Experts Find Evidence of Knights of the Round TableBy Martin Croucher
Epoch Times London Staff Aug 30, 2006
Remains of a building have been found in the grounds of Windsor Castle that may have been built to house the original 300 Knights of the Garter. Evidence has emerged in the grounds of Windsor Castle of a building that may be linked to the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
The circular structure, built by Edward III in the 14th century, was thought to house a round table for the original 300 Knights of the Garter.
Archaeological remains of the 61-metre diameter building were discovered by Channel 4's Time Team over the weekend in the Castle's quadrangle. While the walls of the structure are no longer standing, there still exists a rubble fill-in where the stones once stood.
Tony Robinson, the presenter of the programme said that he expected the find to solve years of debate between historians. "The round table building is one of our most significant ever archaeological finds," Robinson said. "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."
The round table building was but one of the many finds as archaeological teams gained unprecedented access to the three Royal residences of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
During the four-day dig, graphic artists drafted how buildings may have looked to previous generations while archaeologists eagerly carved up the Royal grounds with a variety of instruments ranging from excavators to toothbrushes.
The team utilised the latest technology in the dig, including ground penetrating radar and aerial photography to locate the round-table building.
At Buckingham Palace the team found items ranging from a pre-Roman flint to a section of a Victorian necklace.
They also found a stoneware beer mug dating from around 1700, which is thought to have been discarded by workmen at the time.
Other items included a tobacco pipe from the mid-17th century which had an inscription including the words "Brown" and "Westminster".
As well as similar items found at Holyroodhouse, experts also uncovered the foundations of what they believe to be a 12th century monastery.
The dig took place after months of negotiations and many previous refusals from senior aides at Buckingham Palace. Despite concern at having the perfectly manicured Royal lawns desecrated by the diggers, the Royal family agreed apparently after Tony Robinson had a chance to discuss the matter directly with the Queen at a recent garden party. With some knowledge of archaeology, Prince Charles was said to be extremely interested in the technical aspects of the dig.
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