Exciting progress is being made at Nottingham Castle despite the ongoing pandemic and start of the second national lockdown.
In the latest updates on the £30 million transformation project, work on the grounds around the world-renowned landmark has been continuing with the highly anticipated adventure play area taking shape.
Speaking in June, Nottingham Castle's project director Richard Hamblin, of Nottingham City Council, said the pandemic had impacted the project but believed it would still be completed by the end of the year with plans to open in 2021.
The new Castle experience aims to combine interactive, virtual technology including Robin Hood folklore alongside high-quality art exhibitions, to bring Nottingham's 1,000-year history to life.
With just a few months until the project is expected to be complete, with an opening date set for early 2021, landscaping works have been at the forefront.
Perhaps the most visible of these works is the removal of the hard standing on the Castle Green, which has been used as the site compound for the last two years.
Topsoil has been levelled across this extensive area, and the painstaking task of turfing has commenced meaning the grounds are starting to look less like a building site.
During works to the play area, which will include a multi-feature play structure known as the ‘Sheriff’s Stronghold’, a new archaeological feature was uncovered.
This came as a surprise to the team, as earlier trial pits had uncovered very little evidence of significant archaeology in the area.
The features uncovered are medieval and later in date and would have formed part of the rock-cut ditch that wrapped around the Upper Bailey of the original Nottingham Castle.
The feature has been examined and recorded by York Archaeological Trust, the City Archaeologist and Historic England.
The find prompted swift action to redesign and relocate a section of the play area, ensuring that any interventions have no detrimental impact to the buried history of our site.
