AN almost forgotten hotel and cellar dating back to the 1800s was discovered hidden beneath a car park in Worcester.
Footprints of long-lost buildings like the former Angel Hotel have been found during excavations of King Street car park.
Mark Connolly Building Contractors, who is currently digging up sections of King Street car park to make way for the Italian restaurant Benedictos new extension, uncovered several historical sites of interest.
READ MORE: Worcester car parking spaces lost for Benedictos’ expansion
Working alongside Explore The Past and Lett + Sweetland Architects, the contractors conducted groundworks in the area before commencing any building work.
An old path was uncovered during the excavations. (Image: Mark Connolly Building Contractors)
The car park was formerly home to Angel Hotel and housing before their demolition in 1980, but signs of much older buildings were also uncovered.
A spokesperson for Mark Connolly Building Contractors said: “Every great build has a story, and at Benedictos Italian Restaurant, we discovered that this one began centuries ago.
READ MORE: Anglo-Saxon coin hoard found near Bickmarsh
“As modern surfacing was removed, archaeologists revealed the brick foundations of the former Angel Hotel, along with cellars and a brickyard surface dating back to the 19th century.
Footprints of long-lost buildings like the former Angel Hotel have been found during excavations of King Street car park (Image: Mark Connolly Building Contractors)
“Service and drainage excavations across the site also uncovered the footprints of long-lost buildings, matching early city maps and offering a remarkable glimpse into Worcester’s evolving streetscape.
“Previous investigations in 2020 had already identified evidence of medieval plots and buildings, with pottery fragments helping to date activity on the site hundreds of years ago.
READ MORE: Skeletons and Roman artefacts found by Worcester Cathedral
“These latest findings add another chapter to Worcester’s rich and layered history.”
The contractors said the project to expand Benedictos is not just about construction but also about preserving the past.
NEW: Changes are beginning to take shape in King Street Car Park. (Image: Newsquest)
What is happening in King Street car park?
Diggers arrived in King Street Car Park last month to begin work extending the 20-year-old Italian restaurant Benedictos.
The extension will welcome a new wine bar, four guest rooms, an extended kitchen area, and an accessible toilet.
Two parking spaces have been permanently removed and ticket machines and signs have moved to allow the restaurant to begin work.
