During alterations to the layout of the gardens of Hereford Bishop's Palace in October the work was watched by archaeologists. This is standard procedure for digging in Hereford, the centre of which is designated an 'Area of Archaeological Importance' under Act of Parliament. The grounds of the Bishop's Palace in the centre of Saxon Hereford, it almost goes without saying, are within one of the most archaeological sensitive areas in the West Midlands.

The gateway to the Bishop's Palace

The Bishop's Palace In Hereford in winter 

The stables with the palace behind. The site was between the stables and the main house

Even though the area is archaeologically extremely sensitive, ordinarily little that would require more than simple examination and recording would be expected. However a hole suddenly appeared! Despite popular expectations this sort of occurrence is virtually unheard of in Archaeology.

This was slightly widened to permit access to an underground stone and brick-lined cellar-type structure measuring 2.4 by 1.6 metres.

Nico Vaughan investigating the underground chamber.

The current view of this structure is that it is a post-medieval ice-house - a structure for storing winter ice to be used in summer.

Hugo Mason of Hook Mason, Architects, Surveyors & Historic Building Consultants, watches while the Cathedral Archaeologist Ron Shoesmith and Hugh Sherlock of Archenfield Archaeology, examine the site.

The interest in the feature was considerable. Here a group of people, including the Right Reverend Anthony Priddis, Bishop of Hereford, discuss the chamber.