Western Morning News (Saturday)
Capital’s treasures reveal nation’s heritage
MY sister-in-law lives in a ski resort, but rarely skis. A friend lives near the coast, but hardly goes to the beach. It’s a funny old thing, how we take our surroundings for granted, and often it takes the arrival of visitors to seek out the tourist spots nearby.
I was born on the edge of London, grew up, lived and worked there later with Hubs, for many years before moving to Devon. I must have gone past Buckingham Palace a zillion times. I’ve flown over Windsor Castle – set dead on the flight path for aircraft in and out of Heathrow airport. I’ve certainly walked round Hyde Park Corner, was a patient several times at what was then St George’s Hospital and now one of the most expensive hotels in the capital. From my ward, I could see the fine buildings across the road and never took much notice.
Only recently, I realised that one of those buildings was once known as “Number 1, London” and now Apsley House is one of the most prestigious houses in the capital. It was home to the Duke of Wellington, the man who took on and defeated Napoleon and the French in 1815 in the famous Battle of Waterloo. Apsley House was a gift from a grateful nation. Wellington’s spectacular military career made him the darling of the nation and he went on to become Prime Minister.
Before lockdown, I put these famous buildings and museums yet to be explored on my bucket list and last weekend finally persuaded Hubs to come with me to explore. We’re fortunate enough to have a son in London, so bagged a bed with him. I bought tickets for the venues in advance. There are lots of places offering tours – some offer seeing both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle in a day. The advantage is that they organise the transport. Beyond that, I wouldn’t bother.
Getting to either places by public transport is easy from London. Windsor station is bang in the middle of the town, a few minutes walk from the castle. Both places require a lot of time. Trying to do both in one day would be too much, so be independent if you can. Some companies offer a guide but be aware they will only take you to the venue entrance. The excellent audio tours included in the price of the entry fee is more than sufficient and in-house guides answer any questions you might have. The entry tickets sold from the
Royal Palaces, Residences and Art Collection website – www.rct.uk – are valid for a year. Get them stamped and you can return as many times as you like. Entries are timed so crowds are controlled.
Buckingham Palace is a working building. It serves to entertain visiting dignitaries and carry out many state functions. It’s the most famous focal point for celebration and mourning for the nation.
The Palace, along with Windsor Castle, are probably the most recognised buildings in the world and inside they more than hold up their reputations. Buck House, built as a town house in 1703, was enlarged and finally became the London residence of Queen Victoria in 1837.
My piece can’t possibly do justice to the buildings we saw. The living history was extraordinary and all the books and TV programmes couldn’t bring alive the fascinating exhibits, the architecture, the colour and magnificent grandeur. The garden is surprisingly wild and informal – the 42 acres make up the largest private garden in London and is used regularly for functions. Being the Queen offers no control over traffic, and the garden is invaded by the noise of incoming flights and traffic belting past outside.
Windsor Castle is much older than Buckingham Palace. William the Conqueror built the first part of it in about 1070. It’s far bigger than I imagined. Both buildings display the very finest of craftsmanship over many centuries – gifts from visiting dignitaries from the time it was built. It’s quite breathtaking – a real fairy story place.
The beautiful architecture belies some of the gruesome history that it has witnessed, not least in St George’s Chapel. It’s the final resting place of 10 Kings and Queens of England and, more recently, the setting for Harry and Meghan’s wedding.
Murky tales lie in parts of the Chapel. King Charles I, beheaded for treason in 1649, is buried there. His body was taken on a snowy night from London to Windsor, where his head was sewn back on.
Henry VIII, who lay in an unmarked vault, hated because of the death of over 50,000 of his subjects, was shunted over to make room for the ex-King. Both men now have memorials on the floor of the Chapel.
The Duke of Wellington’s glorious home, Apsley House, can be booked online, too. We also squeezed in time at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and like some other museums in the city it’s free.
No surprise that several days later we’re still immersed in the history of the visits, enriched by the knowledge they imparted and proud of the heritage that this country has.
King Charles I, beheaded for treason in 1649, is buried there. His body was taken from London to Windsor, where his head was sewn back on