WINDSOR (NEW), a borough and market-town and parish, having separate jurisdiction, locally in the hundred of Ripplesmere, county of BERKS, 20 miles (E. by N.) from Reading, and 221 (W. by S.) from London, containing, with the castle and the lower ward, 4648 inhabitants. This place owes its origin to a more ancient town, about two miles distant, called by the Saxons, from the winding course of the river Thames, Windleshora, of which its present name, Windsor, is an abbreviation. The first authentic notice of that town, which had been the residence of the Saxon kings, occurs in an ancient charter of Edward the Confessor, granting it, with all its appendages, to the monks of Westminster, m whose possession it remained till the Conquest. William, soon after his establishment on the throne, struck with tne beauty of its situation on the bank of the Thames, and the peculiar adaptation of the surrounding country to the pleasures of the chase, procured it from the monastery of Westminster, in exchange for some lands in the county of Essex, and made it his occasional residence while pursuing the diversion of hunting, un a hill in the neighbourhood, that monarch erected a fortress, where he held his court in 1070; and, two years afterwards, assembled there a synod of tne nobility and prelates, in which the question of precedency between the sees of Canterbury and York was discussed, and decided in favour of the former, Around this fortress he laid out extensive parks, enlarged the boundaries of the neighbouring forest, and enacted severe laws for the preservation of the game. The palace of Old Windsor continued to be the royal residence of William and his successors till 1110, when Henry I., having partly rebuilt and considerably enlarged the fortress which his father had erected, by the addition of a suite of apartments, converted it into a palace, in which he occasionally resided and kept his court. From this time the importance of the ancient town began to decline, and, subsequently a new town arose in the immediate vicinity of the castle, which was distinguished by the appellation of New Windsor. In the treaty of peace between Stephen and Matilda, the castle is referred to by the name of " Mota de Windsor " and after the death of Stephen, Henry II. held a council here, in 1170. When Richard I. embarked on his expedition to the Holy Land, the castle became the residence of the Bishop of Durham, to whom, in conjunction with the Bishop of Ely, Richard had entrusted the administration of the government in his absence. During the contest between King John and the barons, that monarch resided in the castle, which was at that time considered the next strongest fortress after the Tower of London; it was ineffectually besieged by these lords, to whom, in the succeeding reign, it was ceded by treaty; but, in the following year, it was surprised and taken by the king, who made Windsor the principal rendezvous of his forces. Henry III. erected a barbican, and strengthened the fortifications and outworks of the castle, which, during the baronial wars in that monarch's reign, was alternately taken and retaken by the contending parties, till Prince Edward finally obtained possession and held it for his father. On the succession of that prince to the throne, the castle was frequently the place of his residence, and four of his children were born at Windsor, which was likewise the favourite retreat of his queen Eleanor. Edward III., who was also born here, rebuilt the royal palace on a more extensive and magnificent scale, enlarged the castle with additional towers, erected the keep, and, near it, a tower of high elevation, named Winchester tower, after Williatti of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, whom that monarch had made superintendent of his buildings. The same sovereign erected the collegiate chapel of St. George, in which he established a dean and twelve canons; and the magnificent hall of St. George, as a banqueting house for the knights of the royal order of the garter, of which he was the founder; and surroimded the whole with a strong wall and rampart, faced with stone, and encompassed with a moat. While this monarch occupied the throne, two sovereigns were prisoners in the castle at the same time, viz., John, King of France, and David, King of Scotland, the latter of whom he captured, after the reduction of that country. Edward IV. enlarged, and partly rebuilt, the collegiate chapel, the choir of which was vaulted by Henry VII., who also erected the lofty pile of building adjoining the state apartments in the upper ward. Henry VIII. added materially to the buildings by the erection of the prebendal houses and the gateway leading into the lower ward. Edward VI. and Queen Mary both made Windsor their re- sidence; and, among other improvements, constructed a fountain in the centre of the upper quadrangle, from which the whole of the castle was supplied with water. Queen Elizabeth, after her accession to the throne, resided occasionally in the palace, to which she added some building adjoining the Norman gateway, and that part adjoining the buildings of Henry VII., which is called Queen Elizabeth's gallery, and raised the noble terrace on the north side of the castle, commanding a beautiful view of Eton College, and an extensive prospect over the vale of the Thames. During the parliamentary war, the castle, which had received several additions in the reign of Charles I., was seized and garrisoned by the parliament, who, notwithstanding an attack of Prince Rupert, in 1642, to regain possession of it for the king, retained it in their hands till the conclusion of the war. After the Restoration, Charles II. repaired the injuries it had suffered, and greatly embellished the interior; and James II. and William III. ornamented the state apartments with a splendid collection of paintings. In almost every succeeding reign, this interesting structure continued to receive additional embellishment; and, in the reign of George III., the alterations and additions were conducted on a larger scale, and with a stricter regard to the restoration and preservation of the original character of the building, than in that of any of his predecessors since the time of Edward III. In the reign of George IV., the varied attractions of Windsor induced that monarch to make it his principal residence; and, under the