Norwich Castle‘s 900-year-old medieval keep is set to reopen next summer following a multimillion-pound redevelopment.
The Grade I-listed keep in the centre of the city has been redeveloped to create an immersive experience of what it was like to live in a Norman royal castle.
The keep’s original floors and rooms are being reinstated and fully furnished, and the rooftop battlements will be accessible for the first time in the building’s history.
Additionally, there will be a new permanent Gallery of Medieval Life created in partnership with the British Museum. This will be the first medieval gallery outside London.
It will showcase more than 1,000 treasures from Norman England, including more than 50 on loan from the British Museum.
Highlights in the redevelopment also include audiovisual projections in the great hall, and a virtual reality (VR) experience in the basement’s digital zone where users can explore a recreation of Norman Norwich.
Guests will also meet people who lived in or visited Norwich Castle in the 1100s via character panels.
The Norwich Castle redevelopment is supported by a grant of more than £10 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Immersive experience of Norman life
Located in Norfolk, Norwich Castle was begun by William the Conqueror and completed by his son Henry I in 1121.
When it reopens in 2024, Norwich Castle will be the most accessible castle in the UK. It will accommodate wheelchair users, pushchairs and people with special educational needs and disability (SEND) requirements.
Earlier this year, the UK’s new Faith Museum opened at Auckland Castle in County Durham. The museum explores 6,000 years of faith in Britain.
“Ultimately, the museum explores the ways in which faith has shaped the communities of Britain. It’s a journey through 6,000 years of British history, and the impact that faith has had on our national story,” Clare Baron, head of exhibitions at the Auckland Project, told blooloop.
Images courtesy of Norfolk Museums Service
