Winchester Great Hall (Hampshire, England) is just about all
that is left of Winchester Castle, built by William the Conqueror in 1087. The
hall was extended by King Henry III and has been described as the second finest
medieval hall in England – the first being Westminster Hall next door to the
Houses of Parliament.
It consists of a double cube of five bays, with aisles
supported by shafts of Purbeck marble.
The feature that most people come to see is “King Arthur’s
Round Table”, which hangs from the wall at one end. King Arthur presides at the
top, with places marked for each of his 24 knights.
However, there is absolutely no reason to believe that this
has anything to do with King Arthur. The wood has been dated to the 14th
century, and it would appear that the table was constructed in the hall in
1348.
The decoration is somewhat later, with every chance that it
dates from the Tudor period of the early 16th century. Evidence of
this can be seen from the Tudor rose at the heart of the table, and the fact
that King Arthur bears a striking resemblance to the young King Henry VIII.
Whether anyone ever connected the table to King Arthur prior
to its Tudor decoration is open to speculation. However, it would appear that
somebody had the bright idea of doing so in response to a renewed interest in
Arthurian legend that was characterized by Thomas Malory’s highly dramatic and
imaginative “Morte D’Arthur” which was published in 1485 and printed by William
Caxton. Why not link young King Henry to his legendary predecessor?
There can be no doubt that many people have believed down
the centuries that this really was the Round Table, and it must therefore be
assumed that the trick worked at the time, thus giving Henry a boost that was
welcome if wholly undeserved!
© John Welford
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