The Round Table ‘King Arthur’s Table’ is mounted on the west wall at one end of the Great Hall. It has hung there since 1873 when it was moved from the east wall to make way for arches that link the hall to the Assize Courts next door. The table is thought to have been built in the 13th or early 14th century, possibly for a tournament to celebrate the wedding of one of Edward I’s daughters.
On the table is the inscription ‘This is the round table of Arthur with 24 of his named knights’. It is 5.5 metres in diameter, weighs 1220 kilograms, and is made from 121 pieces of oak.
Oh I miss Winchester so much!
Haven’t been there in ages.
It is a place bursting with history
Yes but why is it on a wall? How can they sit at it?
I suspect it is on the wall because it takes up too much room on the floor. But as historical artifact of significance it needs to be on show.
Who is the they you think should be sitting at it??
Is that where they got the design for the modern dart board?
It does look like one, but I wouldn’t have thought so.
Sitting on the wall: There is nothing an English Knight cannot do!
Men of many talents
Looketh like somewhat a squish-squash too, with such little room for each noble knight. My ownwould be bigger (well, would have fewer knights around it ((well, only me, actually)) with Seanso on a rough seat in the corner of the room… and Margaret-Dulcinea upstairs.)
Ah the stairs in the corner of The Great Hall must lead to Lady Margaret-Dulcinea’s apartments.
There is a rather large seat in the hall, it looks grand rather than rough… I wonder if that is the seat that Seanso presides in…
The rough Seanso does often seem to have a notion of himself that exceeds his station in life. Whereas I am so much more humble and modest than my nobility warrants, obviously.
With regard to the seating arrangements and other considerations…
All will be revealed later today
The Wordpress Gremlin will feel my smite unless it restores my tattered banner fast
If you mean your avatar is missing. That has always been missing, those only show if you have something like Gravatar.
|Ah… I fear that Lady CherryPie is correct (fear because it may indicate progressing loss of my noble marbles), for I do now recall that the image was never displayed on this picky place, only on other places. Apolgies for my confuddled confusedness.
And we did have a conversation about it some time ago
Thanks for spreading the word to all (that the Don’s marbles have been misplaced)
I am just being conversational
Who stole my noble (some say tattered) banner in earlier commentations? Some glitchy gremlin? I hope it is now back.
No?
Strange
I suspect foul play…
I am unable to find missing banners in earlier commentations… If something is missing I suspect the Wordpress gremlin is up to its tricks again :-/
Very intersting – I show it to my husband, we saw the table in television.
Sigrun
The Great Hall and its contents is fascinating.
You;’ve done well with the lighting here. All my shots are like the proverbial blacks cats and coal cellars. I never realised just how heavy that table was; you wouldn’t really want to be dragging that around just before getting the Christmas lunch going would you ?
Thank you for the compliment about my photos
I certainly wouldn’t want to be dragging that table round for Christmas lunch even if it would fit in my dining room
That is a stunning bit of history
Interesting isn’t it?
I never did get to sit at that table with Arthur and Co (or is that ‘Associates’ now), but my young friend Parzival did. Laterly, in 1998 I did get to see it hanging just where it is.
A pleasant reminder. (all my snaps went with my modest treasures with the ex !)
The table is impressive
Not so good losing your modest treasure and pics though.
That’s one heavy table.
Although I was brought up to think that a table should be on the floor, it’s a great display piece on the wall almost like a rose window. At least it will be well preserved there … as long as they have some strong attachments to the wall !
I was trying to imagine having conversations whilst seated at the table. It would really only be possible to have conversations with the people sat either side of you…
Knights were (still are) boisterous fellows who speak up. Most meeting of the Round Table were held at the roar. You don’t get to be a Knight by speaking softly. That talent was reserved for chatting up fair maids and Ladies (and the occasional wench)
At a roar with a flagon or two of ale no doubt