- £1.9m project includes £1.7m from Arts Council England MEND Fund
- Complex programme will help protect exhibits and secure castle’s future
- Aim is for the castle to remain open while work takes place
Plans to carry out the most significant restoration of Tamworth Castle in a generation have moved a step closer, as applications from contractors are now being assessed.
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 help secure the future of the historic castle and the museum collections it houses.
A number of contractors submitted proposals to undertake the work and Tamworth Borough Council is now reviewing those bids, with the aim of appointing a heritage specialist with the required expertise to deliver such a complex programme of work in the coming weeks.
The restoration will focus on repairing historic drainage systems, stabilising areas of structural movement, fixing masonry 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 phases, so the castle can remain open overall throughout. Where possible, visitors will be given opportunities to witness and support the conservation first-hand.
Tamworth Castle has stood at the heart of the town for almost a thousand 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.
During that time, the building has been impacted by layers of adaptations, weather, climate change, structural movement and wear and tear.
It was placed on the Heritage at Risk Register in December 2023, with serious underlying issues being revealed.
The designation on the register confirmed the castle’s national significance as a heritage asset worthy of protection and opened the door to further detailed investigations, and the subsequent successful bid for funding.
Thanks to the grant from Arts Council England, the deeper structural problems that are causing the visible symptoms on the surface can now be addressed.
Caring for the castle is an ongoing commitment on Tamworth Borough Council, and while this restoration won’t solve every challenge the castle faces, it does represent a vital step towards securing its long-term future.
Councillor Lewis Smith, Tamworth Borough Council’s portfolio holder for people services, engagement and leisure, said: “Tamworth Castle has been cared for by generations of Tamworthians for almost 1,000 years. In that time, it has been adapted, defended, repaired and protected. Every generation has left its mark. As today’s custodians of the castle, it is now our turn to decide what mark we will leave.
“Being placed on the Heritage at Risk Register signals that Tamworth Castle is worthy of saving. It’s recognising the castle’s significance as a Scheduled Monument, and one of only three surviving examples of a polygonal shell keep in Britain.
“It has also enabled us to leverage a significant amount of funding that means some of the underlying issues putting the historic building at risk, can now be tackled.
“Thanks to that £1.9m in funding we will soon be undertaking the biggest restoration of the castle in its modern history and playing our part in protecting this vital historic asset for the next 1,000 years.
“With the tender process nearly complete, we are moving closer to appointing the specialist contractor who will help deliver this important work.”
Further updates will be shared once a contractor is appointed and a project timeline is established. For more information, please visit www.tamworthcastle.co.uk/caring-castle.
Notes to editors:
More details about MEND grants can be found here: Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND) Round 4 | Arts Council England.
See original award announcement: Council receives more than £1.7 million investment for essential structural repairs to Tamworth Castle | Tamworth Castle