Lincoln Castle to get £19m improvement

Lincoln Castle is to receive almost £19m for refurbishments, the county council has announced.

Planned work includes a new vault to showcase the Magna Carta, repairs to the castle wall and the restoration of two prison buildings.

The refurbishment is being part-funded by a £12m grant from the Lottery.

The county council is providing £5.2m towards the project and has made a £1.1m bid for European funding. The rest will rely on fundraising efforts.

Lincoln Castle was built in 1068 and has housed the Magna Carta since 1215.

The new vault will showcase the famous document, one of only a handful of surviving originals.

'Top attraction'

Refurbishments to the two prison buildings will see the Victorian male prison opened to the public for the first time in several decades.

A new shop, cafe, toilets and education space will also be built and disabled access will be improved.

Once completed, admission to the castle grounds through the east and west gates will be made free during the day.

Martin Hill, leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said: "This project will make Lincoln Castle one of the country's top historic attractions, attracting thousands more visitors."

Work is scheduled to begin next month with an official re-opening planned for April 2015, to coincide with the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta.