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Discoveries

As conservation works on the Grade II listed west boundary wall begin, some fascinating discoveries have been made...

Taking a Break!

Evidence of what 17th century bricklayers got up to in their breaks at work are being uncovered as the boundary wall is being painstakingly conserved.

Without a bin to dispose of used clay pipes and lunch scraps, these bits of rubbish often found their way into the wet clay of the bricks themselves!

bone embedded in clay brick from 17th century

What appears to be a lamb rib bone – most likely the remains of a builder’s lunch!

clay pipes embedded in clay bricks from 17th century

Clay pipes – a 17th century equivalent to the cigarette packets

Getting to grips with the past

The marks left by people involved in building the wall remain as clear as ever, even over 300 years after the original wall was built. It's wonderful to be able to see these traces of the past - a palpable connection between the bricklayers of the 17th century, and those who are restoring the wall in 2025.

17th century brick with finger marks/indents visible

The finger marks/indents of a (most likely) young person left in the side of a brick – they must have grabbed it whilst the clay was still soft!