The thousand-year-old castle suddenly appeared under the basketball court

The ruins of a castle built in the early Middle Ages, then missing for centuries, have been found in Gloucester City - England.

According to Heriitage Daily, during the construction of some projects in Gloucester City, archaeologists from the Cotswold Archaeological Survey (UK) discovered traces of a castle underneath an old basketball court.

This ancient castle is Gloucester Castle , built in the early Middle Ages, the period when the Normans conquered England (11th century).

The ruins of Gloucester Castle in England - (Photo: COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGICAL AUTHORITY).

Over the centuries, many additions and renovations have expanded the castle's area, and by the 13th century, it became the residence of members of the British royal family.

Between the 15th and 17th centuries, the castle fell into decline and much of the stone work from the fortifications was "gutted", being used to build roads and buildings in the city center.

During that period, only one area remained of the castle's floating structure that was used as a local prison.

In 1787, the castle was destroyed, and was used as farmland for a long time afterward before completely disappearing from records.

However, new excavations in the city have revealed hidden structures of the castle that the ancients could not destroy.

Some trenches reveal remains of medieval structures that archaeologists believe were part of bridge structures or brick causeways through defensive moats.

In addition, a section of the post-medieval wall associated with the gardens located on the ruins in the 19th century has been identified, corresponding to the boundary shown on ancient maps of the 19th century.

'The results highlight that important archaeological evidence continues to exist at relatively shallow depths, allowing us to trace historical land use and landscape change in the city over the centuries " - said the researchers.