Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/462

 3G0 THE CASTLE, AND 'THE PKOVISIONS OF OXFORD. money paymeut, as the king's chaplain seldom took more than fifty shilhngs a year. Besides this, Queen Alienora had her private orator}'-, which was decorated ^Yitll paintings before the High Altar (30, Hen. III.). There was a store- room made (11, Hen. III.) in the pantry of the king's hall, to keep the bread in for the royal table, and the hall, like the chapel was plastered (28, Hen. III.). The windows of the Great Hall did not usually open. Those in the noble refectory of Battle Abbey had the upper part glazed, and the lower provided with a small shutter to let in air. But in 1244 (28, Hen. III.) a new window was inserted north and south of the hall at Oxford to admit of this con- venience. In the same year a handsome porch was built before the door of the hall, on the south side ; and subse- quently (30, Hen. III.), an oriel beyond it. Its windows were altered and repaired two or three times during this reign. It was also furnished with light internally by two iron candelabra (34, Hen. III.), and most lilvcly possessed a chair of state, similar to the carved one ordered by the King himself for his castle at Northampton. The kitchen underwent frequent reparation, till at last a new one was built for the king's family in a vacant area betwixt the old one and the larder (30, Hen. III.). And besides the store-room and pantry before mentioned, there was a salting-house, a scullery, and a meal-house ; a brew-house, stables, wardrobes ; and chambers for the king and queen, private chambers, the chamber of Prince Edward, and the outer chamber of the servants. In short, we gather from these twenty-three Liberate Rolls bearing entries on the subject, that the Castle of Oxford contained every con- venience befitting the royal inmates.^ The Close Roll of the fifth of Edward the Second, mentions an allowance to Richard Damory, Warden of Oxford Castle, of the wages of six men-at-arms and twelve footmen, retained in the castle for its safe custody : and also thirty quarters of corn, sixty quarters of malt, four tons of wine, ten quarters of salt, ten carcases of beef, forty hogs, and five - These extracts were made before the have, however, preferred leaving this appearance of iMr. Hudson Turner's valu- paragraph in its original form, as the able contribution from the same records, reader who desires to see these facts in a to the " History of Domestic Architec- more extended shape, will naturally place ture," in which he has given numerous himself nmier the guidance of that sound interesting details regarding Oxford. I and accomplished historian.