The remarkable find was made on the grounds of the historic Burghley House, which announced the “thrilling discovery” earlier this month.

While excavating an area on the periphery of the site as part of a car park expansion, digger operator Greg Crawley spotted something unusual in the dirt. Initially thinking that the object was merely a large pale rock, the construction worker was stunned when he picked it up and saw a face staring back at him.

“I had a real shock,” he recalled, “I couldn’t believe it when they told me it was a Roman marble statue. It was an amazing feeling to have found something so old and special – definitely my best-ever discovery.”

Further amazing the caretakers of the Burghley House, the bust that connects to the head was unearthed a short distance away a few weeks later. The statue is thought to be around 1,800 years old and was likely procured by the Earl who lived in the home sometime in the 1760s.

Burghley House indicated that the statue will be put on display to the public when the historic site “opens again for the 2024 season” this coming Saturday.