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Founded 1955
Elsyng Palace Update (late 2005 to early 2007) by Martin J. Dearne
The EAS investigated 33 pits, south and north of the outer courtyard of the palace between late 2005 and early 2007 in connection with work on the seventeenth century lime tree avenues that cross the site and a great deal more has been learnt about it. Although post excavation work is continuing and full details must await its completion the drain and east range found in 2005 (Excavations at Elsyng, July 2005) now seems to be late fifteenth century in date, as probably are other structures around the outer palace courtyard 'inherited' by Henry VIII and sampled in 2006, such as one with a (?later) floor of reused bricks [see photo 1 to the right].
The moulded brick found in 2005 (Excavations at Elsyng, July 2005) has indeed been identified as bearing the falcon's wing emblem used by Sir Thomas Lovell who 'relinquished' the site to the king c. 1539.
Tudor walls have also been located though [see photo 2 to the left] as well as a range of construction cuts, a succession of floors and a partition wall within the palace gatehouse, brickearth and pebbled courtyard surfaces, and demolition features and spreads/dumps. A number of midden deposits have opened a window on the diet at least in the later days of the palace, glazed tiles carry its history back to the later fourteenth century and pottery suggests an origin for the site around the time of the Norman conquest. Finds have included painted window and 'Venetian' vessel glass, moulded terracotta/brick and an unusual Delft salt.
Fuller details will be given here in due course.