A unique glimpse of the Tudor past is being uncovered with the screening of a 50-year-old film about the excavation of Nonusch Palace.

The archive footage captures archaeologists unearthing 13th-century stonework from the rubble of Henry VIII’s fabled hunting lodge.

It has a particular resonance for David Brooks, a Bourne Hall Museum assistant helping to organise the Nonsuch Gold festival on Saturday.

Mr Brooks was stunned to find himself, aged seven, in an Epsom Cine and Video Society clip showing spectators queueing at the site in 1959.

He said: “I think my auntie, Gwen Webb, who was an artist and a fellow of the Royal Academy, must have got us tickets for one of the open days they had while the dig was going on.

“I can remember how fascinating it was and can still visualise the shed where many of the finds were on display.

Perhaps this visit as a youngster triggered my passion for archaeology and later my involvement with the museum.

“Hopefully there are quite a few people out there who would be interested in reuniting with other Nonsuch enthusiasts, past and present. They might even see family members no longer around.”

The two-day event, exploring the wealth and power of various Tudor palaces, begins at 10.30am on Saturday with an illustrated talk by Maria Hayward.

Rob Poulton, of the Surrey County Archaeological Unit and Bob Cowie of, the Museum of London, are among the other guest speakers in the morning.

But the main highlight will be after tea when Geoffrey Walker’s film is screened and Martin Biddle, who led the original dig, addresses the audience.

Professor Biddle and his team made a successful recovery of the foundations of the eastern half of Nonsuch Palace, started in 1538 and destroyed in 1675.

• Got a great story for us? Let us know by email here, phone the newsdesk on 020 8330 9555 or leave a comment below.