Where do I live? Just west of London. Quite near Windsor. Oh, yes, yes, we do have a lovely castle… Hang on, what’s wrong with me? What I mean is that we have a spectacular, magnificent castle! It is the castle of all castles! The trouble is that I take it for granted. When I was a teenager, my bedroom window had a distant view of it and the planes skimming over it on their descent into Heathrow.
I lived in a Windsor suburb for a while, negotiating mundane everyday life like food shopping and driving to and from work around the Household Cavalry clip-clopping along the roads and the tail-coated Eton boys on bicycles. I have seen Windsor Castle thousands of times when driving south on the A332 over the river, including the morning in 1992 when I saw wisps of smoke rising above it and thought “that’s odd”. Then a numb realization dawned on me – a national disaster was unfolding.
The great fire was a reminder of the unique value of Windsor Castle, which was partially lost on that day. Some weeks later, locals were allowed in to stare at the ashes. But we knew that it would recover, Windsor Castle always has. It has, of course, had its ups and downs over a very, very long time.
It was one of hundreds of castles built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century to suppress his new colony of England. I doubt that the locals then were particularly pleased to see it go up. Their hearts must have broken at the sight of a grisly symbol of a vicious new boss with a new kind of slavery for them. Perhaps they were forced to do some of the building work. They would certainly have been expected to give their precious winter food reserves to the strange newcomers. I don’t like to think about how local women were expected to entertain them.
So, let’s not forget that this castle started out, unashamedly, as a means of oppression. But for the new King William’s family, this castle, Windsor Castle, became special – they wanted it as a home. So, the traditional motte and bailey wooden fort was soon replaced with stone, including the iconic Round Tower. In the 13th century, Edward III’s architect William of Wykeham added the gatehouse, palatial living accommodation and apartments for conducting the affairs of state. Tudors, Stuarts and Hanoverians all did their bit to show their love for Windsor by adding to its breadth and depth of attractive features. When the royal family’s German dynastic names became an embarrassment in the First World War, they chose “Windsor” to replace them. There could not be a more potent way of stating that Windsor was an anchor for the nation.
Because of royal favor, Windsor Castle offers a whole day of wonders to behold for enthusiastic tourists. There are ceremonial rooms, such as the enormous St George’s Hall, whose oak grandeur has been lovingly restored after the 1992 fire. There are baroque state apartments with beautiful furniture and paintings. Visitors also love the exquisite miniatures in Queen Mary’s dolls’ house, and the serenity of St George’s Chapel where so many important kings and queens are buried. You can wander around the lovely castle precincts or explore the stunning approach to the Castle from the Great Park. Windsor Castle is big, and it is the best.
Bear in mind though, royals may have commanded it, but it was the toil of the ancestors of local folk – chiseling stone and crafting clay, wood, wool and linen – who made Windsor Castle. We can be proud of it. When I hear a child catching their first glimpse of the castle and yelling “wow!” in wonder at the great big thing I take for granted, I get a nice warm feeling inside.
So, it is worth the eye-watering car park charges for the time you will need to do it justice. Don’t skimp! Windsor Castle is like a feast with eleven courses and a different wine for each. You will certainly feel drunk with cultural enrichment after seeing so much unique treasure. Come to Windsor Castle! Please come to our shops and eateries, too. Make a weekend of it so that you can do Eton and Runnymede. Perhaps fit in an evening visit to the Theater, or cruise along the Thames and watch the graceful and enigmatic swans.
As for us locals? Well, deep down, we know that we are exceptionally lucky to see the castle every day. Thank you, castle; thank you. tourists. So – Windsor-ish – that’s where I’m from.
Now where was I? Trying to find a car parking space in time for a writers’ group meeting…and the machine wants how much?!
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This piece was first broadcast on BBC Upload on November 7th 2025.
