This years Festival of Archaeology dig dates have been confirmed:

We will be digging at Cedars Park, Broxbourne, on the site of Theobalds Palace from the 11th to 13th July, and at Forty Hall, Enfield, on the site of Elsyng Palace the following week from the 15th to the 20th.

The Cedars Park dig will be looking for signs of an enigmatic garden feature shown on early palace maps. The feature is a rectangular projection in the former palace garden wall, including an apsidal projection on its west side.

Although no sign of the feature remains above ground, we have recorded disturbance in the wall's foundations including what appears to be recycled dressed stone work.

The following week at Forty Hall, we will be investigating a linear geophysical and topographic feature that may represent the continuation of the curtain wall encountered last year under the post-palace barn building.

This will be the first time we have worked on the west side of the lime tree avenue since 1968, and will move us closer to the inner part of the palace complex.

Members of the public will be welcome to come and watch, and both Sundays will be public events with exhibitions and other activities.