Visitors to Baconsthorpe Castle can view the repair work up close

Two years after the site was closed for safety reasons, conservation work on a 15th-century castle was shown to the public.

Baconsthorpe Castle, near Holt, Norfolk, was the home of the Heydon family, who built their wealth on the county’s medieval wool trade.

However, subsequent generations were unable to continue the business and the castle fell into ruin. Part of the masonry was sold to pay off the debts.

The site is owned by English Heritage and was closed in 2022 because falling masonry posed a danger to visitors.

The work will cost around £700,000 and is due to be completed by the end of the year, after which the site will be reopened to the public.

Architects and conservationists have used lime mortar and other methods to stabilize the flint walls.

Some of them have their rough brickwork facing exposed when the flint cladding was removed and sold as rubble when the owners tried to pay off their debts.

Lewis Proudfoot, managing director of Cliveden Conservation, said: “We are undertaking quite a major project to stabilise and consolidate the ruins.

“We are currently working on the textile mill where we are removing vegetation and loose material and consolidating all heads and covers with lime mortar and replacing loose flints.

“We have the public here on an open day, which is great to see. We show them (the work) up close and show them some of the medieval flintwork that we hope to conserve for years to come.

“This is a really good example of a building built to demonstrate wealth and status.

“There are stone vaults. The work and the execution are really beautiful. It’s amazing that they’re still here centuries later.”

Jo Brannigan is convinced that parts of her house were built from artifacts that were removed from the castle when the owners sold parts to pay off debts.

“I believe many of the houses in the village were built from cobblestones and flint that were taken from the castle when it fell into disrepair. I would really prefer if we didn’t return the artefacts,” she said.

“We’re fairly new to the village but everyone tells us how wonderful it was when it was more of a community area and there were outdoor plays and performances. So we’re really excited to see it come back to life and open to the public.”

Architect Ruth Brennan acknowledged that some of the repair work would be noticeable, but said the use of concrete lintels rather than oak lintels was done for good reason.

“Fortunately, because of the wear and exposure of the core material, we have a pretty good idea of ​​how it was built, so we can try to replicate it as much as possible.

“We try to make repairs look honest and obvious. We didn’t use oak here because it tends to rot and the area is very exposed.

“Concrete doesn’t move. It’s grey, so it matches the flint, and over time it weathers so it’s not as noticeable.”

Joseph James of English Heritage said: “The building work itself is about half a million pounds, plus scaffolding, surveying and architects. So we are spending about £700,000 on Baconsthorpe.”

“But it is vital. We have to save these places. We have a duty not only to protect the monument itself, but also the craftsmanship and skills of the stonemasons to keep everything alive.

“We have 400 monuments to look after across England; 300 of these are free sites, such as Baconsthorpe.

“They are a great asset to the community: great picnic and walking spots and a touch of history in your backyard.”