Ninth Day in London - Windsor Castle

The ninth day of our trip was a Saturday, and the Royal Borough of Windsor, about 23 miles west of London, was on the itinerary.  I visited Windsor in 2001 and 2007, but Lori had never been, and you can't go to London without touring Windsor Castle, so away we went! 

We boarded a tube to Waterloo, then a mainline train, which took just under an hour to get us there.  The train station was bustling with people, as was our train. We discovered many were going to a rugby game at a stop along the train route. 

The day began with overcast, chilly weather, but by the time we arrived in Windsor the sun came out.  On previous visits I arrived in Windsor by bus near the Jubilee Arch, which was being renovated this visit.   

    

This trip I arrived at the Windsor/Eton Riverside train station, just a short walking distance away.  

You know you're in Windsor [aside from the huge imposing castle] when you see the bronze statue of Queen Victoria perched upon her red granite base, situated at the entrance of Castle Hill.  The statue was erected in celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 1887.

I had been looking forward to some sticky toffee pudding at the Crooked House Tea Room like I had in 2007, so the first thing we did was to make our way to the tea room.  Imagine my disappointment when I saw a vacant building.  It closed in January of this year.  

The building was built in 1592, and reconstructed in 1718.  It leans to the left because green oak was used in its reconstruction.

The Crooked House sits next to Guildhall, where Prince Charles and Camilla were married in a civil ceremony in 2005.

Remembering there were a couple of tea rooms on the passage way behind the Crooked House, we went there in search of some sticky toffee pudding, but to no avail.

So we walked to Thames Street [a bustling street near the castle that becomes High Street] and stopped at the Duchess of Cambridge Pub. They told us they didn't have any Sticky Toffee Pudding on their menu, but they did have some Sticky Figgy Pudding, which they said was even better! A pub with a name like the Duchess of Cambridge certainly wouldn't lead us astray, so we went inside and got a table.

~ Loved the Union Jack bunting inside the pub ~

~ I ordered a fish sandwich and a pot of English Breakfast tea ~

Then came the Sticky Figgy Pudding.  Yum!  They didn't lead us astray!  Dessert in England is referred to as 'pudding', so even though this was a piece of cake topped with custard sauce, it's pudding to the British.  

Fortified with food, we were ready to walk the short distance up to the castle.  

~ With tickets in hand, we began the castle tour ~

The Royal Standard was flying high above the castle in the round tower, which told us the Queen was there for the weekend.  It is one of her official residences, and her favorite weekend home.

Windsor Castle is the largest and oldest inhabited castle in the world.  It was founded by William the Conqueror in 1080 as one of a chain of fortifications around London.  It covers 13 acres.

Below is the Quadrangle where the Queen's entrance to her private Royal Apartments is located. After leaving the State Apartments [where no photography was allowed], the fenced exit from the castle is along side the Quadrangle. The Changing of the Guards takes place here when the Queen is in residence.

Descending to the lower ward where Albert Memorial Chapel and St. George's Chapel are located.

~ St. George's Chapel ~

~ Exiting the castle through the arch ~

On the way back to the train station I made a quick stop in an antique store, but left without any purchases.

Then we headed back to London where we had 7:30 p.m. tickets at Apollo Victoria Theater... next post. 

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Today I'm joining Antiques and Teacups for Tuesday Cuppa Tea 
Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday