Archaeology of Windsor Castle facts for kids

The archaeology of Windsor Castle is all about exploring the past of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England. It involves digging up and studying old objects and parts of buildings. This helps us understand how this famous castle was built and used over hundreds of years.

Digging Up Windsor Castle's Secrets

How We Used to Learn About the Castle

For a long time, people studied Windsor Castle mainly by looking at its buildings and reading old books. Very little digging was done to find out more. For example, a big book about the castle from 1913 didn't have much information from archaeological digs.

Modern Discoveries at Windsor Castle

Archaeologists started doing more detailed work at Windsor Castle in the late 1800s and 1900s.

Early Digs

• In 1895, archaeologists explored the area where the Great Hall once stood in the Lower Ward of the castle.
• In the late 1970s, another dig took place at St George's Chapel inside the castle.

Saving the Round Tower (1988-1992)

In the late 1980s, experts found that the big hill, called a motte, under the Round Tower was in danger of falling apart. To fix this, a major archaeological study happened between 1988 and 1992. This dig helped scientists understand how the tower and its mound were built.

The Big Royal Dig (2006)

Windsor Castle was part of a special archaeological event called the "Big Royal Dig" in 2006. This was a TV show by Channel 4 called Time Team, which digs up historical sites.

• The dig happened over four days, from August 25 to 28, 2006.
• Oxford Archaeology led the work.
• The TV show followed the dig live, showing what was found each day.

This dig was timed to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday. For the first time ever, the Queen allowed digging at Buckingham Palace, as well as at Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. This was part of the Queen's effort to open up royal homes more to the public.

Archaeologists had a unique chance to explore the history of three royal homes at the same time.

Amazing Finds at Windsor Castle

The Big Royal Dig at Windsor Castle uncovered two very important things:

• The Round Table Building: In the Upper Ward, archaeologists found the foundations of a huge building. King Edward III built this in 1344. It was 200 feet (60 meters) wide! This building was used for big feasts, festivals, and plays about King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. They also found a beautiful decorated medieval tile still in its original spot.
• Henry III's Great Hall: In the Lower Ward, they found the location of the Great Hall from Henry III's palace. One of its walls was still standing! This discovery helps archaeologists figure out exactly where Windsor's very first palace was built.

These finds have taught us a lot more about where the Round Table building and the Great Hall were, and how they were used throughout history.