Norwich Castle’s stone keep has reopened to the public following a five-year, £27.5 million restoration project.
The keep at the centre of the Grade-I listed Norman castle has recreated its original floors, with great halls and lavish royal apartments restored to their 1121 layout.
The “Royal Palace Reborn” project, supported by a £13m grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, first began work in 2020 with two years of delays following the pandemic and war in Ukraine.
An actor dressed as Henry I welcomed hundreds of visitors to the highly anticipated opening of the 900-year-old Norman keep on 7 August.
The royal palace, formerly used as a prison, now houses a museum and art gallery.
Immersive animations that tell the origin story of the 12th-century building in medieval Norwich will also be projected onto the walls of the Great Hall.
The restoration work cost £27.5 million overall, £7.5 million more than the original estimate, after the unexpected discovery of hidden Norman and Victorian features and a leaking roof.
Norwich Castle said on social media: “Step back in time in The National Lottery Heritage Fund Norman Palace! Explore Henry I’s royal apartments, lavishly decorated with period-accurate furniture and textiles. Spectacular immersive audio-visual projections bring the walls of the Great Hall alive.”
According to the museum, the historic building is now the “most accessible castle in Britain” with new lifts providing step-free access from the rooftop battlements down to the basement.
A new gallery in partnership with the British Museum – the largest medieval display outside of London – includes over 1,000 objects.
The redevelopment also features a new atrium entrance, restaurant and gift shop.
Adult tickets to visit the revamped keep start from £17, with entry for children between four and 18 costing £14.50.
On 24 August, a documentary on the Norwich Castle project, narrated by Sir Stephen Fry, will air on Channel 4, produced by the Norwich-based production firm Eye Film.
Robin Hanley, assistant head of Norfolk Museums Service, told BBC News: “It is just so wonderful to be seeing visitors coming into the Norman keep and enjoying these fantastic spaces that we have re-created.”
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