Sudeley Castle dig reveals 'Queen Elizabeth I' structure Published duration 18 October 2018

image copyright Sudeley Castle image caption The test pits revealed fragments of pottery, masonry and animal bones

Traces of a long-lost Tudor garden have been unearthed in an archaeological dig at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire.

Five test pits dug at the weekend have revealed fragments of post-medieval pottery, masonry and animal bones.

Experts have found evidence of a temporary structure which they say could have been used when Queen Elizabeth I visited to celebrate the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to fund more excavations.

Sudeley Castle's general manager, Wendy Walton, said she was "excited" by the discoveries.

image copyright Sudeley Castle image caption Lavish banquets would have been common at the Castle, according to Dr Philippa Gregory

"We had a fantastic weekend making the first investigatory digs to reveal Tudor secrets that have remained hidden underground for hundreds of years," she said.

She added that a "much bigger" archaeological investigation of the site, in Winchcombe, was planned for next May,

Historical novelist, Dr Philippa Gregory, who attended the dig, said Sudeley Castle was a "fascinating site".

She said: "It was always one of the most treasured by the Tudor monarchs, and as such housed those closest to the crown.

"Lavish banquets, with dozens of guests and many courses would have been common there."

The castle has hosted some of England's most famous monarchs, including Henry VIII, for nearly 1,000 years.

It is where Katherine Parr, Henry's last wife, had lived and is now buried.

image copyright Sudeley Castle image caption A more extensive archaeological investigation is planned for next May