schemes by Morel & Seddon.
Towers and
Defenses: Numerous named towers punctuate the walls—e.g., Curfew
Tower (13th century, with dungeon and conical roof), Garter and
Salisbury Towers (13th-century west front), Norman Gate
(14th-century drum towers with portcullis and murder holes), Edward
III Tower, and others like Winchester, York, and Brunswick (many
refaced or heightened by Wyatville). Walls use coursed Bagshot Heath
stone with ashlar dressings; some retain flint galleting.
Materials and Techniques: Predominantly Bagshot Heath stone for
durability, with Bath stone for later Gothic detailing. Medieval
phases used rubble core with ashlar facing; later work incorporated
vaulting (quadripartite and lierne), oriel windows, and ornate
plasterwork. The 1992 restoration introduced modern fireproofing
while preserving visual authenticity.
Norman Origins and Early Development (11th–12th Centuries)
William
the Conqueror selected the site around 1070–1086 as part of a defensive
ring of motte-and-bailey castles around London, positioned strategically
above the Thames and near Windsor Forest (a royal hunting preserve). The
original wooden castle featured a central keep on a man-made motte
(mound) rising about 100 feet above the river, with baileys to the east
(future Upper Ward) and west. Its layout closely resembled Arundel
Castle. The outer walls and central mound of today’s castle largely
follow this original footprint.
Early Norman kings preferred palaces
elsewhere (like Old Windsor), but Henry I made it a royal residence by
1110, celebrating Whitsuntide there and marrying his second wife, Adela
of Louvain, in 1121. The keep collapsed due to subsidence and was later
stabilized with timber piles and rebuilt in stone. Henry II (r.
1154–1189) transformed it into a palace in the 1160s–1170s, replacing
wooden defenses with stone walls, square towers, and the first King’s
Gate. He rebuilt the keep (now the iconic Round Tower) with massive
foundations using Bagshot Heath and Bedfordshire stone, adding two sets
of royal apartments (public in the Lower Ward, private in the Upper).
This marked the shift from pure fortress to royal palace.
13th
Century: Fortifications and Luxurious Palace under Henry III
During
the First Barons’ War, the castle withstood sieges in 1214 and 1216
(defended by constable Engelard de Cigogné against baronial and French
forces). Repairs followed under Henry III, who heavily invested in it as
one of his favorite residences (spending over £10,000). He strengthened
the Lower Ward walls and towers (e.g., Curfew, Garter, Salisbury),
rebuilt the gatehouse (later Henry VIII’s Gate), and constructed a
luxurious private palace in the Upper Ward around a northern court, plus
a grand 70-foot Lady Chapel in the Lower Ward (one of the era’s most
ornate, with rich decorations). The Great Hall was enlarged but later
burned in 1296. This era solidified the division into Upper (private
royal), Middle, and Lower (more public) Wards.
14th Century:
Edward III’s Gothic Transformation and the Order of the Garter
Edward
III (born at Windsor) undertook the most expensive secular medieval
building project in England (£51,000 from 1350–1377), funded partly by
French war ransoms. Under architect William of Wykeham, he rebuilt the
Upper Ward into a Gothic palace with three internal courts, St George’s
Hall (with chapel and symmetrical gatehouses), the Rose Tower for
private use, luxurious lodgings, and the Norman Gate. He installed one
of England’s earliest mechanical clocks in the Round Tower (1354) and
held French royal prisoners, including King John II after Poitiers.
In 1344, Edward founded the Order of the Round Table (later the Order of
the Garter in 1348), headquartered at Windsor with the Poor Knights. St
George’s Chapel became central to this chivalric order. Richard II
continued some work, influencing later colleges. The core of Edward
III’s design endured for centuries.
15th–16th Centuries: Tudor
Era and St George’s Chapel
Edward IV began St George’s Chapel in 1475
(dismantling older Lower Ward buildings), creating one of England’s
supreme Perpendicular Gothic achievements—completed under Henry VIII
around 1528 and later restored. It serves as a royal mausoleum (burials
include Henry VI, Edward IV, Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Charles I, and
many 19th–20th century monarchs) and hosts Garter ceremonies.
Henry
VIII rebuilt the principal gateway (Henry VIII Gate), added a tennis
court and North Terrace (for Thames views, weakening defenses somewhat).
He used it as a retreat for hunting and entertainment; Elizabeth I
favored it for safety, repaired structures, added a stone terrace with
banqueting house and gallery, refitted the chapel, and hosted diplomacy.
It inspired Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor.
