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(CNN) - They have just discovered a 17th-century door under the London House of Commons.
On February 26, the United Kingdom Parliament announced the discovery of a previously hidden entrance that had been built for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661.
The discovery was made as part of a long-term restoration project by the Parliament's Architecture and Heritage Team.
"We were tracking 10,000 uncatalogued documents related to the palace in the Historic Archives of England in Swindon, when we found plans for the door in the cloister behind Westminster Hall," said Liz Hallam Smith, professor and historical consultant for the project, in a statement .
From there, the team was able to locate the hinges of two wooden doors three and a half meters high each, with a small room between them.
Dendrochronology, a field of science that determines the ages of trees, was used to verify that the wood on the roof of the small passage was cut in 1659.
The passage was part of a longer road that led people from the former location of the House of Lords to the hall where the king and queen sat.
The existence of the room was not the only surprise. Inside, there was a “graffiti” written in pencil written by the masons who helped restore the building after the damage of the fire in 1834. It somehow managed to survive despite the delicacy of graphite.
One of the messages, which is believed to be written in 1851, says: "This room was closed by Tom Porter, who was very fond of Ould Ale."
The House of Commons is part of the British government complex in the city of Westminster, along the banks of the Thames.
Both that chamber and the House of Lords are inside the Houses of Parliament, the building perhaps best known to tourists for being the home of the beloved Big Ben clock.
Downing Street 10, home of the British Prime Minister, is only a few minutes away on foot.
The coronation of Charles II, like that of other British monarchs, was held at Westminster Abbey. He reigned until his death in 1685 and was succeeded by his brother, James VII.
"The mystery of the secret door is one that we have enjoyed discovering, but the palace certainly has many more secrets to give," said Mark Collins, who is the historian of the States of Parliament.
He added that he hopes that it will soon be a stop for the tours of the building, which are made by hundreds of thousands of travelers every year.
"We hope to share the story with the visitors of the palace when the building is finally restored to its former glory, so that it can be transmitted from generation to generation and never again forgotten."
London