Windsor Castle: From Motte-and-Bailey to Royal Palace

Windsor Castle began as a classic motte-and-bailey castle built by William the Conqueror circa 1070—part of his ring of fortifications around London.

Original Form (Motte-and-Bailey)

• Motte: Artificial earthen mound (still the core of the Round Tower).
• Keep: Wooden tower on the motte (later replaced in stone).
• Bailey: Enclosed courtyard (now the Upper Ward) with timber halls, stables, workshops.
• Palisade & ditch: Perimeter defense.

Evolution Over 950 Years

• Henry II (1170s): Stone Round Tower, curtain walls.
• Edward III (1350s): Gothic St. George's Hall, College of St. George — transforming it into a palace.
• Charles II (1670s): Baroque State Apartments (Verrio ceilings, Grinling Gibbons carvings).
• George IV (1820s): Jeffry Wyatville's romantic Gothic revival — the iconic silhouette.
• 1992 fire → restoration: Modern craftsmanship blended with historic fabric.

Today

It is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world—a working royal residence, ceremonial venue, and home to the Royal Collection. The motte-and-bailey origins are still legible in the Round Tower's mound and the Upper/Lower Ward division.