17th
Century: Civil War and Restoration Baroque
During the English Civil
War (1642 onward), Parliament seized it as a military headquarters and
prison; canons were expelled, valuables looted, and Charles I was held
there before his 1649 execution (his body was returned for burial in St
George’s Chapel). It served under Oliver Cromwell later.
At the
Restoration (1660), Charles II modernized it into England’s grandest
Baroque palace with architect Hugh May, creating extravagant interiors
(murals by Antonio Verrio, carvings by Grinling Gibbons). Key survivals
include the King’s Dining Room and Queen’s chambers. He added the
2.5-mile Long Walk into Great Park. Later Stuart plans (e.g.,
Wren/Hawksmoor) were largely unrealized.
18th–Early 19th
Centuries: Neglect, Revival, and George IV’s Gothic Remodel
The 18th
century saw relative neglect under George I and II (who preferred other
palaces), though it became a public curiosity with early guidebooks.
George III revived interest, gothicizing exteriors with James Wyatt and
adding collections. George IV (with architect Jeffry Wyatville) spent
massively (£1 million+ by the 1830s) to create the romantic Gothic
castle seen today: raising the Round Tower, reclothing it in battlements
and towers, rebuilding State Apartments (Waterloo Chamber for battle
portraits, extended St George’s Hall), and moving private rooms
south/east. This produced the “finest and most complete expression of
later Georgian taste.”
Victorian and 20th Centuries: Royal Home,
Wars, and the 1992 Fire
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert made it a
principal residence and diplomatic hub; Albert died in the Blue Room in
1861 (rooms preserved). Minor changes included a private chapel and
Grand Staircase rebuild. It became the center of royal entertainment.
In the 20th century, it inspired the House of Windsor name during WWI
(1917). During WWII, it sheltered the royal family (including young
Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret) as a wartime refuge. Post-war, it
hosted state visits and modernized (e.g., electricity).
On 20
November 1992, a devastating fire (starting in Queen Victoria’s Private
Chapel from a faulty spotlight igniting a curtain) burned for 15 hours,
damaging or destroying over 100 rooms (about one-fifth of the castle,
including nine State Rooms like St George’s Hall). Most artworks and
treasures were saved. Restoration, completed exactly five years later in
1997 at £36.5–37 million (funded partly by opening Buckingham Palace to
the public), combined faithful recreation with modern Gothic innovations
(e.g., Giles Downes’ hammerbeam roof).
Modern Era (Late 20th–21st
Centuries)
Elizabeth II increasingly used it as a favorite residence
(main home from around 2011), hosting state visits, audiences, Garter
ceremonies, and Royal Ascot processions. During COVID-19, she and Prince
Philip lived there in “HMS Bubble”; Philip died there in 2021. She
opened more areas to visitors.
Today, under Charles III, it remains
an official royal residence and working palace (home to ~500 people,
including Military Knights, Dean and Canons of St George’s). It hosts
investitures, banquets, and events, with public access to State
Apartments, the Chapel (site of recent royal weddings like Harry &
Meghan in 2018 and funerals), Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, and Changing of
the Guard. Archaeological work and conservation continue alongside its
role as a major tourist site (nearly 1 million visitors annually
pre-pandemic).
Planning and Tickets
Book tickets in advance via the official
Royal Collection Trust website (rct.uk). This guarantees entry with a
timed slot, saves money compared to gate prices, and avoids
disappointment during busy periods. Popular slots (especially peak
season) can sell out.
2026 approximate prices (advance/online; gate
prices higher and subject to availability):
Adult: £31–£35
Young
Person (18–24): £20–£23
Child (5–17): £15.50–£17.50
Under 5: Free
Disabled: Concessionary rates with free companion ticket.
Family
tickets and group discounts (15+) are available. Local Royal Borough of
Windsor and Maidenhead Advantage Card holders get 50% off with
additional child discounts.
Key perk: Convert your ticket to a 1-Year
Pass for free re-admission within 12 months (sign and print your name
before leaving). Great if you want to return.
Check closures in
advance — as a working palace, the castle or parts (like State
Apartments) can close at short notice for state events, visits, or
maintenance. St George's Chapel is closed to tourists on Sundays
(services only) and closes earlier (around 16:00).
Opening Hours
(Typical)
March–October: 10:00–17:15 (last admission ~16:00),
Thursday–Monday.
November–February: 10:00–16:15 (last admission
~15:00), Thursday–Monday.
Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays (except
July–September in some years). State Apartments close 30 minutes after
last admission.
Best Time to Visit
To avoid crowds: Weekdays
(Monday, Thursday, Friday), off-peak seasons (October–February or early
spring), or later afternoon slots (tour groups often thin out). Mornings
are busiest.
