46 
THe GREAT Park. 
Debouching from the Rhododendron Ride, we are again in the 
open Great Park, and sweeping round the shoulder of Snow Hill, 
with a splendid panorama expanding to our view on the right, we 
at length reach the top of the Long Walk, from whence the views 
are simply magnificent, and must be seen to be realised. On the 
summit of the hill, on our left, is seen the gigantic equestrian 
statue in bronze of George III., by Westmacott, standing on a 
grotesque pedestal, designed, it is said, by Wyatville. It is supposed 
to represent a gigantic block of unhewn granite. The height of the 
horse and figure from the top of the pedestal is 25 feet 6 inches ; 
and standing in such a conspicuous position, the statue is seen 
from a far distance across the country. 
THE Lona WALK. 
We are now in the Long Walk, the “Grand Avenue” par 
excellence at Windsor. It runs as straight as an arrow from here 
to Windsor Castle, now in view right a-head of us at a distance 
of nearly 3 miles through an unrivalled vista. The road is as 
firm and smooth as if it was concrete, and the drive down it 
presented a scene of impressive grandeur. The trees in this 
magnificent avenue were planted by Charles II., in 1680. There 
are two rows of elms on each side; the trees in the double rows 
being set 30 feet apart each way, and the width between the inner 
rows, across the avenue, is 150 feet. The avenue was completed 
by William III., but the carriage drive along the centre was not 
formed till the reign of Queen Anne. The total number of elm 
trees employed in forming the avenue was 1652; and on the 
lower part of the ground many of the original trees are now 
grand specimens of their kind. 
In 1859 (according to Mr Simmonds’ pamphlet) a commission, 
of which the Duke of Bedford was president, inspected the Long 
Walk, and recommended, after mature consideration, that the old 
trees, where dead, dangerous, or decayed, should be gradually 
replaced by young elms between the Castle and the Double Gates, 
but that from there to the statue the soil had proved so unsuit- 
able to the growth of elm that there should be a gradual sub- 
stitution of oak for elm in that part of the avenue. This plan 
was therefore adopted on a limited scale at first by H.R.H. the 
