As part of a wider Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) project to reinterpret the castle, the flattened area will make room to facilitate access to the site, in addition to regenerating the public parkland, whilst work to convert and enhance the existing 19th-century lodge into the new visitor centre has already begun.

The new visitor centre will offer a more suitable space to accommodate visitors, in addition to a more appealing and sympathetic design for the conservation protected area. This is all part of the redevelopment project that will see the castle brought back to life next spring.

Much work has already taken place behind the scenes, with preparation well under way for the new interpretation at the castle, which will incorporate local people who took part in the ‘Faces of Conisbrough Castle’ campaign. Those local people involved will be presented to their public next year ahead of the castle re-opening.

Local resident Lisa Jackson said: “I’m really excited about the redevelopment plans. I didn’t love the previous building, so I am really keen to see how the new building will look and how it will make the area look so much nicer. We are really lucky to have this castle and park right in the heart of our town and I think we will definitely benefit from the changes.”

Councillor Bob Johnson, Cabinet Member for Tourism, said: “Conisbrough Castle has the finest Norman circular keep tower in the whole of the UK – in fact the nearest parallel is to be found in France. Tourism is worth £400m to Doncaster’s economy and we get more day visitors than Blackpool, Bath and Cambridge. We want more people to come to Conisbrough and see this fascinating  attraction when the castle reopens.”

Notes to editors

Doncaster Tourism provides further information on Doncaster’s visitor attractions.

English Heritage is the custodian of over 400 historic monuments, buildings and sites through which we bring the story of England to life for over 10m visitors each year.

Further information

Lindsey Porter, PR Manager-North Lindsey.porter@english-heritage.org.uk or 01904 601 884 / 07920 181 666.