For ceremonies: Plan around the Changing of the Guard
(usually Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday ~11:00; confirm schedule). Guards
march through town or directly inside depending on the King's residence
(flag on Round Tower indicates if he's there). Arrive early for good
viewing spots.
Arrive 15–30 minutes before your slot for security.
Late-day visits work well but ensure you have enough time before last
admission.
Getting There and Practical Tips
From London: Easy
~30–60 minute train from Paddington (to Windsor & Eton Central) or
Waterloo (to Windsor & Eton Riverside). Both stations are a short walk
uphill to the castle. Buses or organized tours also available.
No
on-site parking — use town center car parks (allow extra time). Public
transport recommended.
Security: Airport-style screening. Travel
light — large bags/pushchairs go in a cloakroom before State Apartments
(10-minute uphill walk). Prohibited/restricted items include large
luggage, drones, knives, etc. No smoking/vaping.
What to wear/bring:
Comfortable shoes (steep hill, long distances, cobblestones). Layers for
weather. Refillable water bottle (fountain available). No large bags.
Photography: Allowed in outdoor precincts (great spots around Round
Tower, Moat Garden, Horseshoe Cloister). No photos/filming inside State
Apartments or St George's Chapel.
Multimedia guide: Free (included),
available in multiple languages including BSL/subtitles. Kid-friendly
version with Scorch the dragon. Highly recommended — it brings history
to life with royal staff insights.
Accessibility: Steep hill and
stairs, but lifts, wheelchairs/rollators available, accessible routes,
and facilities. Download photo journey PDF for planning. Changing Places
toilet available.
What to See (Highlights and Suggested Route)
Castle Precincts (outdoors): Start with the impressive Round Tower,
Norman Gate, views, and grounds. Relaxed walking area.
Queen Mary's
Dolls' House: Incredible 1:12 scale masterpiece with working features,
tiny books/art. Can have queues — visit early if priority.
State
Apartments: Lavish ceremonial and historic rooms with Royal Collection
art (Holbein, Rubens, etc.), armor, furnishings. Highlights: Grand
Reception Room, Waterloo Chamber, Crimson Drawing Room (Semi-State Rooms
open seasonally). Used for state events today.
St George's Chapel:
Stunning Gothic architecture, burial site of Henry VIII, Charles I,
Queen Elizabeth II, and others. Order of the Garter home. Don't miss the
fan vaulting.
One-way visitor route applies. Take time — don't rush.
Food, Facilities, and Extras
Undercroft Café: Historic setting
inside the castle for sandwiches, salads, cakes, tea. Kiosks for lighter
bites/ice cream.
Toilets/baby care: Multiple locations.
Shops:
Royal gifts and souvenirs.
Families: Activity trails, family guide,
seasonal events (e.g., history weekends).
Additional Tips for a
Great Visit
Combine with Windsor town (High Street, river walks,
Great Park) or a day trip (e.g., with Eton or Legoland nearby).
Respect the working palace atmosphere — quiet in indoor areas.
If
short on time: Prioritize Dolls' House early, then State Apartments, end
at Chapel.
Weather matters for outdoor parts and guard changes (often
weather permitting).
Herne the Hunter: The Antlered Phantom of Windsor Great Park
The
standout local legend of the Windsor area is Herne the Hunter, a ghostly
huntsman who haunts Windsor Great Park and the Home Park near the
castle. He is depicted as a tall, imposing figure with a set of stag
antlers sprouting from his head, often riding a black horse, accompanied
by hounds or an owl, and rattling chains while blowing a hunting horn.
His appearances are said to bring misfortune—tormenting cattle (making
milch-kine yield blood instead of milk), blasting or withering trees,
bewitching livestock, and sometimes leading a "Wild Hunt" that sweeps
through the forest. He is most active in autumn and winter, especially
around midnight, and folklore claims he emerges during times of national
crisis or royal misfortune.
The earliest recorded mention comes from
William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor (written around 1597,
commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I and first performed at Windsor Castle
itself). In the play, Herne is invoked as a scare tactic: Falstaff is
tricked into dressing as the ghost to be tormented by fairies at
"Herne's Oak" in the park. Shakespeare describes him as the spirit of a
former keeper of Windsor Forest who "hangs a chain about his neck" and
shakes it hideously, blasts trees, and haunts the oak at midnight. Local
mothers reportedly used tales of him as a bogeyman to frighten children.
A 1602 pirated edition of the play even spells it "Horne" and ties it
explicitly to scaring kids with stories of a great stag-like ghost.
