 |
 Windsor
Castle is not quite all that it seems. It has the appearance, especially
from a distance, of a great mediaeval fortress. But much of the structure,
especially on the side that faces the Park, actually dates from periods
of re-building in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. And although the Castle
was certainly intended for military purposes, royal lodgings had
already been built within the walls as early as the 13th century; they have
been extended ever since. Inside the Castle, too, is one of the finest
examples of religious architecture in Britain, St George’s Chapel.
In fact, Windsor has only been the scene of military action twice -
in each case a siege, and within only 22 years of each other, in
1193 and 1215.
The Castle began life in 1070. It was one of the chain of fortifications
built around London by the Normans to control the south-east of
England. Its commanding position, on a hill overlooking the River
Thames, seems the natural place for the principal building in the area.
But that was not always the case. Before the Castle had even been thought
of, there was a royal hunting lodge close to the river, in what
is now known as Old Windsor. And before that, the Benedictine abbey
at Chertsey - founded in 666 - had been the grandest building for miles
around. Unlike the Castle, however, both hunting lodge and abbey have
long since disappeared.
See
vocabulary
Exercise - Comprehension
Look at the statements below, according to the text are they true or
false?
 Check
your answers
Links for more information
Windsor Castle
- about the Royal Residence
The BBC is not responsible for the content of
external websites.
|
|
