Great West Way Travel Magazine
FIT FOR ROYALTY
The ancient route that inspired the Great West Way was one of King Charles I's Great Roads, with many castles, hotels and places to visit bringing you closer to England's royal family heritage
The ancient route that inspired the Great West Way was one of King Charles I's Great Roads, with many castles, hotels and places to visit bringing you closer to England's royal family heritage
ALONG THE GREAT WEST WAY you can trace the history of the nation, from neolithic times to the present day, riding The Great Western Railway, a marvel of Victorian ingenuity, to walking the ancient Ridgeway National Trail - or why not head out on an ancient road trip of your own along the A4 Great West Road, with a plethora of royal attractions to visit along the way? We hope you enjoy our pick of the best...
CASTLES, COUNTRY HOUSES AND GARDENS
►Set in the heart of royal London, Wellington Arch was built as an original entrance to Buckingham Palace, later becoming a victory arch proclaiming Wellington's defeat of Napoleon. Visit this spectacular landmark and feast on the glorious panoramas over London from its balconies.
Next, visit Hampton Court Palace, a short journey upstream from central London. It's a towering testament to King Henry VIII's power complete with a complex of Tudor kitchens, a Great Hall and jousting tournaments in the gardens. Or head to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Kew Palace - King George III's summerhouse.
In Bath, a city famed for its Georgian-era architecture and Royal Crescent, you can visit the Victoria Art Gallery →
opened in 1900 for Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee. While in Bristol you can head back further in time to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, who found St Mary Redcliffe ‘the fairest, goodliest, and most famous parish church in England.' Inside the church there is a colourfully-painted wooden sculpture of her, believed to be painted by a contemporary.
Head 30 minutes north of Bristol and visit Berkeley Castle. Considered by many as a hidden gem, it was built in 1153 by the Berkeley family, who still live there today! Over the centuries it has changed from a forebidding fortress to a welcoming family home. Henry II gave the Castle to the family in 1153 and it has received royal guests ever since: Edward II, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, the Countess of Wessex and the late Queen Mother have all visited Berkeley Castle. Travel throughout time and history, from the Keep with its dungeon, the room where Edward II is said to have been murdered, to the Drawing Rooms with their fine upholstery, chandeliers and silver lamps. Finally, if you have time to explore more of the Cotswolds, the Prince of Wales and
The Duchess of Cornwall live at Highgrove, near Tetbury, Gloucestershire. You can visit their impressive gardens on selected dates, and also pop into the Highgrove Shop in Tetbury which sells luxurious souvenirs and organic treats inspired by the gardens.
EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS
►While kings and queens of England were traditionally educated by a personal tutor at home, times have changed. Both Prince Harry and Prince William went to Eton College, which you can visit on a guided tour between May and September. While the Duchess of Cambridge went to Marlborough College - stop for afternoon tea at the café she used to visit with friends, The Polly Tea Rooms. A little off the Great West Way, there's the esteemed Oxford Colleges. King Edward VII and King Edward VIII are both alumni. As one of the best universities in the world, it also attracts royals from other countries. Both HM King Abdullah II of Jordan and Harald V, King of Norway studied there.
SOVEREIGN PLACES
►Malmesbury is England's oldest borough with its stunning 12th Century Abbey still very much in use today. Visit the original Market Cross, the Norman Abbey with its tomb of King Athelstan and the free Athelstan Museum.
And have you noticed that some place names in England have ‘royal' in the title? Although the prime minister and organisations can request the addition, for either their royal heritage or current royal connections, it is ultimately a gift bestowed by the queen. Along the Great West Way you can visit the Royal Borough of Windsor and the Royal County of Berkshire - thanks to the location of Windsor Castle, one of the Queen's three official residencies. Take some time out here to visit the Castle's wartime pantomime pictures revealed in the Waterloo Chamber, or to experience Great Park by horse drawn carriages with Windsor Carriages -
The only carriages licensed to operate tours throughout the Great Park. There's also the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames, as well as Royal Wootton Bassett, near RAF Lyneham - the most recent place to receive the Queen's blessing. Be sure to visit Jubilee Lake when you're there.
A BED FIT FOR A KING OR QUEEN
►Sometimes nothing but a 4-poster bed and some medieval tapestries on the wall will do. See what it's like to live like a royal by staying at a hotel with royal connections.
There's the effortlessly elegant Cliveden House Hotel, where Meghan Markle - now the Duchess of Sussex - got ready for her wedding to Prince Harry. There's The Georgian House, which although built as humble kitchens for George, Prince of Wales in 1719, occupies a privileged position in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace.
In Bath, The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa has often found its opulent interiors and prime setting in the World Heritage City attractive to visiting royals. And a short journey from Bristol you'll find Gloucestershire's Thornbury Castle - where Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn stayed when they visited in 1535 (ask for the Duke's Bed Chamber).