Archaeologists may have discovered remains of a hall which belonged to the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.

Harold Godwinson's death at the hands of Norman conquerors at the Battle of Hastings brought the end of 400 years of Anglo-Saxon rule and ushered in a new dynasty that transformed the British Isles.

The battle was immortalised in the Bayeux Tapestry and many of the traces of the previous rulers were removed by William the Conqueror and his allies in a bloodthirsty campaign to consolidate his power over his new subjects.

But now archaeologists believe they have discovered a rare sign of Godwinson's vast wealth in the form of a large hall and a hoard of jewellery on land which was owned by the Anglo-Saxon King.

The team, co-led by University of York lecturer Dr Jim Leary, also found evidence of a malthouse and a sunken tower, indicating the site could have held wealth and influence fit for royalty. 

The dig has taken place over the last two years near Skipsea Castle in East Riding of Yorkshire, a motte-and-bailey castle built on an ancient lake by the Normans in around 1086.

The castle's structure no longer exists, but the name has been given to the mound where it once stood.

Dr Leary and a team of excavators from the university are taking part in a six-year project to unearth the history of the site.

Excavators from the University of York have uncovered a large medieval timber hall 

Students from the University of York pictured excavating a timber hall found near Skipsea Castle

The dig is featured in the new series of BBC show Digging for Britain, which is set to be released in January.

Excavators made their first discovery when they found the remains of a building with a large tandoori-style oven, which had coloured the surrounding earth red from its heat.

Charred seeds found nearby indicated that the oven was part of a malthouse, where beer would have been made.

Dr Leary said the original floor of the building had survived and they believe the malthouse dates back to a period between the years 750 and 850.

The evidence continued when the team unearthed the base of a tower which had sunk into the ground.

The sunken tower was found alongside postholes and a cellar. 

Mr Leary told The Mail: 'The tower is an indicator of a high-status site, the Malthouse is also an indicator of high-status. It is not the sort of thing that is normally found. This tells us that it is probably a lordly centre.

'We know that the land was owned by Harold Godwinson, but we don't know that he ever visited it.

'The tower may relate to Godwinson, as he did have a similar tower in Bosham in Sussex. We know he had it because it was depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry.'

Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England after being defeated by William the Conqueror in 1066