Norwich Castle’s refit is taking shape, as the project enters its final few months. New internal walls have been completed, and doors and fittings have been hand-crafted by local specialists.
The recreated Norman spaces on the principal floor are now structurally complete. The arches of the Victorian spine wall, inserted by Victorian architect Edward Boardman, have been infilled to recreate the original solid spine wall dividing the Great Hall from the other rooms on the principal floor. Additional walls to create the Chapel and King’s Chamber have also been completed and new floor levels inserted, re-establishing lost mezzanines. Together these will enable visitors to explore the original layout of the Keep as it would have appeared when building work was finished by William the Conqueror’s son, Henry I, in 1121.
One challenge has been the design of the doors between the recreated rooms. The most spectacular of these is the one that opens from the Great Hall into the King’s Chamber. This is covered with leather which has been painted in ultramarine blue and features elaborate metalwork, which has been silvered or ‘tinned’. The doors and wall divides are just two examples of the research-based approach being taken to interpretation inside the Keep.
In addition to the recreated Norman spaces, the transformed Keep will also include the spectacular new Gallery of Medieval Life: A British Museum Partnership with over 1,000 objects from the period on display. A new lift and staircase will enable access from the basement to the battlements and make Norwich Castle the UK’s most accessible castle when it reopens in 2025.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for this major project. It is one of the largest heritage projects of its kind currently taking place in the UK. For more information on the project visit: www.norwichcastle.norfolk.gov.uk.
