Gatehouse opens door to past

An impressive monastic gatehouse which surprised archaeologists with its unexpected secrets has now been restored to its medieval glory.

For hundreds of years the mysteries of the porchway to the spectacular Binham Priory in north Norfolk lay hidden from the naked eye, blotted out by a reinforced concrete pen which bricked in the ancient walls.

But when archaeologists working on a £900,000 conservation project at the Benedictine monastery stripped the walls bare and uncovered two medieval windows dating back to the 13th century they knew the discovery would provide a rare glimpse into the site's past.