Later variations expanded the backstory. By the late 18th century (e.g.,
Samuel Ireland in 1792), Herne was portrayed as a keeper under Queen
Elizabeth I who committed an offense, feared disgrace, and hanged
himself from a great oak in the park. The 19th-century novel Windsor
Castle (1843) by William Harrison Ainsworth popularized a more dramatic
Faustian tale: Herne, a skilled forester and huntsman under King Richard
II (1377–1399), saved the king from a rampaging white hart (stag) but
was gored in the process. A local wizard or the Devil himself saved
Herne's life on the condition that he wear the stag's antlers—granting
him supernatural power but stripping his hunting skills. Jealous rival
huntsmen framed him as a thief; banished and despairing, Herne hanged
himself from the oak. His ghost returned to haunt his enemies, and the
tree became known as Herne's Oak. (The exact location of the original
tree has been debated for centuries; one candidate near Frogmore House
was felled in the 1790s, another blown down in Queen Victoria's reign,
with a commemorative oak planted later in the Home Park.)
Etymological and cultural roots are murky but localized to Berkshire.
"Herne" may derive from Old English hyrne (horn or corner) or link to
horned deities in broader European folklore (some 20th-century
theorists, like Margaret Murray, connected him to the Celtic horned god
Cernunnos or the leader of the Wild Hunt, though there's no direct
ancient British evidence). The legend has inspired operas (e.g., Otto
Nicolai's The Merry Wives of Windsor), ballets, songs, and modern media
like Robin of Sherwood (where Herne is a shamanic guide) and The Dark Is
Rising series. Sightings or sounds (hounds, horns) in Windsor Forest
were still reported into the 20th century, reinforcing its status as
living local folklore.
Royal and Other Ghosts Within Windsor
Castle
The castle itself—particularly St. George's Chapel (final
resting place of 11 monarchs, including Henry VIII, Charles I, and more
recently Elizabeth II), the Royal Library, Dean's Cloister, corridors,
and grounds—is said to swarm with royal spirits. Many are tied to their
historical connections to the site.
Queen Elizabeth I (reigned
1558–1603): One of the most frequently sighted. She appears as a lady in
black (gown and shawl), often in the Royal Library or near windows. In
1897, Lieutenant Carr Glynn of the Grenadier Guards saw her walk past
him in the library's outer room; he followed but she vanished with no
exit. An attendant confirmed no living person had been there. Queen
Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret reportedly saw her during WWII. King
George VI allegedly encountered her eight times in the library before
the war, and King Charles has also been linked to sightings. Her
high-heeled footsteps are sometimes heard on floorboards.
King Henry
VIII (reigned 1509–1547): The obese Tudor king, buried in St. George's
Chapel with Jane Seymour, is heard groaning and dragging his ulcerated,
painful leg (which contributed to his death) through the Deanery
Cloisters and corridors. He appears as a large, angry, pacing
figure—shouting or moaning—reflecting his historical use of the castle
as a plague retreat and base during unrest.
Anne Boleyn (Henry VIII's
second wife, executed 1536): Her ghost weeps sadly while peering through
windows in the Dean's Cloister. Her body was initially buried elsewhere
but is sometimes linked to the castle's chapel area; sightings evoke her
tragic fall from favor.
King George III (reigned 1760–1820): Confined
at Windsor during bouts of "madness," he is seen peering mournfully
through library windows/doorways or standing at his old window saluting
guards. After his death, while his body lay in state, soldiers
reportedly saw his apparition return their salute as they passed.
King Charles I (executed 1649): His ghost has been glimpsed in
corridors. Historically, he was imprisoned at Windsor before his
beheading in London; his body was returned and buried in St. George's
Chapel (sharing a vault with Henry VIII). A sudden blizzard during the
funeral cortege was seen as an omen of his innocence.
Queen Victoria
(reigned 1837–1901): Reportedly furious at alterations by her grandson
Edward VIII (e.g., removing a favorite spruce tree in the gardens), her
ghost has been seen waving her arms and moaning loudly near the site,
with workers experiencing unexplained interference during changes.
Additional hauntings include a little girl and lady in white in the
kitchens, an unknown Royalist prisoner from the Civil War at the Norman
Gate (near the Round Tower), and various unidentified spirits in the
Deanery, Prison Room, Curfew Tower, and St. George's Chapel. In 1906, a
sentry fired at a group of vanishing "intruders" who appeared from
nowhere. The Long Walk in the Great Park is haunted by the ghost of an
18-year-old guardsman who shot himself in 1927; fellow sentries later
reported seeing his face on patrol.