Bed and breakfast availability
Windsor b&b, guest house and hotel accommodation

Visit Windsor and the surrounding villages and stay in bed & breakfast accommodation:

Windsor, Berkshire, is dominated, both in spirit and in fact, by its magnificent castle. Yet the town itself is very attractive, with Georgian and Victorian buildings, and Church Street is one of its prettiest areas.

The Parish Church of St John, rebuilt in the 19^th century, stands in the High Street and has interesting contents. The chapel railings are by Grinhing Gibbons; a painting of the last supper by de Cleyn was given by George III; and among the monuments are two from the 18^th century by Scheemakers. Nearby, the Guildhall was designed at the end of the 17^th century by Sir Thomas Fitch and completed by Sir Christopher Wren. Statues of Queen Anne and her husband decorate the façade. It is open to the public, and various charters, documents and exhibits concerning local history are on display, while portraits of the kings and queens line the walls.

However, it is the castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world and covering 13 acres, that draws all eyes. Its story starts with William the Conqueror who quickly grasped its strategic position and the advantage of a forest for hunting close by. Since then practically every sovereign has had a hand in the building. Henry II put up the first stone buildings, including the Round Tower, and the defences are still mainly those built by Henry III. Edward III was born at Windsor and loved it. He enlarged the royal apartments, and founded the Order of the Knights of the Garter, making Windsor a centre for chivalry.

Almost all succeeding monarchs made alterations, including the two queens, Mary and Elizabeth I. A great deal of work was done under Charles II and again during the reign of George III, while later Sir Jeffry Wyatville made enormous changes for George IV, giving the castle the unforgettable skyline we see today.

The castle is made up of three parts: the Lower Ward, which includes St George's Chapel; the Upper Ward in which lie the State Apartments; and the Middle Ward where the enormous Round Tower, open to the public, gives wonderful views of 12 counties, especially over the Thames.

Walking through Henry VIII's Gateway, you arrive first at St George's Chapel, a sumptuous and impressive building which yet gives an effect of light and spaciousness. The Perpendicular chapel was begun by Edward IV in 1475, and completed in the reigns of Henry VII and VIII. Many sovereigns and famous men and women lie buried here, including Charles I, Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. Here the 19^th century monument to Princess Charlotte and the Albert Memorial Chapel stand out in bold contrast. It is almost impossible to appreciate all at once the magnificent fan vaulting, the chantries, paintings, delicate ironwork and the rich carvings of the choir stalls. Each stall shows the arms of every Knight of the Garter who has sat there, while the banner and crested helm of the present holder flutter above.

The state apartments are in the upper ward. Quite apart from their fascinating historical associations these 16 rooms contain a quite remarkable collection of furniture, porcelain, armour, Grinling Gibbons carvings, Verrio ceilings, and above all paintings. The collection, which is particularly strong in the works of Van Dyck and Rembrandt, changes constantly, as pictures are often on loan, or removed to another Royal residence. Subject to the requirements of the Court, these apartments are open to the public. So too are St George's Chapel, the castle precincts, collections of old master drawings, and Queen Mary's dolls' house. Designed by Sir Edward Lutyens in the l920s it is a 20^th century house in exquisite miniature, with every detail perfect.

Home Park lies near the castle, enclosed by the Thames. Stretching over some 400 acres, it is in part open to the public. Near the 18^th century. Frog-more House is the Royal Mausoleum, shaped like a Greek cross with a copper dome, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert lie buried. it is on rare occasions open to the public. Close by is another mausoleum to Queen Victoria's mother, the Duchess of Kent.

Windsor Great Park is south, covering an enormous acreage of wooded park, and contains some magnificent gardens. Charles II created the Long Walk, which stretches 3 miles and ends at the colossal statue of George III, erected in 1831 at Snowhill. In the 18^th century Queen Anne added another 3 mile ride, leading to Ascot; and in the same century the Duke of Cumberland called in Thomas Sandby and his brother to create Virginia Water, a beautiful lake covering 150 acres. In 1816 the Prince Regent donated some Roman ruins from Leptis Magna in Tripoli to add to the effect.

Windsor Great Park has remarkable gardens. The Savill Garden, with every conceivable flower from roses to rock plants, magnolias to rhododendrons, is open to the public and covers some 20 acres. The Valley Garden is near Virginia Water, and in the south-east corner the Kurume Punch Bowl is ablaze with Japanese azaleas.

Flowers apart, Windsor Great Park and forest are in effect a vast nature reserve, where animals of all kinds including deer, and waterfowl at Virginia Water, can be studied.

Nearby towns: Ascot, Bracknell, Egham, Maidenhead, Slough, Staines.

Nearby villages: Bray, Cranbourne, Datchett, Dorney, Eton , Oakley Green, Winkfield

Have you decided to visit Windsor or the surrounding villages? Please look above for somewhere to stay in:

• a Windsor bed and breakfast (a Windsor B&B or Windsor b and b)
• a Windsor guest house (also spelt guesthouse)
• a Windsor hotel (or motel)
• a Windsor self-catering establishment, or
• other Windsor accommodation