Virginia Water Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Virginia Water Lake |
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 Virginia Water Lake
Location in Berkshire
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| Location | Berkshire |
| Coordinates | 51°24′40″N 0°36′10″W / 51.41111°N 0.60278°W |
| Type | artificial lake |
| Primary inflows | River Bourne |
| Primary outflows | River Bourne |
| Basin countries | United Kingdom |
| Settlements | Virginia Water |
Virginia Water Lake is a beautiful man-made lake. You can find it on the southern edge of Windsor Great Park in England. It stretches across parts of Surrey and Berkshire. The lake is named after a natural stream that was once there.
Close by, there's a village also called Virginia Water. The lake's area, along with Fort Belvedere and the Clockcase, are very important historical sites. They are listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. This means they are special places with a lot of history.
Contents
History of Virginia Water Lake
Virginia Water Lake started as a small stream. This stream existed way back in the 1600s. Some people think it was named after Elizabeth I, who was known as the "Virgin Queen."
How the Lake Was Built
The first version of the lake began in 1746. This was started by Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. He was in charge of Windsor Great Park at the time. We don't know many details about how it was built. However, some believe that prisoners from the Jacobite uprisings helped. These prisoners were staying nearby at Breakheart Hill.
The first lake was much smaller than it is today. Sadly, it was destroyed by a big flood in 1768. Then, in 1780, two brothers, Paul and Thomas Sandby, started building a much larger lake. They also added a cool artificial waterfall. Plus, they created Meadow Pond and Obelisk Pond.
Amazing Lakeside Features
Around the lake, you can see some really interesting things. One is a huge Canadian totem pole. It stands about 30 meters (100 feet) tall. This pole was carved by Mungo Martin, Henry Hunt, and Tony Hunt Sr.. It celebrates 100 years of British Columbia in Canada.
There are also some old Roman ruins. These were brought all the way from Leptis Magna in 1816. That's a place in modern-day Libya! The ruins were put in place at Virginia Water in 1826.
A Royal Miniature Ship
In 1834, a tiny sailing frigate was built for King William IV. It was called the Royal Adelaide. This ship was taken apart and moved overland to Virginia Water. It was then put back together and launched on the lake. The king used it to train young royal princes how to sail.
The ship was fully rigged, like a real warship. It was 15 meters (50 feet) long and 4.5 meters (15 feet) wide. It even had 22 working miniature cannons! The Royal Adelaide was taken apart in 1877. Its cannons were given to the Royal Yacht Squadron.
The Lake During Wartime
During World War II, the lake was completely drained. Why? Because its clear shape could help enemy planes find Windsor. Windsor and other nearby places were important military targets. Draining the lake made it harder for enemies to navigate at night.
Exploring the Lake Today
The River Bourne feeds water into the lake. The water then flows out at the eastern end, over the beautiful cascading waterfall. You can walk all the way around the lake. The path is about 7.2 kilometers (4.5 miles) long. About half of it is paved, and the other half is a natural path. This makes it easy to walk, even with a stroller!
Gallery
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Waterfall at eastern end of lake
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Virginia Water lake view, 2012
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Bridge across Virginia Water
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