WINDSOR, properly called NEW `WINDSOR, a municipal and parliamentary borough of Berkshire, beautifully situated on the right bank of the Thames, 23 tn. w.s.w. of London. Windsor and Eton in reality form one town. The town is chiefly interesting on account of its being the scene of The Aran Wires of Windsor, and the antiquity of its castle and parks, which have been a favorite residence of English monarchs, espe cially since the time of William the conqueror. The elevated plateau of natural chalk upon which it. stands marked it out, no doubt, as a naturally strong place from the earliest dates, but the deficiency of water which such a position entailed was a serious objection to its being adopted as a permanent residence for many years. The older palace of the English kings was at Old Windsor about 2 in. distant, and considerable doubt seems to exist among antiquaries and historians as to the first English king who built solid work of masonry at Windsor castle. In the time of Edward the confessor it was probably a wooden structure, as stone was difficult to be had, and wood was abundant. William the conqueror probably built the first substantial stone build ings, and regularly fortified the place; but the absence of water, except what was carried to it from the Thames, must have for a long time been a serious drawback to its importance as a military station. The history of the existing fabric begins in the reign of Henry III. The buildings may be said• to be grouped in three portions—the middle
ward containing the round tower; the lower ward on the w., containing St. George's chapel, the houses of the military knights, cloisters, etc.; and the upper ward on the e., containing the sovereign's private apartments. The unfinished chapel which was begun by Henry III., was completed by Edward III., rebuilt by Henry VII., and added to by cardinal 1Volsey. Under this chapel is the burial vault of the present royal family. The round tower, formerly believed, to be Norman, hut in which there is not a single yard of Norman masonry, was built in the 18th year of Edward III. to receive the round cable of the knights of the newly-founded order of the garter. Pop. (1871) 11,769. The park and forest immediately adjoining are 13,000 acres in extent, and contain many historic trees, such as Elizabeth's oak; Shakespeare's oak; the long walk, made in the reign of Charles II. and queen Anne's ride of elms, 3 m. long. Herne's oak, rendered so famous by Shakespeare, was blown down in Sept., 1863, and a stone and young tree now mark the spot. The oldest planted timber in England, viz., that of the reign of Elizabeth, is also in Windsor park, and there are many oaks of which it is well established the age must be 1000 years.—See Tighe's Annals of Wiltdsor ; Menzies History of Windsor Forest; Hepworth Dixon's Royal Windsor.