Volunteers are wanted to dig deep to find fuller details of the history of Dover Town Hall.

Those interested can join an initial online meeting on Tuesday.

The 800-year-old Maison Dieu is about to go through a £9.1 million refurbishment from early next year.

But right now Dover District Council wants academics to complete beginners to find out more about the building, which had previously been s been a pilgrim hospital and Royal Navy victualling yard.

Some of it would involve uncovering the story behind a painting or artefact, or historical event at the building.

Research can be done online, at the Maison Dieu itself or in a museum, library, and archive collections.

Visits are planned to see Maison Dieu related collections at the Dover Museum, Canterbury Cathedral, Kent Archives, and the National Maritime Museum. Other possible visits include The National Archives, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), and the British Library.

The research team will have regular online and in-person meetings, site visits and training opportunities.

They will be asked to share their research on social media, at future events, on the website and some stories will feature in the building interpretation too. Training and expenses will be provided.

Cllr Oliver Richardson, DDC cabinet member for community and corporate property, said: “We’ve got an 800-year story to tell. This is a great way to get involved with the project, meet like-minded people, and develop new skills.”

To find out more, join an introductory presentation and a chance to ask questions about what it involves next Tuesday from 7pm to 8pm via Zoom by clicking on here.