Porters’ Lodge Corpus Christi College Oxford

Oxford Archaeology (OA) has undertaken an investigation at Corpus Christi
College, Oxford during the renovation of the Porters’ Lodge in the Grade I listed
north range of the Front Quadrangle. This building formed part of the original
layout of college buildings constructed in 1516.
The works have included historic building recording in the form of a watching
brief during alterations to the buildings, as well as an archaeological watching
brief during excavations for an external ramp. The investigation was undertaken
as a condition of planning permission and it followed separate Level 2 building
recording undertaken by Purcell prior to the start of refurbishment works.
The investigation has enhanced understanding of this part of the college. The
principal feature exposed has been a short section of timber framed partition
which it is thought survives from the original construction of this range. A
primary mid-height rail survives as well as a sill beam, a primary post and
primary lath and plaster above the rail.
A series of mortices to the underside of the rail show that the frame would
originally have incorporated a series of studs down to the sill but these were
removed at some point and replaced by a doorway with nailed post. The
doorway was subsequently boarded over but it is now being reopened in the
current works.
The historic partition extends from the south wall of the range to a central
chimney stack which historic plans suggest was inserted at some point between
1733 and 1848. It is known that an additional storey was added to this building
in 1737 and it seems likely that the insertion of the central chimney stack would
have been undertaken as part of this phase of works. Historic views and plans
show that the original fireplaces and chimneys would have been against the
north wall of the range.
Adjacent to the framed partition the works have also exposed evidence of a
former single-light window which is shown on a view from 1733 but which was
probably also blocked in the c.1737 works. This has been entirely hidden
externally by the subsequent refacing of this range. Early views suggest that
there was also a single-light window at the corresponding position in the north
wall but it was enlarged to form a two-light window.
The project has also allowed an investigation of a set of voids or simple cellar
beneath the rooms.