DIG UNEARTHS ROUND TABLE EVIDENCE AT WINDSOR CASTLE
BY CHRIS GREENWOOD

EVIDENCE OF A BUILDING LINKED TO THE MYTH OF KING ARTHUR AND THE KNIGHTS
OF THE ROUND TABLE HAS BEEN FOUND AT WINDSOR CASTLE.
THE CIRCULAR STRUCTURE WAS BUILT BY EDWARD III IN THE 14TH CENTURY TO
HOUSE THE ROUND TABLE INTENDED TO SEAT THE ORIGINAL 300 KNIGHTS OF THE
GARTER. ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROOF OF THE BUILDING WAS UNCOVERED BY MEMBERS OF
CHANNEL 4'S TIME TEAM IN THE CASTLE'S QUADRANGLE.

ALTHOUGH THE STONES HAVE BEEN REMOVED, RUBBLE IN-FILL WHERE THEY WERE
ORIGINALLY LOCATED REMAINED IN PLACE. THE SHOW'S PRESENTER, TONY
ROBINSON, SAID THE DISCOVERY COULD HELP SETTLE YEARS OF DEBATE AMONG
HISTORIANS OVER THE EXISTENCE OF THE BUILDING. "THE ROUND TABLE BUILDING
IS ONE OF OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT EVER ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS. IT IS
SOMETHING THAT HELPED TO ESTABLISH ARTHURIAN LEGENDS OF THE KNIGHTS OF
THE ROUND TABLE.

"WE SET OUT TO UNCOVER THE WALLS OF THE BUILDING, AND THEY ARE JUST
WHERE WE HOPED. EXPERTS HAVE SPECULATED ABOUT THE STRUCTURE FOR
CENTURIES, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE ACTUAL BUILDING."
IT WAS ONE OF SEVERAL REMARKABLE FINDS MADE BY ARCHAEOLOGISTS GIVEN
UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS TO THREE ROYAL RESIDENCES.

AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE, FINDS RANGED FROM A SMALL PIECE OF PRE-ROMAN FLINT
TO A GOLD EARRING OR PIECE OF NECKLACE, POSSIBLY FROM THE VICTORIAN ERA.
EXPERTS ALSO FOUND A STONEWARE BEER MUG PROBABLY THROWN AWAY BY WORKMEN
LANDSCAPING THE GARDENS IN ABOUT 1700.
AT HOLYROODHOUSE, THE QUEEN'S OFFICIAL SCOTTISH RESIDENCE, A 17TH OR
18TH CENTURY SEAL, PROBABLY USED TO STAMP WAX ON DOCUMENTS, WAS
UNCOVERED.

THE DIGS WERE ALLOWED TO GO AFTER MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. A SPOKESMAN FOR BUCKINGHAM PALACE
SAID ALL THE FINDINGS WILL BE CATALOGUED AND THE SURVEY RESULTS WILL BE
ADDED TO THE ROYAL ARCHIVE AT WINDSOR.