influence of a correct and refined taste, which duly appreciated the merits and the beauty of the ancient style of English architecture, a design was formed for the enlargement and decoration of the castle, of which a considerable part was accomplished under his immediate superintendence. For carrying this design into effect, divers sums amounting to- £771000 have been granted by parliament for the buildings alone, and, among the various plans which had been submitted for that purpose, the design of Mr. Jeffrey Wyatt was, on the approbation of his Majesty, adopted by government. Under this plan, several parts of the old building, which had been injudiciously engrafted on the main edifice (and which, not only from their want of harmony with the general character, diminished the unity of its design, but, from their projection into the main avenue, destroyed the perspective and obstructed the approach), have been entirely removed; portions of freehold land within the park, belonging to private individuals, have been purchased, and made to conform, in their appearance, with the varied beauty of the grounds; the height of the buildings generally throughout the castle has been increased by an additional story; several new towers have been erected; windows of lofty dimensions and of elegant and appropriate design generally inserted; some splendid gateway entrances from the principal approaches formed in a style of commensurate grandeur; and other improvements are still in progress, which, when completed, will render this interesting structure, with its appendant gardens, parks, and pleasure grounds, preeminently adapted to the purposes of a royal residence. The castle occupies more than twelve acres of ground, and comprises the upper, lower, and middle wards. The principal approach is from the Little, or Home, park, through a lofty gateway, flanked on the one side by the York, and on the other by the Lancaster, tower, both' stately and massive structures, one hundred feet high crowned with projecting battlements supported on corbels. This gateway, which ranges in a line with the noble avenue of stately elms in the Great park, called the Long Walk, was erected by George IV., whose name it bears; the first stone was laid by that sovereign on the 12th of August, 1828, when His Majesty was pleased to change the name of the architect from Wyatt, to Wyatville, upon whom he subsequently conferred the honour of knighthood. It is a noble and stately structure, and forms an entrance of correspondent grandeur' into the upper ward, a spacious quadrangle, to which also are entrances through St. George's gate at the south-west, leading from the town, and the ancient Norman gateway at the west, from the middle and lower wards. On the north side of this quadrangle are the state apartments, which are open to the inspection of the public; on the east His Majesty's private-apartments; on the south side are apartments for His Majesty's visitors and on the west, the round tower, or keep, to the front of which has been removed, from the centre of the quadrangle, an equestrian statue in bronze of Charles II., in the Roman costume, on a marble pedestal ornamented with sculpture. The entrance to the state apartments is by a tower of very imposing character, projecting into the quadrangle, and in a line with King George the Fourth's gateway, and the long avenue in the Great park. This entrance leads into the grand hall and staircase, constructed in the reign of George III., under the superintendence of the late Mr. James Wyatt. The approach to the state apartments is. by a superb vestibule, fortyfive feet long and twenty-eight feet broad, divided into three parts by ranges of finely-clustered columns and gracefully-pointed arches, in the most finished character of the later style of English architecture: the roof is elaborately groined, and decorated with fan-tracery of elegant design; in the walls are four larger and three smaller niches for the reception of statues, richly canopied, and highly embellished with architectural ornaments of beautiful character. The grand staircase, divided in the centre by a broad landing, is defended with a balustrade of bronze, with massive pedestals and capitals of polished brass, and lighted by an octagonal lantern, one hundred feet high from the pavement:. the roof is delicately ornamented with fan-tracery depending from the centre, and ending with the royal arms encircled by the garter. At the termination of the grand staircase is the king's drawing-room; over the folding doors are the royal arms in artificial stone, and on each side are shields of arms of several of the British monarchs, supported by angels: the internal decorations of this splendid apartment are of the most superb character; the ceiling is beautifully painted in compartments, representing the Restoration of Charles II., the Labours of Hercules, and other subjects, and bordered with flowers and fruit, and ornaments richly gilt; the mirrors, chandeliers, and furniture, are in a corresponding style of elegance; a choice selection of paintings, by the first masters, is finely displayed, and the embellishments are disposed with the most refined taste, and the various arrangements are on a scale of the most splendid magnificence. The audience-chamber, of which the ceiling is painted with an allegorical representation of the re-establishment of the Church of England, is beautifully decorated with hangings of blue silk richly embroidered; the chair and canopy of state are superbly rich; the collection of paintings, chiefly historical, represent the victories of Edward'HI., painted by West; the first installation of the knights of the order of the garter, in which more than one hundred figures are finely grouped. The king's presence-chamber, and the whole suite of these magnificent state apartments, are in a style of correspondent grandeur, and equally remarkable for the stateliness of their proportions, and the elegance and splendour of their embellishment. The-new ball-room, a splendid apartment, ninety-six feet in length, thirty-two feet wide, and thirty-one feet high, is finished in the most elaborate style of Louis XIV.: the walls and ceiling are panelled in compartments, highly ornamented and richly gilt; in the larger panels of the former are some superb specimens of rich tapestry, most exquisitely worked, representing the