The archaeology of Windsor Castle comprises the archaeological investigations at Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...

, Berkshire

Berkshire

Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...

.

Traditional historiography

Almost no archaeological work was done at Windsor Castle until the 20th century. As a result, most studies of the castle depended upon architectural analysis and historical research. The most prominent book on the castle, Sir William St John Hope's 1913 volumes, had almost no archaeological evidence to draw on when analysing the castle's history.

1895 investigation

An archaeological investigation into the site of the Great Hall in the Lower Ward of the castle occurred in 1895.

1970s investigation

An archaeological investigation into St George's Chapel at the castle took place in the late 1970s.

1988-92 investigation

In the late 1980s it was discovered that the motte beneath the Round Tower was in danger of collapse. In advance of strengthening works, a major archaeological investigation into the design and structure of the building and mound took place between 1988-92.

2006, Big Royal Dig

Windsor Castle was one of three royal sites excavated over four days on behalf of Channel 4

Channel 4

Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...

's Time Team

Time Team

Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...

 from 25 to 28 August 2006. It was undertaken by Oxford Archaeology

Oxford Archaeology

Oxford Archaeology is one of the largest non-governmental archaeological organisations in Europe....

. In the United Kingdom, Channel 4 devoted an evening television program to each day's findings, presented by Tony Robinson

Tony Robinson

Tony Robinson is an English actor, comedian, author, broadcaster and political campaigner. He is best known for playing Baldrick in the BBC television series Blackadder, and for hosting Channel 4 programmes such as Time Team and The Worst Jobs in History. Robinson is a member of the Labour Party...

, and also followed the dig live on More4

More4

More4 is a digital television channel, run by British broadcaster Channel 4, that launched on 10 October 2005. It is carried on Freeview, on satellite broadcasters Freesat and Sky, UK IPTV broadcaster TalkTalk TV and on UK cable network Virgin Media and in the Republic of Ireland cable networks...

, together with a simulcast on the internet.

Timed to help celebrate the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, along with many other events ongoing throughout 2006, this marked the 150th dig conducted by Time Team. For the first time, the Queen gave permission for trenches to be dug in the Garden

Buckingham Palace Gardens

The garden at Buckingham Palace is situated at the rear of Buckingham Palace. It covers much of the area of the former Goring Great Garden, named after Lord Goring, occupant of one of the earliest grand houses on the site...

 of Buckingham Palace, as well as in Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh. The Big Royal Dig is an example of the Queen opening up her homes for greater access to the public, as she did during her Golden Jubilee Weekend in 2002 and throughout 2006 for her birthday.

The archaeologists had an unprecedented opportunity to probe the geophysics and history of three royal residences over a four-day period, with teams working concurrently in the three locations.

Windsor Castle was the scene of two remarkable finds:

• In the Upper Ward, the foundations of the Round Table building erected in 1344 by Edward III
  Edward III of England
  Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
  
   were discovered, and also, among other finds, a spectacular decorated mediaeval tile in situ
  In situ
  In situ is a Latin phrase which translated literally as 'In position'. It is used in many different contexts.-Aerospace:In the aerospace industry, equipment on board aircraft must be tested in situ, or in place, to confirm everything functions properly as a system. Individually, each piece may...
  
  . In Edward's day the Round Table building, 200 feet (60 m) in diameter
  Diameter
  In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
  
  , was used for feasting, festivals, and theatrical re-enactments of the Knights of the Round Table of Arthurian
  King Arthur
  King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
  
   legend.

• In the Lower Ward, the Great Hall
  Great hall
  A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time the word great simply meant big, and had not acquired its modern connotations of excellence...
  
   of Henry III
  Henry III of England
  Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
  
  's palace was located and one of its walls, still standing, was found. This has assisted archaeologists in assessing where Windsor's first palace actually stood.

These finds have added to knowledge of the location, history, and uses of the Round Table and the Great Hall.