 Henry VIII enjoyed Windsor Castle , as a young man " exercising himself daily in shooting , singing , dancing , wrestling , casting of the bar , playing at the recorders , flute , virginals , in setting of songs and making of ballads " . The tradition of the Garter Feasts was maintained and became more extravagant ; the size of the royal retinue visiting Windsor had to be restricted because of the growing numbers . During the Pilgrimage of Grace , a huge uprising in the north of England against Henry 's rule in 1536 , the king used Windsor as a secure base in the south from which to manage his military response . Throughout the Tudor period , Windsor was also used as a safe retreat in the event of plagues occurring in London . 
