Pupils amazed by Tudor tunnels under their school

Students say the accidental discovery of possible Tudor tunnels under their school has been inspiring.

New Hall School in Chelmsford was built on the grounds of King Henry VIII's Tudor Palace of Beaulieu, an estate he acquired from wife Anne Boleyn's family in 1517.

While repairing a nearby ha-ha, which is a long ditch used to contain livestock, workers found the entrance to a tunnel, along with pottery, bones, glass bottles and more.

History student Florian, 17, said: "It really does never cease to amaze you the amount of history and the sort of richness of that history that we have here."

Classicist student Max, 18, agreed, adding that students had to "pinch" themselves looking around the "magnificent" grounds.

History student Anna, 17, said: "The tunnels, especially, they add a sense of secrecy."

Sarah Garside, who is head of history at the independent school, said she was unsure what the tunnels were used for, but the condition of the crockery indicated they were Tudor-era.

"We weren't sure if it had just been disposed of down there as waste, just thrown in and then covered up," she said.

"So that leads to questions of 'were they used for storage of some kind'?

"Had they actually been placed there for them to be preserved in such excellent condition? We don't know.

"It's a really exciting thing to explore more."

New Hall embraces its history, proudly hanging Henry VIII's authentic coat of arms inside its chapel.

Garside described it as a "really unique and exciting place to teach history".

They have enlisted the help of experts and excavators to chip away at the truth.

Head of sixth form Paul Goulding said the discovery was a "real privilege".

"To see it right here, almost tangible... it's a remarkable opportunity for us as teachers."

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