history of Jason and the Golden fleece; the colours are singularly vivid, and at the same time so softened by the skilful combination of light and shade, as to have all the force and delicacy of the finest painting; and in the intermediate panels are six mirrors, of large dimensions and great brilliancy. A pair of elegant folding doors, panelled and ornamented to correspond with the walls, open into St. George's Hall, a spacious and lofty apartment, appropriated as a banquet-room for the knights of the order of the garter: it is nearly two hundred feet in length, and of proportionate width and elevation; the lofty arched ceiling is supported on beams, springing from corbels decorated with shields, on which are richly emblazoned the arms of the original knights, and divided into thirteen; compartments, subdivided into panels of bold design, containing nearly seven hundred shields, emblazoned with the arms of the knights of the order up to the present time: at the east end, under a rich canopy, is the throne of His Majesty, who is the sovereign of the order, at the back of which are His Majesty's arms, and on each side are those of twelve preceding sovereigns, richly carved and emblazoned, and also those of Edward III. and the Black Prince: the mantel-piece is a massive and elegant piece of workmanship of Dove marble, richly sculptured in flowers and foliage, with the initials of George IV. In the plan for the general improvement of the castle, after the designs and under the superintendence of Sir Jeffrey Wyatville, R.A., which is now in progress, it is the intention of that eminent architect to remove the grand staircase, which at present occupies the south end of the vestibule, and to leave, by that means, an uninterrupted and magnificent hall, one hundred and forty feet in length, and forty feet wide, commanding, on the north, an extensive prospect over Eton, and, on the south, of the long avenue, terminating with the pedestal, on which is to be placed a statue of George III. The new grand staircase will have an open communication with the grand hall below, and lead into an elegant vestibule above, communicating with the royal state apartments, St. George's Hall, the new guard, chamber, which is nearly completed, and the Waterloo chamber, which is in a less advanced state. In the guard chamber will be deposited, on pedestals erected for the purpose, under richly canopied niches, suits of ancient armour the coats of mail of John King of France, and David King of Scotland, with other military trophies, and on pedestals, busts of the Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Marlborough, and on a pedestal formed of the frustum of the mast of the Victory, the bust of Lord Nelson. In the Waterloo chamber, a magnificent apartment, one hundred feet in length, forty-six feet wide, and forty-five feet high, and lighted by a lantern, will be arranged the portraits of the various Sovereigns, Popes, Cardinals, Ministers of State, Ambassad9rs, Generals, and others connected with the prosecution of the war on the continent, and in the negociation of the late peace, painted for His late Majesty George IV. by Sir Thomas Lawrence, at an expense of more than £36,000, paid from the privy purse. The entrance to His Majesty's private apartments is in the south-east angle of the quadrangle, through a-handsome hall, from which is an ascent by a double staircase of great architectural beauty, lighted by a double lantern of elegant design, into a corridor, five hundred feet in length, communicating with His Majesty's apartments on the east, and with the visitors' apartments on the south. The ceiling of this splendid gallery is panelled in compartments, with delicate, tracery richly gilt, and the walls are decorated with paintings by the most eminent masters of the old and modern schools; the furniture is of the most sumptuous and elegant character, and the whole, enriched with every architectural ornament which the later style has combined, has an air of costly grandeur and stately magnificence. The private apartments consist of a dining-room, fifty feet in length and thirty-seven wide; a drawing-room, sixty-six feet in length and thirty feet wide; a smaller drawing-room, forty feet long, and twenty-five feet wide; library, fifty feet long and forty feet wide; with bed-rooms, dressingrooms, boudoir, and various other apartments. These rooms are of the most splendid and sumptuous elegance; they are decorated with every ornament that ingenuity can devise, or wealth purchase, and lighted with superb oriel windows of elegant design, enriched with tracery, which not only give an air of impressive beauty to their internal grandeur, but add greatly to the external embellishment of the castle: the rooms for His Majesty's servants occupy the lower and higher stories of the palace. In front of the king's private apartments is a parterre, four hundred feet in length and of equal breadth, surrounded by a broad terrace rampart wall with bastions; in the area are numerous statues finely sculptured, and under the terrace on the north side is an orangery two hundred and fifty feet in length, the front of which forms a long series of finely pointed arches with tracery. The middle ward comprises the round tower, or keep, which was formerly the residence of the constable, whose office was both of a military and a civil nature. In his military character he was entrusted with the command of the castle, and with the custody of every thing contained in it, and assisted by a lieutenant-governor, or deputy, who possessed equal authority during his absence: in his civil capacity, he was judge of a court of record having jurisdiction over the precincts of the forest, which extends seventy-seven miles and a half in circumference; but that office is now vested in a steward, assisted by a janitor, who is keeper of the prison, though no process has issued from it within the last forty years. The round tower, which is of very spacious dimensions, has been raised thirty-two feet higher than its original elevation, and is crowned with a projecting machicolated battlement, supported on massive corbels and arches; and surmounted on the eastern part of the circumference by a newly erected turret twenty feet high, on the summit of which the royal standard is displayed during His Majesty's presence at the castle. The lower part of the tower is