A breathtaking castle, originally commissioned by William the Conqueror during the Middle Ages, has finally reopened its doors to the public following a whopping £27.5million restoration project. The 900-year-old fortress, situated just three hours from London, provides an ideal day trip with all five levels of its keep, from the basement to the battlements, now accessible to visitors for the first time ever. The Grade I-listed Norwich Castle, finished in 1121 under the reign of King Henry I, was among the earliest fortresses constructed after the Norman conquest of England, with limestone shipped over from Normandy used to build its robust walls.
The ambitious five-year plan, dubbed the Royal Palace Reborn project, kicked off in 2020 but faced expensive delays due to the COVID pandemic and difficulties importing steel in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In addition, several previously unknown Norman and Victorian features were unearthed during the restoration process, along with the need to replace a leaky roof, which further delayed the original 2024 opening date, reports the Mirror.
CNN has hailed Norwich Castle as ‘one of Europe’s most magnificent medieval castles’ and East Anglia as one of the UK’s ‘underexplored’ regions for tourists.
Initial estimates for the repair project were set at £20million, but this figure quickly escalated, eventually reaching a reported final total of around £27.5million before guests could be welcomed back into the castle.
Channel 4 is poised to air a documentary, narrated by Norwich’s own Stephen Fry, that follows the restoration of ‘The Castle, Rebuilding History’.
The film will be broadcast on Channel 4 this Sunday (August 24) at 7:30 pm.
Best-selling author and historian Alice Loxton has visited the castle since its grand reopening on August 4, hailing it as “one of England’s greatest castles,” in a video posted to her TikTok account, which boasts over 880,000 followers.
“My favourite part of this is that they have recreated lots of the rooms as if it were the year 1121,” she informed viewers.
“So, this gives you an amazing impression of what it was like to visit a royal palace in the 12th century. And, though we might often think about the medieval world as a place of bare stone walls and not a very colourful place, what you’re really struck by when you wander around these rooms is that it’s vividly coloured, with all sorts of ornate patterns and decoration.”
Norfolk Museums Pass holders can enjoy free admission, while visiting adults (age 19 plus) are charged £15.30 if booking online in advance and £17 on the day. A family adult discount price is available when purchased with a child ticket, costing customers £13.95 online in advance and £15.50 on the day.
Child tickets (age 4-18) cost £13.05 in advance and £14.50 on the day, while children aged four or younger can enter free.
