Windsor: The World's Oldest and Largest Occupied Castle
Windsor Castle has been a royal residence for over 900 years. A guide to the castle's history, St George's Chapel and the nearby town on the Thames.
Nine centuries of continuous royal use
Windsor Castle was founded by William the Conqueror in the 1070s as part of a defensive ring of fortifications built around London within a day's march of the capital, and it has remained in continuous royal use ever since, longer than any other occupied castle in the world. Its position on a chalk bluff above the Thames gave it a strong defensive advantage, and successive monarchs steadily expanded the original timber motte-and-bailey structure into the stone complex that survives today, covering around 13 acres and making it also the largest continuously inhabited castle on Earth.
St George's Chapel and the Order of the Garter
St George's Chapel, rebuilt in its current Perpendicular Gothic form between 1475 and 1528, serves as the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in Britain, founded by Edward III in 1348. The chapel has hosted royal weddings and funerals for centuries and is the burial place of ten monarchs, including Henry VIII and Charles I. In April 2018, it hosted the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, one of the most watched royal ceremonies of the modern era.
Surviving a fire and staying a working palace
A major fire broke out at Windsor Castle in November 1992, badly damaging St George's Hall and around 100 other rooms; the five-year restoration that followed cost roughly £37 million and was completed ahead of schedule and under budget, a rare achievement for a heritage project of that scale. Unlike Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle remains an actively used royal residence rather than a purely ceremonial one, and the King's Guard change ceremony, held on selected days, follows the same tradition as the more famous version at Buckingham Palace.
The town and Eton College
The town of Windsor itself, with a population of around 33,000, sits directly beneath the castle walls and grew largely to serve the royal household, a relationship still visible in its high concentration of historic pubs and shops. Across the Thames, reached by a pedestrian bridge, lies Eton College, founded by Henry VI in 1440 specifically to educate boys who would then attend King's College, Cambridge, a pairing that still exists between the two institutions. Windsor Great Park, covering roughly 4,800 acres, offers a long tree-lined avenue known as the Long Walk, running for nearly three miles directly toward the castle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Windsor Castle the oldest castle in the world?
It is widely cited as the oldest and largest continuously occupied castle in the world, having been in uninterrupted royal use since the 1070s.
Can visitors attend the Changing of the Guard at Windsor?
Yes, the King's Guard ceremony takes place at Windsor Castle on selected days, following broadly the same tradition as the ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
How much damage did the 1992 fire cause at Windsor?
The fire severely damaged around 100 rooms including St George's Hall; restoration took about five years and cost roughly £37 million, completed under budget and ahead of schedule.
What is the connection between Windsor and Eton College?
Eton College, across the Thames from the castle, was founded in 1440 specifically to feed pupils into King's College, Cambridge, and the two institutions retain historic ties today.