Elsyng Palace: Revealing Enfield's Hidden Royal Past

In 1539, Enfield Town was a small countryside village. But about a mile north, in what is now the Forty Hall Estate, stood a large brick building surrounded by a moat, gardens and lakes - known as Elsyng Palace. Although you can’t see the palace today, the Enfield Archaeological Society have been carrying out excavations on site since the 1960s and are rediscovering more of the site every year.

A co-curated exhibition between Museum of Enfield and Enfield Archaeological Society (EAS) explores the history of the Palace, its residents and staff, and gives a behind the scenes look at the archaeology of the site. The EAS's 2026 Elsyng excavations will take place 12-26 July with a public Open Day on Saturday 18 July, where archaeologists will be available to talk about this year’s finds. A second edition of Neil and John Pinchbeck’s popular book ‘Elsyng : Enfield’s Lost Palace Revealed’ will be available for purchase on the Open Day, as well as at both exhibition venues.

Click here to find out more about Elsyng Palace and the Enfield Archaeological Society