The East side of the house was designed to house the domestic apartments. It was substantially altered during the later stages of the original building period as the usage of the rooms within developed. Looking at the elevation of the Great Hall from the Orangery Court, it is apparent that many of the original windows have been blocked. The mason's work to achieve this is recorded in the late 18th century. It is assumed that the huge weight of the oak roof, covered with Collyweston – a locally produced slate first used by the Romans – was causing structural problems and that a radical reduction in the glazing was needed.