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Ripon's Studley Royal to appear on hit TV show this week

Studley Royal near Ripon is to appear on Channel 4's 'The Great British Dig' starring comedian and actor Hugh Dennis later this week.

Ripon's Studley Royal to appear on hit TV show this week Studley Royal near Ripon is set to appear on a hit TV series about community archaeology later this week. 'The Great British Dig', presenter by Hugh Dennis, will feature Studley Royal when it airs on Thursday (22nd June) at 9pm on More 4. Hugh and his team of expert archaeologists filmed at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal for five days last September. Their aim was to help the National Trust, their volunteers and a group of local residents understand a little bit more about the history of the land around them. The episode ‘Studley Royal - the Missing Georgian Mansion’ will also reveal some of the secrets of Studley Royal. Mark Newman, National Trust Archaeologist said:

“There has been National Trust archaeological research at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal for 37 years, but no matter how much we discover there always seems to be more to find. "It’s a rare and exciting opportunity to have a programme like The Great British Dig getting involved with our archaeological research. Understanding the detailed history of our properties, and the archaeological riches they conceal, is undoubtedly a ‘long game’. "The discoveries we made were extremely exciting and moved on our understanding of a number of Studley Royal’s mysteries considerably. "We really look forward to them being revealed on air on 22 June, and to further explorations that will no doubt tell us even more.”
[caption id="attachment_67524" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal will be featured on a hit TV show this week.[/caption] The Studley Royal episode is followed on Thursday 29 June at 9pm by The Great British Dig at National Trust Cherryburn in Northumberland ‘The Birthplace of a Celebrity Illustrator.’ Hugh Dennis, Presenter of The Great British Dig said:
"It was a genuine treat to be able to dig at not just one, but two National Trust properties at Studley Royal and Cherryburn. We unearthed some amazing finds, met some great volunteer staff who were more than happy to get their hands dirty, and ate our fair share of scones too."
Until 1946 a mansion house stood in the grounds of Studley Royal Deer Park, when it was destroyed by fire. The house was gutted, and its shell was promptly demolished. Years later during Storm Arwen in 2021, a tree on the site of the former mansion came down, its roots exposing some interesting masonry. The trailer for the new series of The Great British Dig can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/m98EfNDn7xM Find out more about the history of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal and plan your visit here. Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.

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