Windsor, famed for its castle and royal heritage, provides the perfect place to spend a relaxing day exploring British history.
The quaint town on the banks of the River Thames boasts attractions out of all proportion to its size, with Eton school, Ascot racecourse and the site of the Magna Carta signing nearby.
The town itself grew up during the Middle Ages around Windsor Castle, built by William the Conqueror to guard the approaches to London.
Its cobbled streets reveal numerous sites of interest such as the Old King's Head, where Shakespeare is rumoured to have written The Merry Wives of Windsor; the Guildhall, designed by England's most famous architect, Sir Christopher Wren; and Queen Charlotte Street, the shortest street in Britain.
Guards
But it's the royal connections that dominate. Every morning, the Royal Guards can be seen marching up the High Street as they make their way to Windsor Castle for the daily changing of the guard ceremony.
The castle itself is breathtaking in both size and design, occupying 5Ha (13 acres) in the centre of the town. The 1,000 room fortress is the largest inhabited castle in the world and the oldest in continuous occupation.
The ravages of a fire in 1992 have now been largely restored and visitors can wander through the castle's cobbled courtyard to magnificent stately rooms housing artwork by masters such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Holbein and Van Dyck as well as medieval armour and period furniture.
Boats leave Windsor Bridge every half hour, weather permitting, for sight-seeing tours on the Thames. Three miles south-east of the town on the banks of the river, is the meadow of Runnymede, where King John sealed the Magna Carta in 1215. The charter established the principle of constitutional monarchy and affirmed the individual's right to justice and liberty.
A memorial erected by the American Bar Association overlooks the meadow, and nearby there are monuments to Commonwealth pilots who died in the Second World War and to John F Kennedy.
Situated across the river from Windsor is Eton, alma mater of 18 British Prime Ministers. The school was founded in 1440 by Henry VI to provide an education for 70 poor students, and has since become one of the most famous schools in the world. Visitors can take a tour of the cloisters, the chapel, the oldest classroom in the college and the Museum of Eton Life.
Other attractions near Windsor are Ascot, the world-famous racecourse, and adventure park Legoland. Set over 150 acres of parkland and voted oneof the best attractions for children in the country, Legoland boasts more than 50 rides and promises a fun day out for all ages.
From pubs once frequented by the Bard to Legoland; from Eton and Ascot to one of Her Majesty's homes... Windsor has plenty to see and enjoy
MARCELL‚ NETHERSOLE
Source: Flight Daily News