Archaeologists start to unveil the secrets of Leicestershire's Bradgate Park

Archaeologists from the University of Leicester begin a five-year project to reveal the secrets of Leicestershire's Bradgate Park.

The 850-acre deer park is most widely recognised as the childhood home of Lady Jane Grey - the 'nine days Queen'.

Famous for it's wildlife, history and ghost hunts, Leicestershire's country park is rumoured to be sitting on some of the most exciting archaeology in the county and now, the University of Leicester want to see what they can find.

The first excavation ill focus on the site which is believed to be the home of the home of the medieval park-keeper. However, they've also identified other sites of interest spanning the past 12,000 years.

Bradgate Park facts:

• First enclosed as a deer park around 800 years ago.

• Bradgate House was one of the earliest unfortified mansions to be built in England and one of the first houses of its scale to be built in brick

• The house suffered damage when the first wife of the 2nd Earl of Stamford set fire to the north-west Tower but it was repaired in time for the visit, in 1696, of King William III

• Bradgate House ceased to be lived in after the death of the second Earl in 1719

• 830 acres of publicly accessible countryside

• Many oak trees that are over 500 years old

• The River Lin runs through the Lower Park

• The park was owned by the Grey family from 1445 to 1928

• The most well-known former Grey resident of Bradgate House is Lady Jane Grey who, after just 9 days on the throne as queen of England, was executed at the Tower of London for high treason in February 1554

• The ghost of Lady Jane Grey which is perhaps the most well-known at the park

• Legend has it that on Christmas Eve a ghostly coach leaves the ruins and travels to nearby All Saints Church

• Apparitions have been witnessed and photographed on many occasions

• Many reported cases of phenomena