£4m York Theatre Royal refurbishment delayed due to significant archeology finds

A £4m refurbishment of York Royal Theatre has been delayed due to the discovery of significant archeological evidence.

After closing in March, the theatre was expected to reopen to host the annual pantomime in December of this year.

The theatre, which was sold to York Conservation Trust for £1 back in January, was built on the site of the medieval St Leonard’s Hospital and it was initially believed that the hospital’s foundations had been destroyed.

However, medieval foundations of the hospital have been discovered intact underneath the main auditorium, the BBC reports.

Founded in the 13th Century, St Leonard’s Hospital closed its doors in the 1530s as part of the dissolution of the monasteries. The theatre was constructed over 200 years later 1744, amongst the hospital ruins.

December’s pantomime will now be performed in a semi-permanent, purpose-built auditorium at the National Railway Museum (NRM).

The York Conservation Trust revealed that the theatre should be reopened in time for the spring 2016 season.

Ben Reeves, from York Archaeological Trust, said: “It is amazing that considering all the alterations to the theatre so much of the medieval hospital has survived under the stalls and elsewhere within the building.

“The remains are an exciting and important discovery for both archaeologists and the public.”