We have been working on-site with Messenger and our team for four weeks and are progressing as per the programme. The last few weeks have been particularly exciting because of so many archaeological discoveries:

• Walls that are part of the 1590s Wren Stables have emerged immediately below the courtyard setts surface.

• A number of small barrel vaults have been revealed by the shallow excavation which have led to some serious head-scratching by the team. They are of different ages and they are not related to drainage, why they are there? What is their function?

• We have uncovered an old soakaway in perfect condition on the South-West corner of the courtyard.

• The most exciting findings of the last two weeks are the many original yellow brick pavers found still firmly well laid below the modern concrete floors. The cement slab, that was poured in the 1960s, a time when many changes to the building had happened. This was the time when the building finally lost its use as working stables when transformed into a storage space and many of the originally levelled accesses were lost by the laying of 100 mm of concrete to level the floors, and the carriage openings were blocked with new brick walls and sashes.), has now been removed from 60% of the floors, and our In-pensioners have helped this good cause!

Very soon the large carriage store arches will be reopened and we will see the original design intent re-emerging and revealed again after 60 years!

Find out more about this project here