It now
stands at the lower end of the same court. The sculptures on the
pedestal were designed by Grinling Gibbons; and Horace Walpole
pleasantly declared that the statue had no other merit than to attract
attention to them.
In old times a road, forming a narrow irregular avenue, ran through the
woods from the foot of the castle to Snow Hill but this road having been
neglected during a long series of years, the branches of the trees and
underwood had so much encroached upon it as to render it wholly
impassable. A grand avenue, two hundred and forty feet wide, was
planned by Charles in its place, and the magnificent approach called
the Long Walk laid out and planted.
The only material incident connected with the castle during the reign of
James the Second has been already related.
Windsor was not so much favoured as Hampton Court by William the
Third, though he contemplated alterations within it during the latter
part of his life which it may be matter of rejoicing were never
accomplished.
Queen Anne's operations were chiefly directed towards the parks, in
improving which nearly 40,000 pounds were expended. In 1707 the
extensive avenue running almost parallel with the Long Walk, and
called the " Queen's Walk," was planted by her; and three years
afterwards a carriage road was formed through the Long Walk.
Pages:
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291