Castle of Elton John

The Rocket Man lived here! Sir Elton John’s spectacular English country estate, known as Woodside, sits in Old Windsor, Berkshire, on the edge of Windsor Great Park. The historic estate covers approximately 37 acres of gardens and has been Elton John’s principal British residence since the mid-1970s. (Wikipedia)

Woodside has an extraordinary history. The original house dates back to the 1500s, when it was built for Henry VIII’s surgeon. Its location was deliberately chosen close to Windsor Castle so the physician could be summoned by an emergency flag. The property was rebuilt several times over the centuries, with the current house dating from a 1947 reconstruction after an earlier fire. (Wikipedia)

Elton John purchased Woodside in 1974 for £400,000 and made it his main home from 1975 onward. During the early years, the estate became a spectacular showcase for his enormous collection of art, memorabilia and rock-and-roll treasures. After making major changes to his lifestyle in the late 1980s, Elton undertook an extensive refurbishment, transforming Woodside into a more traditional English country home. (Wikipedia)

The estate has included eight bedrooms, five reception rooms, a billiards room, a squash court and a swimming pool. The grounds are equally remarkable, featuring landscaped gardens, a tennis court, an orangery, a lake and an art gallery created from a former garage block. The purpose-built gallery, completed in 2009, houses works from major artists including Louise Bourgeois, Damien Hirst, Antony Gormley and Chuck Close. (Wikipedia)

One of Woodside’s most unusual features is a small folly designed to resemble Windsor Castle. It was built as a stable for Elton’s donkeys and pony. The gardens have also famously contained a former Melbourne tram, imported by Elton John from Australia, as well as an organic vegetable garden. (Explained Today)

Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex, in 1947. He began playing piano at an extraordinary young age and received a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music when he was 11. His partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin began in the late 1960s and became one of the most successful songwriting collaborations in popular music. (Elton John)

Since the beginning of his recording career, Elton John has become one of the world’s most successful recording artists. His official biography credits him with more than 327 million records sold worldwide, over 70 Top 40 hits, 43 platinum or multi-platinum albums and 26 gold albums. His legendary songs include “Your Song,” “Rocket Man,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “Candle in the Wind” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” (Elton John)

His achievements extend far beyond record sales. Elton has won five Grammy Awards, two Academy Awards, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award, making him an EGOT winner. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992. (Grammy)

His 1994 work for Disney’s The Lion King became another major chapter in his career. Working with lyricist Tim Rice, Elton wrote some of the film’s most recognizable songs, including “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” which earned him an Academy Award and a Grammy. (Elton John)

Elton’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour also became a landmark in concert history. Guinness World Records reported that the tour became the highest-grossing music tour ever at the time, taking in $817.9 million between September 2018 and January 2023. (Guinness World Records)

Woodside therefore isn’t simply a celebrity mansion. It is a historic English estate that has been Elton John’s home for more than five decades, a private setting for his family life and an extraordinary reflection of his passion for music, art, gardens, collecting and British history.