surrounded by a rampart, in which are embrasures for s-eventeen pieces of cannon: the ascent to it is by a flight of one hundred stone steps; the roof of the staircase is supported by corbels, consisting of busts of kings, knights, angels, and other figures, of which many are in good preservation. At the summit of the staircase is a large piece of cannon, pointed at the entrance through an aperture in the wall; and from the rampart a strong arched gateway, grooved for a portcullis, leads into the main tower, formerly appropriated to the reception of state prisoners of high rank. The lower ward, or quadrangle, into which is an entrance leading from the town through Henry the Eighth's gateway, flanked with two lofty massive towers, comprises the collegiate chapel of St. George, beyond which, on the north side, are the houses of the dean, canons, minor canons, and other officers of the college, and various towers, among which are those of the Bishop of Winchester, who is prelate, and the Bishop of Salisbury, who is chancellor, of the order of the garter; a tower, formerly belonging to Garter King at Arms, of which a small portion only remains, and a store tower. Apartments have been also fitted up in this ward for the commanding officer and officer on guard, who, though subordinate to the constable, or governor of the castle, has the command of a company of the royal foot guards, who are always on duty here. On the south side are the houses assigned to the thirteen poor knights on the royal foundation, each of whom has a pension of about £40 per annum, and wears a scarlet gown and a purple mantle, with the cross of St. George embroidered on the left shoulder; and a building appropriated to their governor: there are also houses for five additional knights, on the foundations of Sir Peter le Maire and Sir Francis Crane. By the will of Mr. Samuel Travers, in 1728, provision was made for seven disabled, or superannuated, lieutenants of the Royal Navy, to each of whom a pension of £60 per annum was assigned; they are chosen by the trustees, and their residence is at Travers College, Datchet-lane. In an apartment in the deanery, called the garter room, the arms of. the sovereign and knights companions of the order are emblazoned; and an ancient screen is decorated with the arms of Edward III., and of the several sovereigns and knights companions of the order from its original foundation; this apartment is at present used as a robing-room on days of installation. The collegiate chapel of St. George (of which the establishment consists of a dean, twelve canons, seven minor canons, thirteen clerks, ten choristers, a steward, treasurer, and other officers) was, as before observed, originally built by Edward III., on the site of a smaller chapel erected by Henry I., and dedicated to Edward the Confessor. It was considerably enlarged by Edward IV., materially enriched by Henry VII., and repaired, restored, and greatly embellished by George III., who expended £20,000 in its improvement. It is a beautiful cruciform structure, in the purest character of the later style of English architecture, of which it displays one of the finest specimens in the kingdom; the transepts project in an octagonal form from the main building, and at the extremities of the aisles are lateral octangular projections, forming sepulchral chapels. Pierced parapets of elegant design are principally the external embellishments, and buttresses crowned with square embattled turrets. The interior is finely arranged; the walls are panelled throughout in one general design, of which the windows, enriched with tracery and divided by battlemented transoms, form an integral part. The nave is separated from the aisles by seven pointed arches and piers of peculiar beauty, adapted to the contrast of light and shade with singular effect; its roof and that of the choir are elaborately groined, richly embellished with fan tracery of beautiful design, and splendidly decorated with shields of armorial bearings and heraldic devices, highly emblazoned: it is lighted by an elegant range of clerestory windows, which are continued round the transepts and the great west window, which occupies the whole of the western extremity above the entrance, of an elaborate and beautiful arrangement of panels, enriched with tracery, and embellished with ancient stained glass of unrivalled;brilliancy. The choir, in which the installation of the knights takes place, and of which the general arrangement is, with the exception of the roof being more enriched with fan tracery, similar to that of the nave, is separated from it by a skreen of artificial stone, from the manufactory of Coade, of appropriate character and beautiful design, ornamented with several devices illustrative of the order of the garter. On each side are the stalls of the sovereign and knights companions of the most noble order of the garter, enriched with historical and emblematical carvingSj and with the names and heraldic honours of the knights richly emblazoned; the curtains and cushions are of blue velvet with gold fringe, and on the canopies of the several stalls are deposited the sword, helmet, mantle, and crest of the knights, above which are their banners of silk, emblazoned with their several armorial bearings and heraldic honours. The stall of the sovereign, whose banner is of velvet mantled with silk, and considerably larger than that of the knights companions, is on the right hand of the entrance. The other stalls, originally twenty-five in number, and increased to thirty-one, occupy the north and south sides of the western part of the choir. The altar is embellished with a painting of the Last Supper, by West, which is considered to be one of the best productions of that artist; and the wainscot surrounding the presbytery is richly ornamented with the arms of Edward III., Edward the Black Prince, and those of the knights who originally composed the order, finely carved. In the east window is a beautiful painting, on glass, of the Resurrection, in three compartments, finely executed by Jarvis and Forrest, from a design by West, at an expense of £4000; and in the windows on the north and south sides of the altar are the arms of the sovereign, and of the several knights companions who subscribed to defray that expense. The east window of the south aisle is embellished with a painting, on glass, of