Archaeologists return to Attingham Park
Following last year’s successful excavation of a ‘mystery building’ at Attingham Park, archaeologists will be returning to the site this week in the hope of answering some more of the questions surrounding the building.
Excavation last year revealed a substantial building which was previously unknown from historic maps or documentary sources. Last year’s finds surprised the archaeologists with discoveries of hand painted window glass and a Purbeck marble fireplace - all pointing towards the high status of the building.
Volunteers and archaeologists have been carrying out research in the archives over the winter months and it is now thought the building is a summer house that was loosely referred to in an historical document as a ‘summer house in the woods’ It is thought to date to the early 19th century but still no definite dating evidence has been found.
Janine Young, National Trust Archaeologist said, “We are really pleased to back on site again this year as it went so well last year, we are looking forward to finding more clues to help us understand the mysteries behind this previously unknown building”.
This year the team are returning to the site and hope to find the entrance to the building and the paths that will have led to it. This should help with understanding how it was accessed and how it fitted in with the Walled Garden and its surrounding landscape.
Over the course of the week there will be further investigations into the ‘service wings’ of the building, to dig deeper into their purpose. The aim of this year’s excavations is to add to the understanding of the site as a whole.
