Published in Windlesora 07 (1988)
© WLHG
Capper’s Dictionary was first published in 1808 when George III was on the throne. It claimed to be a “Book of Authority in every thing that regards the Topography and Local Statistics of the British Islands”. Every county, city, township, parish, hundred and hamlet in the British Isles is listed in alphabetical order together with details of the number of houses and people, distance from London and the nearest towns and some notes on local industries and institutions.
George IV had been on the throne for five years when a new edition of Capper’s Dictionary was published in 1825. This second edition was fully updated from the Census returns for 1821 and these are the entries for some of the places around Windsor from that second edition:
CLEWER, a parish adjoining Windsor, in Ripplesmere hundred, Berks, 23 m. W. from London; containing 364 houses and 2115 inhabitants. It is a rectory, value £14/0/11d in the patronage of Eton College.
DEDWORTH, a hamlet to the parish and borough of Windsor in Ripplesmere hundred Berks. 2 miles from Windsor, and 24 from London; cont. 13 houses and 75 inhab.
EATON, or ETON, a parish in Stoke hundred, Bucks on the banks of the Thames opposite to Windsor, with which it is connected by means of a bridge; cont 346 houses and 2475 inhab. The town is 22m. N. W. from London, and consists principally of one street, pleasantly situate on the banks of the river. It has long been celebrated for its royal college, founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. for the classical education of 70 scholars, who, when properly qualified, are annually elected to King’s college, Cambridge; to which they are removed when vacancies occur. Besides this number on the original foundation, about 300 noblemen and gentlemen’s sons are educated here, who reside at lodging houses within the bounds of the college. It consists of two neat quadrangles or courts. In the outermost are the schools and the lodgings for the masters and scholars; and on the south side is the college chapel. On the front is part of the provost’s lodgings, and a handsome tower or gateway dividing the two courts. In the centre of the first court is a neat brass statue of its royal founder. The other court consists of the apartments of the provost and fellows of the college. The college library on the south side is as neat and elegant as any in the kingdom, both with respect to its architecture and its choice collection of books, which were given for the most part by Dr. Waddington, bishop of Chichester; Dr. Godolphin, provost, Nicholas Munn, esq. late master of the Charter-house; and Richard Topham, esq. of Windsor; together with many elegant drawings of Greek and Roman antiquities, collected in Rome, at a great expense, by the latter gentleman. Mr. Hetherington, late fellow of this college, also gave a capital collection of books, and at his sole expense erected a neat chapel in the middle of the town, for the accommodation of the inhabitants. Fair, Ash-Wed.
WINDSOR-NEW, a borough and market-town in Berks. situate on the Thames, 22 m. W. by S. of London; containing 677 houses and 4288 inhabitants; viz. 1964 males and 2324 females. This town has belonged to the crown ever since the conquest, and has of late been much improved; it consists of six principal streets, and several inferior ones. The former are well paved and lighted. The parish church, which has recently been rebuilt, is a neat handsome, Gothic structure. In the High-Street stands the Guildhall, or Town-house, a neat structure, supported by columns and arches of Portland stone. On the north side is a statue of queen Anne, and on the south side, that of prince George of Denmark; the inside is adorned with the portraits of many royal personages. Windsor contains many handsome buildings, but its chief pride is its castle, which for more than 700 years has been the favourite country residence of the British kings. It was first erected by William the Conqueror, soon after the conquest, received additions from many succeeding monarchs, and under Edward III was almost entirely rebuilt: during the mischief and plunder of the civil war, it became in some degree dilapidated; but it was restored to its ancient state and splendour by Charles II. This noble edifice is situate on a high hill, having a beautiful command of the Thames. On the declivity of the hill is a terrace, faced with a rampart of free-stone, being 1870 feet long; at the end of this walk is a gate leading into the parks, which are several miles in circumference, and surrounded by a brick wall. The castle is divided into 2 courts or wards, with a large round tower or keep between them, the whole occupying about 12 acres of land; and having many batteries and towers for its defence. The upper court consists of a spacious square, bounded on the west by the round tower, on the north by the royal apartments, St. George’s hall and the royal chapel; and on the east and south, by the chambers appropriated for the officers of state. In the centre of this square is an equestrian statue of king Charles II in the habit of a Roman Caesar; underneath is a curious engine, to raise water for the castle. The keep or tower, is the lodging of the constable or governor, built in the form of an amphitheatre, ascended to by a flight of stone steps. Here is the guard-room or magazine for arms, curiously arranged. Over the chimney is carved in lime wood, the star and garter encompassed with daggers and pistols. The lower court is larger than the upper, and is divided into