This is Helen Lee.

BBC Three Counties Radio.

The restoration of the famous World War II Code Breaking Centre, Bletchley Park, has uncovered

something rather exciting.

Foundations believed to be of a house that predated the iconic mansion have been found

as part of the £8 million restoration project.

Catherine Lynch from Bletchley Park can tell us more. Good morning.

Good morning.

So this is, what was at Bletchley Park before Bletchley Park was there?

That's right. And before Bletchley Park was even Bletchley Park, as it were,

because it was a Victorian mansion and country estate before it was taken over by the Admiralty

and used for the Government

Code and Cipher School in 1938 onwards.

But this house was built in 1710, and it was the second significant house.

The mansion we know today was the third.

So it's a long developed site, if you like.

It's long been used.

This one was built by a chap called Brown Willis, who owned several houses around the area, if you like. It's longer news. This one was built by a chap called

Brown Willis, who owned several houses around the area, and actually lived mainly, I think,

at Fennie Stratford. Apparently, it's cost around £6,000 to build. So in those days, that

would have been extremely extravagant. And some parish records written by the vicar at the time, Reverend Cole, said that he built it to please his wife.

Nice, very.

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