Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square Showcases Its Rich History with New Artefact Display

A new display has been unveiled at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square that showcases the vast and rich history of the site on which the Grade II* listed building is built. The display features items that were recovered during the careful redevelopment of the site by Reignwood Group, who tasked archaeologists from MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) to excavate the historic remains.

"The site on which our beautiful Hotel now stands has been a prominent part of our great city’s history - from Roman times, through the Middle Ages and into present day," says Regional Vice President and General Manager Vincent Hoogewijs. "We are thrilled to have such a fantastic display that highlights the provenance and living history of our Hotel, which continues to be written. I would like to extend a very special thanks to the Reignwood Cultural Foundation for making this possible."

The gentle hillside where Ten Trinity Square now stands was populated two thousand years ago by the Romans. The site lies within the Roman city, around which the great capital of London continued to grow over many centuries. The display features items spanning many standout periods in London’s history, up to the construction of the Port of London Authority Building in 1922 - the building that Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square calls home. Items in the display include:  

• A flint adze dating back to c. 8,500 BC – 4,000 BC; this prehistoric tool was buried on the site during Roman times, thousands of years after it was actually made
• An oil lamp dating back to the 1st – 3rd century; this Roman lamp was most likely fuelled with olive oil, and had a pair of nozzles for two flames
• Bone hairpins dating back to the 2nd – 4th century; hairpins were used by Roman women to create elaborate and fashionable hairstyles.
• A silver penny dating back to the 10th – 11th century; this coin of the Saxon King Aethelred II was minted in London between the years 997 and 1003
• Small glass phials dating back to the 17th – 19th century; these were used to hold medicinal draughts, drops and other preparations
• An inscribed brick dating back to 19th – 10th century; the brick features graffiti left by one of the last occupants of 35-36 Seething Lane, which was demolished in 1913 prior to the construction of the Port of London Authority Building

The display also includes items of historic Chinese porcelain and ceramics dating back to the 18th century. The Reignwood Cultural Foundation aims to restore and preserve cultural exchange between Eastern and Western cultures.

Guests will be able to enjoy the fascinating history of Ten Trinity Square and beyond when the Hotel reopens in spring 2021.

About MOLA

MOLA provides independent archaeology and built heritage advice and professional services. With offices in London, Northampton, Basingstoke and Birmingham, MOLA’s 300 staff help to discharge planning conditions expertly and swiftly. MOLA works in partnership to develop far-reaching research and community programs.