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Treasures buried underground for hundreds of years have been unearthed as part of an archaeological dig taking place at Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe.

A team of archaeologists have excavated a field within the grounds with the hope of unearthing a long-lost Tudor garden and banqueting house.

While digging, experts found fragments of hand-made green glazed pottery with the potter's thumbprints on it – possibly from the 16th or 17th century – as well as glass, clay pipes and ornamental iron work.

They also discovered large pieces of decorative and architectural masonry in their investigation to find a banqueting house once built for Elizabeth I.

Further ceramic building materials were revealed in a second location at the castle with speculation that they were the remains of a Tudor viewing platform.

The dig, which took place from May of this year until Sunday 2nd June, provided the public with a rare opportunity to see archaeologists working to unearth secrets of Sudeley that had remained hidden underground for centuries.

Sudeley Castle’s chief executive, Wendy Walton, said: “This archaeological dig is a hugely exciting and rare opportunity for members of the public to witness the re-emergence of a thrilling piece of Tudor history. It’s wonderful to have made such exciting discoveries already and we are keen to see what else we will find.

Visitors to the castle, which is situated near Cheltenham, joined guided tours of the dig site and participated in a host of archaeology-themed events throughout May half term as part of the investigation. Children’s historical discovery activities were also on offer along with the chance to chat to experts and see some of the artefacts that have been found.

The excavation was the most significant archaeological investigation at the attraction since the discovery of Roman villas on the estate in Victorian times. The efforts were led by a team from DigVentures who explored a series of trenches in the castle’s Hop Field, behind the famous Queens’ Garden.

It followed a successful test dig at the castle in October which revealed evidence of one of England’s last surviving Tudor gardens - hidden in the castle grounds for nearly 300 years. Initial findings included fragments of post-medieval pottery, masonry and animal bones.

Lisa Westcott Wilkins from DigVentures, added: “This buried garden is believed to be one of England’s last surviving Tudor gardens. Most were destroyed in the 18th and 19th centuries when a popular landscaping craze swept the country. We think it is one of perhaps only two in the whole country where the original paths are still in place.”

Further explorations of a mound, discovered in the middle of the search area, could now confirm that this was once the site of a temporary banqueting house and the location of a huge celebration by Elizabeth I, held to mark her victory over the Spanish Armada.

“Finding an intact Tudor garden was an astonishingly special occurrence,” continued Wendy. “Bringing it back to the surface would be an amazing achievement and would give us the chance to find out what life would have been like when Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I and Katherine Parr – Henry VIII’s last wife – walked its pathways.”