The Queen’s College, Oxford, Kitchen Extension, Archaeological Investigation Report

In March 2008, Oxford Archaeology (OA) carried out an archaeological investigation at the Queen’s College, Oxford (NGR SP 5179 0635) on behalf of BGS Architects and the College. The work took place in advance of proposals to construct a new below-ground basement north of the existing kitchen building, specifically to determine whether piled foundations would encounter below-ground structural remains associated with the medieval college.
The work revealed layers of construction/demolition debris cut by the foundation trench and wall forming the NE corner of the medieval West Range depicted on historic views. The northern end of West Range was equipped with a hearth, and later a possible doorway inserted within the wall leading to the yard outside. A narrow garden wall and a path were identified leading to the building, and these are probably of later medieval/early post-medieval date. The northern line of the medieval North Range, identified in a previous excavation, was confirmed in service trenches and trial pits by its robber trench. Demolition debris above the structures and the robber trench dates to c 1719, when the present North Quadrangle circuit was completed with a new North Range.