Nottingham Castle

Revealing a radical history

Transforming an ancient site to reveal a radical 1000-year history of power, protest and rebellion.

 

This £24m Heritage Lottery Fund project will chart a journey through dissent, rebellion and the rise of democracy at the revamped Nottingham Castle.

Such a sensitive site brings different priorities, and our emphasis has been on revealing historic narratives, rather than creating one of our own.

Our work in the castle grounds has improved views of the ducal palace, while also revealing significant elements of the medieval castle hidden, until now, from view. This was the castle that became infamous as a hotbed of rebellion and treachery in the Middle Ages, before being replaced by a rather more refined palace after the Civil War.   

We worked hard to improve accessibility across the site, including in the sprawling cave system hidden in castle rock, and around the new visitor centre. We also created a dedicated space for a rolling agenda of outdoor events.

It’s a coherent, sensitive strategy to transform this ancient monument into a world-class heritage site.  

Working on historic landscapes involves a bit of detective work, piecing together clues of how the land was used - and when. But that’s all crucial context when designing an inspiring visitor experience for the future

 (Churchman Thornhill Finch)
 (Churchman Thornhill Finch)