Imatges de pàgina
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Windsor is an ancient borough situated on the south bank of the Thames, 16 miles east of Reading, and 22 miles distant from London by the road through Brentford, Hounslow, and Colnbrook. It possesses an ancient church, a theatre, barracks, and a good free school, and returns two members to Parliament. The town has no manufactures, and possesses in itself little to interest the stranger; but the attractions of the adjacent castle make it the frequent resort of visitors, especially since the facility of communication afforded by the opening of the railways. Population, 1851, 9596.

Windsor Castle has been the principal seat of British royalty for nearly eight centuries. The Saxon kings had a palace at Old Windsor long previous to the Conquest. The present castle was founded by William the Conqueror, but was almost rebuilt by Edward III., with the assistance of the celebrated William of Wykeham, who was made clerk of the works. Great alterations were made by Sir Jeffry Wyatville during the reign of George IV. St George's Chapel is a eplendid specimen of florid Gothic architecture. It contains the stalls of the Knights of the Garter; and here the ceremony of installation takes place. At the east end of the chapel is the royal vault, where the remains of George III. and his Queen, George IV., the Princess Charlote, the Duke of Kent, the Duke of York, William IV. and his Queen, &c., are deposited. Edward IV. and his Queen, Henry VI., Henry VIII. and Jane Seymour, and Charles I., are also E 2

interred here. The monument to the Princess Charlotte is particularly fine, and the tombs of the Beaufort family are very gorgeous. The keep or round tower in the centre of the castle is perhaps the most remarkable part of the building. Here James I. of Scotland was confined. The terrace is supposed to be the noblest walk of its kind in Europe. A fine flight of steps leads from the east terrace to the new garden, a beautiful spot, adorned with many statues, both of bronze and marble. The little park which extends round the east and north sides of the castle is about four miles in circumference. Here is the tree supposed to be "Herne's Oak," immortalised by Shakspeare. The great park is situated on the south side of the castle, and includes the beautiful avenue of trees, nearly three miles in length, called the Long Walk. It is terminated by the colossal equestrian statue of George III., in bronze, by Westmacott. The drive through the park to Virginia Water is exceedingly striking. The interior of the Castle is remarkably magnificent. The corridor or gallery, 520 feet in length, which leads along the south and east sides of the court, and is richly adorned with bronzes, marbles, pictures, &c., excites great admiration. The state-rooms are fitted up in a very superb style, and the different apartments are adorned by a great number of paintings by the most eminent masters. These can be seen by any one possessing an order, which is easily procurable in London, at the shop of Messrs. Colnaghie, printsellers, Pall-Mall, East. Her Majesty's private apartments can only be seen during the absence of the Court from Windsor, by virtue of a special order from the Lord Chamberlain.

Half a mile from Windsor is Frogmore, the favourite residence of Her late Majesty, Queen Charlotte, and now occupied by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent. Six miles distant is Ascot Heath, where races are annually held in June, under the especial patronage of royalty.

Opposite to Windsor, on the north side of the Thames, is Eton, celebrated for its college, which was founded in 1440, by Henry VI., for the education of 70 scholars. Besides these, there are generally several hundreds of the sons of the nobility and gentry receiving their education there. The total number has usually amounted to about 500. The chapel is a fine old Gothic structure, containing a monument to Sir Henry Wotton, who was long provost of the college. At the west end of the ante-chapel there is a beautiful marble statue of the founder, Henry VI., in his royal robes; and there is another statue of the founder, in bronze, in the centre of the principal court. The library contains a curious and valuable collection of books, an excellent assortment of Oriental MSS., and some beautifully illuminated missals. Eton was until lately the scene of a curious triennial pageant, called the Eton Montem, which is now abolished. Amongst other great men who were educated at Eton, may be enumerated Sir Robert Walpole, Harley Earl of Oxford, Lord Bolingbroke, Earl Camden, the famous Earl of Chatham, Outred the mathematician, Boyle the philosopher, Lord Lyttelton, Gray, Horace Walpole, West, Waller, Fox, Canning, the Marquis of Vellesley, Hallam the historian, and the Duke of Wellington. Pop. of parish ncluding the college) in 1851, 3796.

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