Fort Belvedere, Surrey

Fort Belvedere stands on Shrubs Hill in Windsor Great Park, a Gothic Revival country house built originally as a playful folly in the 1750s. Henry Flitcroft designed the first triangular turreted structure, and Jeffry Wyatville enlarged it in the 1820s for George IV. The house overlooks Virginia Water, a man-made lake created by Flitcroft and Thomas Sandby. Seven counties once stretched into the distance from the flagstaff tower, and the name ‘Belvedere’ reflects its role as a viewpoint. The brick walls wear a stone-coloured wash, and Gothic details frame both interior and exterior. The fort once served as a summer-house for royalty and later opened briefly to visitors in the 1860s. The building gained wider fame when Edward, Prince of Wales, moved in during 1929. He transformed the interior and grounds, installing bathrooms, central heating and a steam-room—modern luxuries in the 1930s. Edward built a swimming pool, tennis court and stables, and entertained courtiers, diplomats and statesmen at weekend gatherings. The relationship with Wallis Simpson flourished at the fort, where she first stayed in 1932. In December 1936, Edward signed his abdication notices at Fort Belvedere after meetings with Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. His three younger brothers witnessed the historic act in the same room. Visitors today find the fort set within dense plantations on Shrubs Hill, with views across Virginia Water. The octagonal dining room from Wyatville’s additions still stands, and the drawing room retains Edward’s pinewood panelling scheme. Nearby, ancient temple ruins brought from Leptis Magna overlook the water’s edge. The estate remains part of the Crown Estate, occupied by private tenants, and the fort itself is not open to the public. The landscape around the hill still frames seven counties on clear days, echoing the original prospect that inspired its design.