The community is invited to help unearth the hidden history of Eastcote House Gardens with a series of archeological digs at the site.
With funding from Hillingdon Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), AOC Archeaology, which led a smaller dig in 2012, will be back this summer to lead the first of four excavations of the historic site.
The gardens, now owned by the council but maintained by volunteer group the Friends of Eastcote House Gardens, were once the grounds of Eastcote House.
The first recorded mention of a house on the site is a cottage called Hopkyttes in 1494. It was built upon and enlarged and over the centuries passed through families until 1931 when the then Ruislip-Northwood Urban District Council took it on.
During World War Two the Food Control Office, which was responsible for the issue of ration books, operated from the house but in 1962, after a long period of neglect, it was declared unsafe for public use and finally demolished in 1964.
Last year, Eastcote House Gardens was given a grant of £1.3million by the HLF to restore the remaining Tudor buildings on the site, the stables, dovecote and walled garden.
The first of a series of four excavations planned to take place over the next four summers will continue the work started by AOC in 2012, to uncover the foundations of the ancient house.
It will take place at the grounds in High Road Eastcote from Saturday, June 28 to Sunday, July 13 and is free to take part but places are limited.
A number of free workshops and an open day will also be organised for selected weekends in July.
Jean Palmer, deputy chief executive of the council said: "This is set to be very popular, so book a place early if you can.
"Eastcote House Gardens is of local and historical importance and over the next year or so residents will see lots of improvements taking place to the buildings and gardens as part of our Heritage Lottery funded project."
To register for a place to take part in the excavations or the workshops email catherine.edwards@aocarchaeology.com
