The Central Archaeology Service, fieldwork projects

Windsor Castle, Berkshire, fabric survey and excavation

The work of the fabric survey continued throughout 1994-95, concentrating on the ground floor areas that had been stripped the previous year to assist the dehumidification of the fire damaged area. Within the modern Pastry Kitchen below the Grand Reception Room, important evidence was found for the fenestration and arrangement of the earlier Hall. The main window embrasures survived in the east elevation, one still containing a window seat, and appear to be of thirteenth-century date. There is also evidence for earlier features, probably part of Henry II's buildings of the late twelfth century. Recording of the floor of the the Grand Reception Room showed that it was substantially of late seventeenth-century date, but included a large number of common rafters from earlier roofs, dated by dendrochronology to the mid fourteenth century. Enough survived of the jointing to reconstruct their original configuration, and at present it seems likely that these were originally situated over the east and south lodging ranges.

Within the east lodging range, the ground floor of Chester Tower was shown to have a complex structural history. It appears to have been built as an open backed mural tower in the late twelfth century, and the rear of the tower was subsequently extended and enclosed in masonry in the thirteenth century. The tower was extensively modified when it was enclosed within the lodging range in the mid fourteenth century, with the insertion of a doorway and fireplace in that period. The ground floor and basement rooms of Prince of Wales Tower contained medieval fabric in the main walls, including evidence for windows or loops in the basement. The partition walls within the basement were of seventeenth-century date, but elsewhere the partitions were found to be of nineteenth- century date.

The Kitchen Gate of 1362-63 was found to be relatively well preserved within the ground floor service area. Although partially refaced by Wyatville in the early nineteenth century, the gate passage contained evidence for medieval doorways at its northern end giving access to the chambers on either side. Within the west chamber good evidence survived for the fenestration in all three faces of the projecting turret, and other features included a squint and part of a medieval fireplace. The eastern chamber had been more heavily altered in the nineteenth century, but still retained a substantial part of the circular stair which gave access to the rooms in the upper floors of the gate.

Within Kitchen Court, survey has been completed on the external face of the Crimson Drawing Room and Prince of Wales Tower forming the eastern side of the court. The two large fourteenth-century windows in the Crimson Drawing Room were found to have been partially blocked in the late seventeenth century, with much smaller `porthole' windows inserted in their heads. The two medieval upper windows in Prince of Wales Tower also retained inserted seventeenth-century mouldings, into which Wyatville in turn had inserted his Gothic style windows. Evidence for further medieval openings survived at ground floor level, including at least two doorways and one possible window.

There was also some recording at principal floor level and above as the reconstruction project progressed. Monitoring of the installation of a new roof and floors in Prince of Wales Tower demonstrated that the outer walls are substantially of late seventeenth- century construction from principal level upwards, apart from the west wall which is of fourteenth-century date. The repairs to the late fifteenth-century Kitchen roof provided further opportunities for recording and dendrochronological sampling, and it is hoped that it will be possible to date this important structure more closely. The evidence for sixteenth-century repairs is now much clearer, consisting of the complete replacement of the two end-trusses and the repair of several others. In Grand Reception Room, the dado and the large plain panels were removed to assist dehumidification, giving an opportunity to record parts of the former Great Chamber and the adjoining tower to the north. The partition wall between the two was evident as a wide scar, but was partially concealed by late seventeenth-century refacing. Within the former Great Chamber the arrangement of windows and a fireplace in the east wall was found to be of late seventeenth-century date, subsequently blocked by Wyatville in the nineteenth century. The west wall contained a large medieval doorway, probably of fourteenth-century date, which gave access to the Chamber and Hall from the main stair in the King's Cloister. This was surmounted by a range of later windows, possibly part of the documented works in this area of Edward IV in 1478-83.

Some further limited excavation took place within Kitchen Court as the installation of new services progressed. More evidence was uncovered for ancillary kitchen buildings and associated levels within the Court, including a large pit containing cess which has outstanding environmental evidence.

Work at Windsor will continue throughout 1995-96.