Bridge
Take the stately Long Walk in the grounds of Windsor Castle and explore how the natural landscape provides moments of surprise and delight along its route.
The Long Walk at Windsor Castle demonstrates how the idealistic romance of the Picturesque might serve the practical concerns faced by an architect.
Before his coronation, the Prince Regent – later King George IV, and a major patron of Nash – sought to extend the Royal Lodge in the grounds of Windsor Castle as a large venue to entertain friends. At the same time, the sprawling grounds were tamed into a pleasing and picturesque landscape, accessed by the Long Walk.
Historic estate plans show that a small piece of land on each side of the Long Walk was owned by a private individual, who claimed to have road access across the Long Walk linking the two sides. To solve this right of access, and at the same time providing a Picturesque point of interest in the landscape, Nash designed the triple-arched Norman Bridge. The punctuation of this architectural gesture brings a sense of focus and destination to the viewer, while suggesting a fabricated history.
