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Summary

Original wall built c.1170 AD but doubled in size and battlements added by King George IV.

Monument Type(s):

• TOWER KEEP (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1101 AD to 1900 AD)
• CISTERN (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1601 AD to 1912 AD)

Description

The Round Tower at Windsor Castle served as the castle keep and was situated in the middle ward. This is a stone shell-keep, originally built during the reign of Henry I (AD1100-1135) and rebuilt for Henry II (AD1154-1189) on the summit of a 20m high artificial motte of chalk. Originally, the internal structure probably consisted of four linked timber framed ranges built around a small rectangular inner courtyard to which various accounts relate. The present timber-framed ranges of two stories were thought to have replaced the original structures in the mid-fourteenth century. These comprise an open hall in the western range and a kitchen in the northern range, both open to the roof with smoke louvres, and lodgings and chambers in the eastern and southern ranges. The Round Tower is approached by two covered external staircases. Although substantial in size and quality, the 14th century ranges were originally rebuilt as a temporary lodging of Edward III prior to the reconstruction of the principal domestic apartments in the upper ward during the AD 1360's. Throughout the successive centuries, the 14th century timber-framed ranges have been altered and embellished, including documented repairs during the reign of Elizabeth I (AD 1558-1603) and more substantial alterations in the late 1660's. The most radical alterations were undertaken between AD 1828 and AD 1840 when the Round Tower was doubled in height and the Flag Tower built. These alterations were undertaken by Sir Jeffry Wyatville. This improved the outer appearance of the Tower, and although the 14th century ranges were retained within, it was necessary to build a brick skin 1.2m thick within the original outer stone walls to carry the weight of the new upper stories <6>.

The central block, corridor and connecting wings all contemporary c 1829-40. Central building of English bond brickwork reinforced by grey-green micaceous sandstone. In 1998 a watching brief revealed original keep foundations, a flat heathstone course over a raft of mortared flint. In the 19th century sections of the foundation were underpinned <1>.

An investigating and recording survey in 1990 identified four construction phases for the internal central core buildings within the Round Tower. Phase I comprised the central block, corridor and the connecting wings, dated to 1829-1840. Phase II comprised the northern courtyard roof and staircase, and was dated to 1840-1854. Phase III comprised the removal of the Phase II staircase and was dated to 1854-1874, and Phase VI comprised the additional flanking rooms and was dated to between 1901 and 1908. The two-storey square central building with internal brick partitions formally bore a 17th century lead cistern until 1912<5>. It was previously believed that this building predated the rest of the internal central core buildings, but this was not the case <7>.

During the 1991 central core excavation, the earlier cistern foundation was revealed, which is to date to 1670. The lead cistern that formally stood in this area bore the monogram of Charles II, and the dating of this foundation was also supported by the post-medieval pottery recovered <4>.

The building was dated to a Phase I construction date of 1829-1840, with the only issue of note being the fact that reused oak timbers had been utilised in the timber framing of the wings of this central structure, and these oak timbers may hay have come from the medieval work elsewhere in the Round Tower <7>. A central-core excavation in 1991 revealed the Wyatville foundations (which had been substantially disturbed by drainage systems and other services) <4>.

Excavations have revealed a complex sequence of development of the motte summit including a series of structures pre-dating the present shell-keep <3>.

In 1989-90 and 1991-3 a dendrochronological project took tree ring samples from various phases in the Round Tower. Six separate phases of construction were identified, the earliest being a timber re-use from the time of Henry III in 1225. Two major phases from AD1354/5 and AD 1364-1370 were the main timber-framed courtyard range and the north stair respectively. Repairs dating from 1468 were identified over the kitchen or north range, from AD 1578 over the south or lodgings range, and an applied decorative bracket was dated from after AD 1623 from the main hall in the west range <6>.

Archaeological investigations at the Round Tower have produced limited evidence of metalworking. Initially it was suspected that this could be the site of an experimental ‘laboratory' used by Charles II’s cousin, Prince Rupert of the Rhine, to investigate gun metal compositions. However, in light of stratigraphic evidence, it is probable that the debris comes from a pre-1660AD context, before Rupert arrived. An assemblage of technological debris from the Round Tower was examined and assessed for research potential. The assemblage contained evidence for copper and lead metallurgy. A fragment of crucible was also found <8>.

Archaeological excavations at Windsor Castle Round Tower revealed several phases of two medieval kitchen tile hearths or ovens. An archaeomagnetic study was carried out of five contexts in the two hearths excavated. Only two contexts were found to contain thermoremanent magnetisations related to the ancient geomagnetic field. Comparison of the mean archaeomagnetic vector in contexts 2022 and 2024 provides tentative confirmation that the pitched tile hearth was last in use during the medieval period <9>.

<1> Central Excavation Unit, English Heritage, 1988, Watching brief at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, 18-25th April 1988 (Unpublished document). SRW12622.

<2> English Heritage, 1990, The Work of the Central Excavation Unit 1988-9, Pages 29-30 'The Round Tower, Windsor Castle, Berkshire' by Brian Kerr (Bibliographic reference). SRM13577.

<3> Central Excavation Unit, English Heritage, 1990, Windsor Castle Round Tower; Results of Rescue Excavation and Recording , 1989-90 (Unpublished document). SRM13578.

<4> Central Excavation Unit, English Heritage, 1991, Windsor Castle Round Tower Central Core Excavation, July-August 1991 Summary (Unpublished document). SRM13579.

<5> Central Excavation Unit, English Heritage, 1990, Windsor Castle Round Tower, Central Core Buildings Survey Results (Unpublished document). SRM13580.

<6> D W H Miles & D Haddon-Reece, 2003, The Tree-Ring Dating of the Round Tower, Windsor Castle (Unpublished document). SRW12781.

<7> Central Excavation Unit, English Heritage, 1990, Windsor Castle Round Tower, Central Core Buildings Survey Results (Unpublished document). SRM13580.

<8> Ancient Monuments Laboratory, 1999, Seventeeth century technological debris from the Round Tower, Windsor Castle (Unpublished document). SRM16249.

<9> GeoQuest Associates, 1997, Archaeomagnetic Analysis of 5 Contexts in 2 Hearths from the Windsor Castle Round Tower, Berkshire (Unpublished document). SRM16308.

Sources

Designations

• Scheduled Monument 1006996: Windsor Castle

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