the Angels appearing to the ShepW herds, and in the west window is one of the Nativity the west window of the north aisle is ornamented with a painting of the Adoration of the Magi; and at the eastern extremity is a chapter-room, forming an approach to the royal closet on the north side of the altar. The various monumental chapels are separated from the aisles by skreens of elegant and appropriate character, and in the south transept is a modern font of good design. At the east end of the north aisle are deposited the remains of Edward IV.; over the tomb is a black marble slab, on which is the inscription " Ed- ward IV. and his Queen, Elizabeth Widvillej" an elegant monument of iron, beautifully wrought, and representing a pair of gates between two antique towers, of elaborate design, which formerly covered the tomb, has been removed to the choir on the north side of the altar. In 1789, a small aperture was discovered in the side of this vault by some workmen, and, upon its enlargement by Jorder of the canons, the skeleton of that monarch was found in a leaden coffin, enclosed in one of wood. In the opposite aisle, near the choir, were deposited the remains of Henry VI., "which were removed from Chertsey in Surrey, by order of Henry VIII. Near the ascent to the altar is the royal vault, in which were interred the remains of Henry VIII., and his queen, Jane Seymourj and of Charles I., whose coffin being opened by order of George IV., when Prince Regent, the remains were found in a very perfect state, the countenance being as fresh as when they were interred. In a small chapel at the east end of the south aisle are the monuments of Edward, Earl of Lincoln, and Richard Beauchamp, Bishop of Salisbury, first chancellor of the order of the garter. In the same aisle is a small chantry, erected in 1522, by John Oxenbridge, a canon, and a benefactor to the chapel; adjoining which is King's, or Aldworth, chapel, probably erected by Dr. Oliver King, Bishop of Bath and Wells, whose remains are interred in it. Opposite to this chapel are some panels of oak, on which are carved the arms and devices of Prince Edward (son of Henry VI.), Edward IV., and Henry VII., whose portraits, in full length, are painted on the panels. Near the centre of the aisle is the chapel of Sir ReginaldBray, in which he is interred; and at the west end is the Beaufort chapel, containing the monuments of Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort, of white marble, elegantly decorated with sculpture; and of Charles Somerset, Earl of Worcester, and his lady Elizabeth: on this tomb are the effigies of the earl, dressed in the habit of the order, and of his lady, in her robes of state, In the centre of the, north aisle is Rutland chapel, in which is an alabaster monument to the memory of .Sir George Manners, Lord Roos, and Lady Anne, his wife, niece to Edward IV.: on the tomb are the figures of Sir.George in armour, and his lady in her robes of state, and round it are the effigies of their children. In this chapel, in which Sir Thomas Syllinger and his wife, Anne, Ducness of Exeter, and sister of Edward IV., were also inured, is a beautiful marble tablet to the memory of Major Pack'e, killed at the battle of Waterloo, in which he is represented as being raised from the field by a brother officer, finely sculptured in alto relievo. In the. same aisle, near the choir, is the chapel of St. Stephep, decorated internally with paintings illustrative of tue me and death of that martyr: this chapel was erected by Elizabeth, widow of Lord William Hastings, whose remains were deposited in it, after his decapitation by Richard III.: in the south aisle of the choir is the chapel of St. John the Baptist, similarly decorated with paintings illustrative of his history. At the south-west corner of the church is Urswick's chapel, founded by Dr. Christopher Urswick, Dean of Windsor, who contributed greatly, with Sir ReginaldBray, to the completion of the church: it contains the cenotaph of the Princess Charlotte, finely executed in white marble, by Mr. Matthew Wyatt. In the lower compartment is the corpse of the Princess lying on the bier covered with drapery, under which the outline of the form is admirably traced, having the right arm hanging over the side of the bier, and at the corners are female figures kneeling, with their heads resting on it, and veiled with drapery. In the upper compartment, the Princess appears with a countenance animated with hope, and, having drawn aside the curtains of her sepulchre, is rising from the tomb attended by angels, of whom one is bearing her infant in its arms. There are several other chapels; and, in various parts of this imposing and elegant structure, numerous interesting and highly admirable specimens of magnificent decoration and costly embellishment. At the east end of the collegiate chapel is a chapel erected by Henry VII., as a place of interment for himself and his successors j but that monarch afterwards changing his purpose, it remained in a neglected state till the reign of Henry VIII., when Cardinal Wolsey, by permission of the king, began to erect a splendid tomb, the design of which exceeded in magnificence that of Henry VII., in Westaimster abbey. The Cardinal died before it was completed, and was buried in Leicester abbey; and the unfinished sepulchre was destroyed in the parliamentary war. James II. converted this building into a chapel, and employed the artist Verrio to ornament the walls and ceiling with paintings; but the populace, excited by the public performance of the Roman Catholic rites, furiously assailed the building, destroying the windows and interior decorations; and in this ruined state it remained till George III. ordered it to be repaired, and subsequently constructed within it a royal mausoleum for himself and his successors. In clearing away the ground for this purpose, the workmen discovered two coffins in a stone recess, in one of which were the remains of Mary, daughter of Edward IV., and Elizabeth Widville, and in the other, those of their third son, George, Duke of Bedford; the remains of both were re-interred in the same tomb with those of their parents. The mausoleum, an excavation seventy feet in length, twenty in width, and fourteen in depth, occupies the whole extent of the building: the roof is supported on massive octagonal columns and four pointed arches, in