two parts by St. George’s chapel, which stands in the middle, and is reckoned to be one of the finest Gothic structures of the kind in being; on the north side of this court are the houses and appartments of the dean and canons, and other officers; and on the west side are the houses of the poor knights of Windsor. These poor knights, 18 in number have a premium of £18. per annum, and annually a gown of scarlet cloth, with a mantle of blue or purple cloth, on the sleeve of which is embroidered the cross of St. George. The royal appartments are on the north side of the court, called the star building, from having the star and garter in gold on the outside. The entrance is from the upper ward, through a handsome vestibule, which has undergone a total alteration from designs by Mr. James Wyatt. Almost every room in this division of the castle is ornamented with paintings executed by masters of the greatest celebrity. Many of them, however, are not originals; and others are of inferior merit. The principal rooms of this splendid suite of apartments, are the queen’s guard chamber, the queen’s presence chamber, the queen’s audience chamber. The ball room, the queen’s drawing room, the queen’s bed-chamber, the room of beauties, the queen’s dressing-room, queen Elizabeth’s, or the picture gallery, the king’s bed-chamber, the king’s drawing-room, the king’s public dining-room, the king’s audience chamber, the king’s presence chamber, and the king’s guard-room. A grant of £500,000 was made by parliament in 1824, for repairing and embellishing this magnificent castle, which is now in a state of rapid progress. St George’s hall is set apart entirely to the honour of the most illustrious order of the garter. The length of this superb chamber is 108 feet. The Chapel of St. George was originally a chapel dedicated to Edward the Confessor, wherein Henry I placed 8 secular priests, pensioners. It was rebuilt by Edward III and established as a collegiate church having 12 canons, 13 minor canons, 4 clerks, 6 choristers, and 26 poor alms knights. This structure owes its present form to Edward IV and its completion to Henry VII. Here lies interred under the choir, the bodies of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Charles I and a daughter of queen Anne; adjoining the east end, is a neat building erected by Henry VII as a burial place for himself and successors; a most sumptuous monument was afterwards erected here by Cardinal Wolsey, but he dying at Leicester, was there privately buried. This chapel lay neglected until the reign of his late majesty, by whom it was completely repaired, in 1790; and adored with rich carvings in wood, and a new altar-piece, organ and gallery. The ceremonies of the installation of the knights of the garter, are performed in this chapel with great state and solemnity. In the tower is a neat free-school for 36 boys and 24 girls; and an hospital for sick soldiers. Windsor was made a free borough by Edward I and sent members to parliament in the 13th year of the same reign; (which it has continued to do except from 14th of Edward III until 25th of Henry VI) who are chosen by the inhabitants of the borough paying scot and lot, the number of voters being about 400. The corporation consists of a mayor, 2 bailiffs, 28 burgesses, 13 of whom are called fellows or benchers of the Guildhall; of these, 10 besides the mayor and bailiffs, are styled aldermen. A neat theatre has been lately erected, but it is only opened during the vacations at Eton-college. Here are extensive barracks for horse and foot soldiers. On the south side of this town is Windsor-Great-Park, well stocked with deer, 14 miles in circumference; the entrance is by a road called the Long Walk, near 3 miles in length, through a double plantation of trees on each side, leading to the Ranger’s-Lodge; on the north and east side of the castle, is the Little-Park, about 4 miles in circumference, Queen Elizabeth’s-Walk herein, is much frequented. At the entrance of this park is the Queen’s-Lodge, of recent erection. This building stands on an easy ascent opposite the upper-court, on the south side, and commands a beautiful prospect over the surrounding country. The gardens are elegant, and have been much enlarged by the addition of the gardens and house of the duke of St. Alban’s, purchased by his late Majesty. In this park, his present Majesty has erected a most beautiful Cottage Omee, as a place of occasional retirement. Windsor-Forest, being a circuit of 56 miles, was originally formed for the exercise of the chace, by our ancient sovereigns; and was also a favourite amusement of his late majesty. Market on Saturday. Fairs, Easter-Tuesday, July 5 and Oct. 24. It is a vicarage, value £15/1 3/4d. Patron the king.
WINDSOR-OLD, a parish lying to the east of New-Windsor, and adjoining thereto; containing 190 houses and 1050 inhabitants. This was anciently the residence of the Saxon kings, that part called New-Windsor having chiefly risen since the time of William I. Here are several elegant houses situate on the banks of the Thames. Near the church is a mineral spring, called St. Peter’s-Well. It is a vicarage, value £8/6/8d. Patron, the king.
RIPPLESMERE, a hundred on the eastern side of Berks, around Windsor Great-park.
STOKE, the name of a hundred in Bucks, being the southern extremity of the county, between the Thames and Coln.
Pamela Marson
(Web editor’s note June 2023 : spelling and words as they appeared in the original copy of Windlesora and we assume in Capper’s Dictionary of 1825.)
Windsor Local History Group 