Windsor Castle

Scheduled area

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History & significance

Windsor Castle is a royal residence founded by William the Conqueror in the 1070s on a strategic site overlooking the River Thames in Berkshire. The castle was initially constructed as a motte-and-bailey fortification, with the distinctive round tower, known as the Round Tower, built during the reign of Henry II in the late twelfth century to replace an earlier wooden structure. Over subsequent centuries, particularly during the Medieval and Tudor periods, the castle was substantially expanded and refortified, with the addition of residential ranges, chapels, and defensive walls that transformed it from a military stronghold into a palatial royal residence. Windsor Castle remains one of the largest and most significant castles in England, serving as an official residence of the Sovereign and containing important state rooms, the Gothic Revival St George's Chapel, and extensive domestic and ceremonial spaces.

Windsor Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1006996. View the official record →

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