- Conservation specialists appointed to deliver complex heritage programme
- Work set to begin in coming weeks
- £1.9m project includes £1.7m from Arts Council England MEND Fund
Tamworth Borough Council has appointed specialist conservation contractor Messenger to deliver the vital £1.9m restoration that will help secure the future of Tamworth Castle.
The project, supported by £1,716,238 from Arts Council England’s Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND), and £190,695 from Tamworth Borough Council, will fund urgent structural repairs to protect the historic castle and the museum collections it houses.
Messenger brings extensive experience in the restoration of historic buildings, with a dedicated in-house team specialising in protecting and preserving heritage assets.
The company has delivered conservation projects at a number of significant heritage sites, including Leicester Cathedral, Weeting Castle and Earlham Hall, and is currently completing restoration works at Newark Castle Gatehouse.
As principal contractor, Messenger will work as part of a wider project team of industry professionals who will carry out the extensive and complex programme.
The restoration will focus on repairing historic drainage systems, stabilising areas of structural movement, fixing unsafe masonry, significant roof repairs on the south wing and improving environmental conditions for museum collections, including items from the precious Staffordshire Hoard.
The aim is for the work to be carried out in carefully planned phases, allowing the castle to remain open overall throughout the project. Where possible, visitors will be given opportunities to witness and engage with the conservation work first-hand.
Councillor Lewis Smith, Tamworth Borough Council’s portfolio holder for people services, engagement and leisure, said: “Appointing Messenger is a significant step for the project. Their specialist conservation expertise, combined with an understanding of how to work with historic buildings of this complexity, gives us real confidence as we move into the next phase.
“This is not a straightforward construction project, it will require a collaborative approach from a wide team of specialists, working together to give our castle the love and care it needs, while keeping as much of it open to visitors as possible.
“Messenger demonstrated a strong appreciation of those challenges and how to manage them. We’re looking forward to welcoming the team on site in the coming weeks to begin this vital programme of work, which will help protect both the building and the important collections it houses for generations to come.”
Ian Bird, regional director of Messenger, said: “It’s a real privilege to work on a local building of this stature both for our management team and local workforce.
“Repairing and conserving these buildings is vitally important and will give us an opportunity to engage with local people and the construction college to help train and expose students to this little-known construction sector.
“We look forward to working with the castle staff and project team in delivering long lasting solutions to some of the current problems faced with the castle.”
Tamworth Castle has stood at the heart of the town for almost 1,000 years. From its origins as a Norman motte-and-bailey fortress to a medieval stronghold, a gentry residence and finally a public museum, it has evolved continuously throughout the centuries.
Over time, the building has been shaped by layers of adaptation, as well as the effects of weather, climate change, structural movement and time.
It was placed on the Heritage at Risk Register in December 2023, helping to highlight its national significance and unlock the detailed investigations that led to the successful MEND funding bid.
Thanks to that funding, the deeper structural problems that are causing visible issues across the building can now be addressed.
Caring for the Castle is a long-term commitment to understanding, maintaining and protecting the building for future generations.
An initial meeting has now been held, with contractors expected to begin work on site in the coming weeks.
Updates on the restoration will be shared as work progresses. For more information and to follow the journey, visit: www.tamworthcastle.co.uk/caring-castle
Caption: Picture shows Lara Rowe with team members from Messenger conservation contractors, Donald Insall Architects and Pulse Consult quantity surveyors.