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Summary

Apartments built in 1160 by King Henry II, and enlarged and a chapel added by Henry III.

Monument Type(s):

• BUILDING (Medieval - 1160 AD to 1272 AD?)
• GREAT HALL (Medieval - 1160 AD? to 1400 AD?)

Description

Apartments built AD 1160 by King Henry II. It was enlarged and a chapel added by Henry III (1216-72) <1>.

An archaeological excavation was carried out at the Lower Ward at Windsor Castle in the area of the college of St. George with the main aim to attempt to ascertain the precise location and orientation of the 12th – 13th century Great Hall built in the reign of Henry II, but demolished in the early 15th century. It is thought that the Great Hall was located in the area of the Lower Ward in the location of the later Denton’s Commons building. Documents and plans made by Hope in 1895, and recent archaeological work in the area appear to suggest the existence of an early 12th-13th century building in the area of Denton’s Commons.

During the excavation evidence of early wall foundations were exposed. The core fabric was chalk fragments with occasional fragments of Reigate Stone. The fabric type was consistent with other 12th-13th century walls already uncovered in other excavations in the area of the Lower Ward. A potential south wall of the Great Hall was revealed implying an east to west alignment for the Halls orientation. The excavation also confirmed the existence of the 12th-13th century chamber block at the west end <2>.

On the basis of documentary evidence it is known that the hall and chamber block were built along with other associated buildings in the AD 1160's, during the reign of Henry II. Based on further documentary evidence and stylistic evidence from door and window mouldings, further work, including alterations to the chamber block was undertaken AD 1120 to AD 1240. Most of the later 12th/early 13th century buildings were believed to have been totally destroyed in the 16th century when their place was taken by another set of buildings known as Denton's Commons. However, when southern part of Denton's Commons was demolished in AD 1859, it was seen that fragments of the later 12th / early 13th century structures had been incorporated into the 16th century building. In particular the east side wall of what was thought to be Henry II's Great Hall remained, with traces of door and window openings. Further modernisation work undertaken in AD 1964-5 at number 25 The Cloisters again revealed the remains of Henry II's and Henry III's work. This allowed closer examination of the remaining stone and timberwork, particularly the partial remains of the scissor braced roof of number 25. This type of roof framing is normally dated to the 13th century but does continue into the middle of the 14th century. Carpenters marks were observed on the roof beams . These are made up of very simple individual single strikes, 1-11 probably made by a chisel.

In AD 2004 sampling and analysis by tree-ring dating of timbers of number 25 The Cloisters were undertaken. Core samples were obtained from 12 timbers of the roof and first-floor frame. Analysis of these samples by dendrochronology resulted in the production of a single site chronology, comprising five samples and having an overall length of 67 rings. These rings can be dated as spanning the years AD 1146 to AD 1212. A further single sample can be dated individually, its 60 rings spanning the years AD 1137-96. Interpretation of the sapwood on these samples would indicate that the timbers represented from both the roof and the first-floor frame, have an estimated felling date in the range AD 1226-51. The timber felling thus represented by these samples dates to the earlier part of the 13th century and suggests their use in both the roof and the first-floor frame during the reign of Henry III. The implication is, therefore, that this building was perhaps more heavily renovated in the early 13th century than had hitherto been thought <3>.

<1> W.H. St John Hope, 1913, Windsor Castle, An Architectural History (Bibliographic reference). SRW12714.

<2> Cambrian Archaeological Projects Ltd, 2007, Windsor Castle, Lower Ward, Denton's Commons (Unpublished document). SRM14191.

<3> English Heritage (Centre for Archaeology), 2004, Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers from 25 The Cloisters, (Denton's Common), Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire (Bibliographic reference). SRM14228.

Sources

Designations

• Scheduled Monument 1006996: Windsor Castle

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