each of which are four shelves of stone, capable of containing two coffins; at the east end are five niches for one coffin each, and in the centre is a range of twelve low altar-tombs, intended for the coffins of the sovereigns. The roof is strongly groined with ribs springing from the capitals of the columns; the entrance, through a pair of brazen gates, is by a subterraneous passage under the altar of St. George's chapel, into which is the descent by a platform lowered by machinery. The first coffin placed in the royal mausoleum was that of the Princess Amelia, daughter of George III. j after which, in succession, have been deposited the remains of the Duchess of Brunswick; the Princess Charlotte, daughter of George IV., and her infant son; Queen Charlotte; the Duke of Kent, fourth son of George III; George III; Princess Elizabeth of Clarence, infant daughter of their present Majesties; the Duke of York, second son of George III; and his late Majesty, George IV; the two younger sons of George III., Prince Alfred and Prince Octavius, whose remains were removed from Westminster abbey, were also re-interred in the royal sepulchre. The chapel above the mausoleum is intended as a chapter-house for the order of the garter; it is lighted by a fine range of elegant windows with tracery, which surround the building, and form a beautiful group at the east end, which is hexagonal; the west end is ornamented with a large window of elegant design, in the compartments of which full-lerigth paintings of the sovereigns and knights companions of the order will be placed. The palace is surrounded on all sides, except the west, by a spacious and noble terrace, above two thousand five hundred feet in extent, faced with a strong rampart of hewn stone, and having, at convenient intervals, easy slopes leading down' to the park. The smaller park, which is also called the Home park, immediately surrounding the north north-east and south sides of the castle, is about four miles in circumference, and was enclosed, by William III., with a brick wall. Immediately under the terrace, on the east side of the castle, is a beautiful lawn, laid out in shrubberies and walks, called the Slopes, and extending, on the east side of the park, from the north terrace to the Adelaide Lodge: the grounds are beautifully diversified with forest trees and sylvan scenery. On the opposite side of the road is Frogmore Lodge, which was purchased by her late Majesty, and is still the favourite retreat of the Princess Augusta; the gardens and pleasure grounds are tastefully laid out, abounding with beautiful scenery, arid containing many interesting objects, among which are a hermitage, designed by the Princess Elizabeth, a highly picturesque ruin, by Mr. James Wyatt, situated on the margin of a beautiful piece of water: in the interior is an elegant apartment, in which are, the effigy of an infant reposing on a cushion, and a monumental tablet to the memory of the Princess Charlotte, in which the countenance of the Princess, and the representation of her infant, are exquisitely sculptured. Many festive meetings were held here during the life of Queen Charlotte, the last of which was in honour of the fiftieth anniversary of the accession of George III. The Long Walk, extending from the upper quadrangle of the castle into the Great park, is continued in a direct line for three miles, forming a noble avenue of double rows of elms, seventy- seven yards wide, and, at the opposite extremity, ascending a hill of considerable elevation, on which the first stone of a monument, in honour of his royal father, was laid by his late Majesty, George IV., in 1829. The monument will consist of a colossal statue in bronze, twenty-five feet high, by Westmacott, placed on a pedestal forty feet high, forming a conspicuous object from the castle. Near this spot is Cumberland Lodge, the residence of the late Duke of Cumberland. This park, eighteen miles in circumference, abounds with forest scenery of great beauty, and is agreeably diversified with hill and valley, and with wood and water. Virginia water, issuing from a valley commencing near the back of Cumberland Lodge, after winding for several miles through the varied scenery of the Great park, expands towards the south-east into a beautiful lake, more than a mile in length and of considerable breadth, bounded by a verdant lawn surrounded with extensive plantations of various kinds of trees, and terminated by a fine cascade, a view of which is obtained from a bridge on the high road over the rivulet formed by the waste water of the lake, and running into the Thames near Chertsey. On the margin of the lake an elegant temple and a fishing gallery, of very light and beautiful design, have been erected. There is also a noble and magnificent ruin, consisting of numerous ancient columns of marble brought from the ruins of Corinth, and classi- cally arranged and re-constructed »by Sir Jeffrey Wyatville. The grounds are planted with shrubs and flowers, and laid out in pleasant walks. The surface of the lake is enlivened with pleasure boats and with several beautiful models of ships, among which is an elegant model of the Euryalus frigate, presented by Captain Inglis. George IV. took possession of the castle, after its partial restoration and improvement, on the Qth of December, 1828, and the first public act of that monarch was to confer the honour of knighthood on the architect by whom the additional buildings were erected and the improvements accomplished, and to add to his family arms a quartering of George the Fourth's gateway, with the motto." Windsor," both of His Majesty's suggestion. From the magnificence, extent, and grandeur of its buildings; the beauty and richness of the surrounding scenery, diversified with hills and vales, and enlivened with the frequent windings of the Thames, and the peaceful waters of its inland lake; the luxuriant woodlands within its enclosures; and the extensive and majestic forest in the vicinity, Windsor must unquestionably be regarded as one of the most spacious and magnificent palaces in Europe. The town is pleasantly situated on the acclivities of the hill on which the castle is built, and consists of six principal streets, intersected by several smaller: it is well paved and lighted with gas, and amply supplied with water: the houses are in general of brick, and of respectable