THE heatwave that has swept the nation since June has had a very revealing effect on the Gardens of The Bishop's Palace in Wells.

Some strange patterns have begun to appear on the South Lawn, leading researchers to open the archives to investigate what could have caused the curious angles and designs to be revealed.

A clear L-shape is now evident on one side of the lawn, which, when viewed in conjunction with John Carter's 1790s' Map of Wells, is clearly the outline of a former Dutch-style canal feature, thought to have been laid out in the 17th century. These Gardens were thought to have been redesigned in the 1820s by Bishop Law who preferred the Picturesque style which was popular in Victorian times.

Jonathan Sawyer, development project manager at the Palace, said: "It is so exciting when new stories emerge."