Castle reopens after years of restoration work

Work has been ongoing at Norwich Castle since the summer of 2020

A medieval castle keep is to reopen to the public after five years of restoration and building work.

The revamp of Norwich Castle, which will be unveiled on Thursday, has included restoring original floor levels in the Grade I listed keep, re-creating the great hall, and creating step-free access from the basement to the rooftop battlements.

Work began in 2020 but there were delays caused by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Workers also uncovered hidden Norman and Victorian features that had to be preserved, meaning the reopening date was pushed back further.

The Royal Palace Reborn project has cost £27.5m, about £7.5m more than the original estimate.

Work at the castle overran for several reasons

A documentary about the overhaul has been premiered in Norwich this week.

The Channel 4 film, being screened at Cinema City, is narrated by Sir Stephen Fry and follows the highs and lows of the work at the 900-year-old castle.

Tim Pestell, the museum's archaeology curator, said that watching it "does remind you of all of the stages that you go through".

Local production company Eye Film has produced a 90-minute documentary on the project

He added: "You live so much in the moment trying to solve the latest problems and get things done that you forget all of the things that you've achieved in the past.

"It's been really interesting looking at those various stages again.

"When you look back, these are just some of the challenges that you overcome."

Work on the Grade I listed keep of Norwich Castle, pictured in December 2024

The Castle: Rebuilding History was created by Norwich production firm Eye Film, which spent years with the restoration team.

Managing director Charlie Gauvin said: "The renovation of Norwich Castle marks a landmark chapter in the city's history.

"What started out as a passion project for Eye Film will now reach audiences worldwide.

"This documentary captures the scale and ambition of the transformation, while offering an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the challenges along the way."

Norwich Castle is more than 900 years old and was used as a Victorian prison

The show will air on Channel 4 on 24 August.

There will be public screenings at Cinema City until 23 August and at Abbeygate Cinema in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on 12 August.