rd1

Hello
I am still planning my umcoming trip to London in early march and with the help of this board have found out I can get to windsor castle by train with out a tour thus giving me more time to spend there. I wanted to know any shops, resturants sites etc. That are near Windsor castle that I should see while I am there. Also what ever is in walking distance would be great.
Thanks

Intrepid1

Cannot remember the names of any particular establishments but many of them are right across from the castle visitor entrance and you'll definitely see them on the very short walk from the rail station.

PalQ

Eton College, just across the Thames bridge, is a don't-miss part of any Windsor village. royals and prime ministers it's turned out as a prep school for the rich for Oxbridge - like Oxbridge quaint quadrangles and chapel - sometimes can take tours. See the playing fields of Eton where some old saying says battles were won when future generals honed their competitive skills (or some such garbage)
Otherwise there is a thriving town center and in the old train station a display of royal train carriages (I think not sure what's here but it's a look into Victorian Windsor. A walk along the bucolic fowl-filled Thames is also nice as are the riverside pubs.

PalQ

And the local Guildhall or whatever civic building where both Prince Charles and Elton John were married recently (Elton not to Bonnie Prince Charly of course - i was in the UK when Elton and his beau tied the knot - the tabloids referred to "the two grooms"

Intrepid1

It will be interesting to see if Elton's marraige endures for a longre period than the ones entered into by some of the other (periodic) inhabitants of that town.

PalQ

Well Elton's been with his much younger groom for about 20 years i think - come to think of it Prince Charles has been with Camilla Parker Bowles much longer!
Charlie wed Princess Di in the Royal Chapel inside the castle i believe but didn't want to risk Church of England objections to marry there again so went the civic route like any other local.
And i think Elton may make a better 'Queen' that the one they got now!

prue

Actually Prince Charles and Diana were married in Westminster Abbey - sorry to spoil your story!

PalQ

thanks - i guess they're buried in Windsor - i just know that Charles was thinking of getting married in the Windsor Castle chapel but decided it was not PC - stupid me - i even watched the royal marriage on TV!

rkkwan

Prince Charles and Diana wed at St. Paul's - against tradition. Not Westminster Abbey, and definitely not at Windsor.

henneth

Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer married at St Paul's Cathedral, not Westminster Abbey or St George's Chapel, Windsor.

rkkwan

BTW, Prince Charles is still alive.

bettyk

I'm sure Prince Charles would be surprised to hear he's buried in Windsor! LOL!

PalQ

Well of course i was talking about the royals being buried in St George's chapel in the castle complex, not that Charles is dead - though the does look and act like a dead fish if you ask me. Long live the Queen (Elton)! I wonder if Camilla will be allowed to be buried in the castle chapel?

nini

Charles and Diana were the only royals to wed at St Paul's rather than Westminster Abbey--learned this from tour guide at St Paul's.

tuscanlifeedit

Our day out in Windsor is a favorite memory for me. We did tour the castle and grounds, and I especially loved St George's Chapel. We roamed the town of Windsor and had a cream tea at a very old and well known shop. I'm sorry I can't remember the name but it was in the guide book I had with me.

Then we walked to Eton College, and back to the boat dock for a trip on the Thames, then took the train back to London. This section of the river was lovely but we were there in warmer weather. But if it is a nice day, and the boats are running, do go. It was lovely.

Daisy54

At the time of Charles & Di's wedding, I read that St. Paul's was chosen over Westminster Abbey because it held more guests.

About your viist to Windsor Castle - try to avoid going on a Sunday because St. Georges Chapel will be closed to tourists. Also I don't know when Easter falls this year but if it's during your trip, don't go to Windsor over Easter weekend, the Royals will be in residence and most of the buildings in the castle will be clsoed to visitors, though when that happened to us, visitors were let into the grounds for free.

KathrynT

I believe Charles' younger brother, Edward, was married to Sophie at Windsor Castle.

rd1

Thanks for the information about windsor and eton

azresptech

I will be in Windsor in September arriving by train from London for a day trip. How hard is it to get to Runnymeade from Windsor? I would like to see were the Magna Carta was signed, since we will also be visiting Salisbury and seeing their copy of the Magna Carta.

PalQ

by taxi - perhaps buses but...
I walked to Runnymede from Windsor Castle - a long trek of about 4 miles - go up thru the huge Windsor Park, dotted with deer herds, and turn left at the top of the hill - go out that exit and thru a posh residential area to a path that leads to Runnymede - just a small enclosure with memorial in the middle of fields. There is a busy road out front that may have bus service but i walked along the main road (A308) and then a path along the Thames to a nearby town (Staines) with rail service.
Not much at Runnymede - no one else was there when i was but was interesting knowing the background.