appearance, and several in the more modern part of the town are handsome and well built. The approach from Datchet is strikingly beautiful, and at the other extremity is an elegant iron-bridge of three arches, resting on piers of granite, the first stone of which wais laid, in 1822, by the late Duke of York, connecting the town with Eton, on the opposite side of the Thames. The environs abound with varied scenery of every description, and the neighbourhood is enlivened with the windings of the river. Considerable improvements have lately been made, among which are, the removal of the ancient edifices of lath and plaster, and the erection of some handsome ranges of building fronted with stone, in which the materials of the lodges that were taken down for the improvement of the castle have been used: among the more recent erections are York Place, Brunswick Terrace, and Augusta Place. On the west side of High-street is a meadow, comprising more than two acres, called the Bachelors' Acre, which, by the award of the commissioners of the forest enclosure, was appropriated to the, commonalty of the borough for their amusements. It is bounded on the east and south sides-by a high bank; on the summit is a broad terrace, at the end of which is an obelisk, with inscriptions on the pedestal, commemorative of the fiftieth anniversary of the accession of George III., and of the visit of her Majesty and the Princesses, upon that occasion, to partake of the old English fare provided for the assembled populace. The barracks, for one thousand infantry, form a handsome and commodious range of building: they were erected in 1795, and enlarged to their present extent in 1803. The cavalry barracks, about half a mile from the town, on the road to Winkfield, are handsomely built, and occupy an open, healthy, and pleasant situation. The theatre in Thames-street, a small commodious building erected in 1815, at an expense of £6000, advanced on transferable shares, is open during the Ascot races and the vacations at Eton. The public library, in Castle-street, is well supported, and there is also a subscription circulating library. "Windsor, though possessing all the advantages of a navigable river, has neither any particular branch of manufacture nor any trade, except what is necessary for the supply of the inhabitants; it has been long celebrated for the quality of its ale, of which considerable quantities are sent to London and other towns. It is indebted equally for its origin arid its continued prosperity to the erection of the castle, and to its selection as a royal residence. The market days are Wednesday and Saturday, the latter chiefly for corn, which is pitched in the market-place: the fairs are, Easter-Tuesday, July 5th, and October 24th. A commodious market-place has been recently constructed for the sale of butchers' meat and other provisions; the area underneath the guildhall is appropriated to the use of the corn market. The inhabitants were first incorporated in the fifth of Edward I., from which time it was the county town till 1314, when Edward II. transferred that distinction to Reading. The charter was extended and confirmed in various successive reigns till that of Charles II., by whom the government was vested in a mayor, high steward, two bailiffs, and twenty-eight burgesses, assisted by a town clerk, Serjeants at mace, and subordinate officers: thirteen of the burgesses are styled benchers of the guildhall, of which number ten are appointed aldermen, and from these the mayor is annually chosen. The mayor and one of the aldermen chosen for that purpose are justices of the peace within the borough, and the former is also coroner and clerk of the market. Quarterly courts of session are held for all offences not capital; The guildhall is a spacious and handsome building m High-street, erected in 1686; it is supported on columns and arches of Portland stone, and ornamented at the north end with a statue of Queen Anne, and at the south, with one of Prince George of Denmark: the chamber, in which the public business of the corporation is transacted, is decorated with portraits of all the sovereigns from James I. to Queen Anne, George 111. and his queen, and George IV., and with those of Prince Rupert, Archbishop Laud, and some others. The com- mon gaol and house of correction for the borough, which was rebuilt at the expense of George III., is in George-street, and contains seven wards, with an airingyard, being capable of receiving eighteen prisoners. The borough first exercised the elective franchise in the 30th of Edward I., and sent members to parliament, till the 14th of Edward III., from which time it discontinued till the 25th of Henry IV., but since that period it has regularly returned two members; the right of election is vested in the inhabitants generally paying scot and lot, and resident at least six months previously to the election, of whom the number is about six hundred; the mayor is the returning officer. The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Berks, and diocese of Salisbury, rated in the king's books at £15. 3. 4., endowed with £200 private benefaction, and £200 royal bounty, and in the patronage of the Crown. The church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is a handsome structure in the later style of English architecture, with a lofty square embattled tower crowned with pinnacles, erected, in 1822, upon the site of a former church, which, having become greatly dilapidated, was taken down in 1820; the interior is elegantly arranged; the nave is separated from the aisles by a range of six lofty clustered columns and pointed arches, which support the roof: the altar is embellished with an excellent painting of the Last Supper, found in one of the chantries in St. George's chapel, where it is supposed to have been secreted during the parliamentary war, and, after having been restored to its place over the altar of that chapel, presented to this church by George III., in 1788; the skreen is of oak, richly carved, to correspond with two massive chairs presented by the Princess Augusta; and the rail, which surrounds the chancel, is elaborately carved with beautiful devices of pelicans feeding their young, and with fruit and foliage, supposed to be the work of the celebrated Gibbons, and formerly belonging to the chapel of St. George. Under small arches, at the east end of the church, are the royal closets, fitted up with crimson drapery; and the corporation seat is beautifully ornamented with tabernacle-work, and surmounted by an enriched canopy. Six hundred sittings were provided in this church by the Incorporated Society for promoting the building and enlargement of churches and chapels, who contributed £750 towards its erection, the whole cost of which amounted to £14,040. 