Here's something interesting. If you take a stroll down the Long Walk, from the castle end, and immediately after the little gate house on the left, walk over to the iron railings (also on the left), you'll see this field: Shaw Farm Meadow.
In the photograph, it is silent, but when you are there, you'll likely notice the consistent thunder of aeroplanes taking off from one of the world's busiest airports, just five miles to the east. Although Heathrow now dominates, once upon a time this field also played its part in aviation history.
On 9th September, 1911, the UK's first airmail delivery (and world's first regularly scheduled airmail flight) landed here. Letters had been delivered by aeroplane in recent times, but this was the first attempt at a regular airmail service.
The journey began in the London suburb of Hendon, 20 miles away, and took just less than 15 minutes to complete. Once the mail arrived at Windsor, it was transported - rather less extravagantly - by bicycle to the local post office. This regular schedule of flights ran for less than a month, as part of the celebrations for the Coronation of George V.
If you're interested, thamesweb, Wikipedia, and this blog have a little more info about all this.
Shaw Farm Meadow is part of Windsor Great Park - owned by the Crown - and you'll see many cheerful signs all over the place letting you know that Trespass on this site is a criminal offence. If you're in the spot I described initially, you'll also see this quiet sign, which is how I found out about the whole affair.
