Unearthing Secrets: The 2023 A la Ronde Archaeological Dig
- Published:
- 08 June 2025
What lies hidden beneath A la Ronde’s manicured lawns and wild meadow...
In the summer of 2023, the team at A la Ronde aimed to understand some long-standing mysteries about the estate. Inspired by Mary Parminter’s 19th-century will, archaeologists, volunteers, and curious minds came together for a three-week excavation that peeled back layers of time and uncovered fascinating glimpses of a lost landscape.
The will that inspired the dig
Mary Parminter’s will from 1849 doesn’t just list possessions, it paints a picture of an estate once filled with ornamental treasures: a sundial, obelisk, hot house, Shellery, and much more. But many of these features are not visible at A la Ronde today.
Where have these features gone? What did the estate look like when Jane and Mary Parminter were alive? Are these features truly lost to time or simply hidden beneath the surface?
Determined to find out, an archaeological investigation was launched across key parts of the estate.
Digging Deeper: The Excavation
Guided by clues from Mary’s will and prior surveys, the team selected marked out two trenches with tape and stakes.
Using spades and turf cutters, squares of lawn and topsoil were carefully removed, stacking them to one side so the grounds could be restored once the excavation concluded.
Once the initial layers were removed, the dig transitioned into a more delicate phase, using trowels, hand shovels, and brushes to gently scrape back the earth in thin layers—a process known as “context excavation.” This method allowed the archaeologists to identify subtle differences in soil texture, colour, and composition that indicated past human activity.
Every change in soil—a darker patch here, a line of bricks there—indicated new discoveries.
Archaeology tools at the ready, A la Ronde
Tools were laid out in anticipation for the upcoming excavation.
Digging Deeper: The Trenches
- Trench One
- Located between the house and the barn, Trench one revealed five elegant brick arches buried under the terracotta path thought to be part of a 19th-century glass hot house. Experts believe the arches once carried warm air from a furnace to heat the floor, a cutting-edge system of the time. Shells and decorative render suggest this space wasn’t just functional—it was artfully designed, echoing the ornate Shell Gallery indoors.
- Trench Two
- Located on the ha-ha lawn, aimed to uncover an old perimeter path. This area, part of the estate’s historic layout, provided valuable materials and evidence that are still under study.
Digging Deeper: The team
This was no ordinary dig. Led by National Trust archaeologist Jim Parry, the excavation drew in over 90 volunteers, including members of local historical societies, students from the University of Exeter, and the Exmouth Deaf Academy.
Volunteers helped with everything: from lifting turf and excavating layers to carefully cleaning and cataloguing artefacts. Along the way, they gained hands-on skills in archaeological methods and helped recover history one trowel at a time.
Treasures found
The artefacts unearthed tell a layered story of A la Ronde’s past:
- A worked flint tool, dating back to the Mesolithic period—the oldest find of the dig.
- A hand-carved wooden domino and clay tobacco pipe fragments, offering a peek into the daily lives of past occupants.
- Pieces of pottery, glass, render, and animal bones, now being studied to better understand how the estate evolved over time.
These finds show that A la Ronde has been a site of human activity for millennia, its grounds shaped by shifting tastes, new technologies, and generations of personal stories.
Want to explore the discoveries for yourself?
Visit A la Ronde and experience the stories and secrets uncovered by the 2023 dig.
The Compendium
The Compendium is a collection of stories to delight and surprise. You can explore all things A la Ronde here in one central place for the first time. We will be adding new stories for years to come.
Secret Writing Revealed
The 2022-2024 conservation work in the Shell Gallery uncovered an exciting discovery, see what it was here.
The Last Wishes of Jane and Mary Parminter
Both Jane and Mary Parminter left wills which was rare for women of their time, learn more about their last wishes here.
A la Ronde: A Hidden Treasure
A la Ronde featured in the BBC series ‘Hidden Treasures of the National Trust’ (series 2, episode 1). A la Ronde takes a starring role in the first episode, focused on houses belonging to people who created unusual homes, and who refused to live according to the conventions of their time. Learn more about A la Ronde's appearance in the BBC Two series, 'Hidden Treasures of the National Trust' here.