17. 3.: towards defraying this expense George III. contributed £1050, £4000 was raised by subscription, and the remainder by a rate on the inhabitants. There are several ancient monuments, among which may be noticed the sarcophagus of Chief Justice Reeve, with busts of himself and his lady, by Schemacker; that of Edward Jobson and Eleanor his wife, with their effigies, and those of their ten children, in the costume of the sixteenth century; and others, which have been carefully preserved on taking down the old church, and ra placed in the new edifice. In the churchyard, finely shaded by avenues of yew trees, are many handsome tombs. There are places of worship for Independents and Wesleyan Methodists. On the north side of the church is the charity school, established, in 1705, by subscription, for clothing and instructing children: the annual income, arising trom several benefactions vested in the funds, and an annual payment of £24. 15. from his Majesty's Exchequer, amounts to £167. 4., which sum is increased by annual subscription and collections after charity sermons. Thirty- six boys and twenty-four girls are completely clothed, and instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic, and the girls in sewing and knitting: they are nominated by the dean and two senior canons, the mayor and two senior aldermen, and the vicar, of Windsor, who are the trustees. The school-house, with apartments for the master and mistress, was erected by means of a legacy of £500, bequeathed by Theodore Randue, Esq. The ladies' charity school was established, in 1784, by subscription, under the patronage of the late queen; the annual income, arising from endowments by several benefactors, is £ 56. 7.; twenty girls are clothed, and instructed in reading and needle-work, and in the principles of the established church, and fitted for domestic service. The National school, in which two hundred boys and two hundred girls are instructed, is supported by subscription 3 and there are funds, bequeathed by Mrs. Barker, for teaching children of this parish and the parishes of Egham, in Surrey, and Yateley, in the county of Southampton; by Mr. Marrat, for teaching children of the parishes of Windsor and Clewer; by Mr. Panton, for the endowment of the Sunday school, in which two hundred children are instructed. Archbishop Laud bequeathed £50 per annum to the parish, to be employed for two following years in apprenticing poor boys; and, every third year, in giving marriage portions to poor maidens of the town; this charity has been augmented, with a bequest of £1000, by Theodore Randue, Esq., with which, increased by £250 added by his executors, an estate has been purchased, yielding a rental of £50, of which, £10 each are given, for two successive years, to five such apprentices on Archbishop Laud's foundation as have faithfully served their terms; and, every third year, to poor maidens who have lived for three years in the same family, with a good character. An hospital for eight poor men and women was founded, in 1503, and endowed, in 1570, by Mr. Thomas Brotherton, and, subsequently, by Mr. Richard Gallis, with funds producing £35 per annum: the number of inmates has been augmented to twelve, who receive each ten shillings per quarter. Near the Pitfields, four almshouses were founded, in 1676, by Mr. Richard Reeve, who endowed them with funds, from which the inmates receive £2. 10 per annum; and there is an unendowed almshouse, in Park-street, in which twelve poor men are supported by the parish. The royal general dispensary, in Church-street, was established in 1818, and is supported by subscription. The hospital for invalid soldiers was erected by George III., in 1784, on land which had been presented to his Majesty by the corporation; it is a neat and commodious building, well adapted to the purpose, and capable of receiving forty patients. A charity for the relief of lying-in women was established, in 1801, by a society of ladies, and is supported by subscription. Mrs. Phebe Thomas bequeathed funded property, from the proceeds of which twelve poor widows receive £10 per annum each; and the number will probably be augmented on the death of some annuitants named in the will of that lady. There are;also numerous other bequests for charitable purposes, and for distribution among the poor; the parochial rates have been materially diminished by three several bequests, and also by three successive grants from the crown as compensation for the loss of rates on houses purchased by the crown, and taken down for the improvements of the castle and approaches. Near the Long Walk, in the park, some labourers discovered a mineral spring, which was fast growing into repute; but the crowds of persons who frequented it proving a great annoyance, it was closed up, and a building of wood erected over the well. Among the illustrious natives of Windsor were, John, eldest son of Edward I., who died in his infancy, and was interred at Westminster, in 1273; Eleanor, eldest daughter of the same monarch, whot was born in 1266, and married, by proxy, to Alphonso, King of Arragon, who died before the consummation of the marriage (she was afterwards married to Henry, Earl of Burg, in France, from whom the house of Anjouand the kings of Sicily are descended, and died in 1298); Margaret, third daughter of Edward I., born in 1275, and married to John, second Duke of Brabant, from whose son John, the third duke, the Dukes of Burgundy were descended; Mary, the sixth daughter of the same monarch, born in 1279, who, when ten years of age, entered a nunnery at Amesbury, in the county of Wilts; Edward III., son of Edward II., in 1312, the first of the English sovereigns who issued gold coin, the pieces having been called rosenobles William, the sixth son of Edward, who died in his infancy; and Henry VI., son of Henry V., who died by violence, in 1471. Windsor gives the title of earl to the family of Stuart, Marquisses of Bute.