Hidden artefacts from Second World War found during renovation project at Belsay Hall

Items such as telegrams, cigarette packets and notes were found when floorboards were lifted for the Belsay Awakes project.

Volunteer Tony Lamsdale ran a wartime tour a number of times during the recent Belsay at War weekend.

He explained that the site was requisitioned by the military to be used for training along with the Otterburn site to prepare for battle and the first battalion stationed there from September 1939 went to France in early 1940 as part of the British Expeditionary Force.

Tony added: “Various interesting items were discovered that helped to give us an insight into the lives of the people who were at Belsay Hall during the war and build a picture of what was happening during those years.

“An example of why we found them is a telegram for someone called Myers that told him to report to Mitcham Barracks. He later ended up at Belsay Hall and the thinking is that he no longer needed the telegram, so he put it under the floorboards.”

He is currently in discussions with English Heritage to potentially run the tour at a few other times of the year.

David Hanks, collections manager for English Heritage, said: “Despite knowing it was a military base, we didn’t have much information about who was stationed there and what they did, so it has been great to – piece by piece – build a better picture of what life was like and what was happening at Belsay Hall during the Second World War.

“Some of the items gave a personal touch, such as a small scrap of paper where a soldier had written that his boots had been taken for repair to inform the person inspecting his kit.

“The finds and subsequent research to put them into context has been an excellent collaboration between members of staff, volunteers and students.”

For more information about the history of Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/belsay-hall-castle-and-gardens/history