This May, Drayton Hall’s archaeology team began what they thought was going to be a short excavation to support the last phase of the stair hall stabilization project, but ended up finding significant clues to better interpret how space was used in the cellar between the building of Drayton Hall and Charles Drayton I’s tenure of ownership (1784-1820). To complete the project, a permanent stabilizing jack needed to be placed below the access stair in the basement to ensure safe, continued use. The impact of the jack’s placement is destructive to the archaeological record, so mitigation is the best course of action.