St George’s Chapel, Windsor

A church has stood within Windsor Castle since the early thirteenth century, although the architectural story of St George’s begins in 1348, when Edward III founded the College of St George and a new order of chivalry, the Order of the Garter. At this time the original thirteenth-century building underwent a radical overhaul and was rededicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, St George (England’s patron saint, to whom the king had personal devotion) and St Edward the Confessor. It was King Edward IV who decided to erect the present building as the Chapel of the Order of the Garter (to which it remains home today). Work began in 1475 and continued for the next 53 years, resulting in a spectacular example of perpendicular architecture, still considered today to be one of the finest of its kind. This beautifully illustrated guide provides a glimpse into the rich and varied history of St George’s Chapel, and the remarkable architecture, craftsmanship and heraldry that distinguish it.