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The Newark Castle Gatehouse Project is a major restoration and improvement scheme designed to conserve one of Newark's most significant historic landmarks and ensure it can be enjoyed by future generations. 

The project includes restoration of the Gatehouse, improved accessibility, new visitor facilities, interpretation and exhibition spaces, and enhancements that will help more people experience and learn about Newark Castle. The project is funded through Newark and Sherwood District Council, the UK Government’s Local Regeneration Fund and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

Newark Castle is one of the town's most important heritage assets, but parts of the Gatehouse have been inaccessible or in need of conservation for many years. 

The project will help safeguard the Castle's future, protect nationally important heritage, improve accessibility, create new learning opportunities and attract more visitors to Newark town centre.  

Preparatory work, design development and consultation took place before construction began. The project has been under construction since July 2025 and has reached a stage where significant restoration, archaeological investigations and conservation work have taken place.  

The Newark Castle Gatehouse Project is funded through a partnership between: 

• Newark and Sherwood District Council 

• UK Government’s Local Regeneration Fund  

• The National Lottery Heritage Fund 

Additional funding is now being provided from the Local Regeneration Fund, supported by the Newark Town Board, to help ensure the successful completion of the project following a number of unforeseen challenges and discoveries encountered during construction.  

Yes. 

The proposals underwent extensive development and consultation before work commenced. This included public engagement, discussions with key stakeholders and heritage specialists, and the statutory planning and heritage approval processes required for a nationally significant historic site. 

Public feedback helped shape aspects of the project and informed the final proposals. 

Yes. 

The project has received all necessary permissions and approvals required to undertake works to a scheduled historic monument. 

The project has been developed in close consultation with Historic England and other heritage specialists. Archaeological investigations are undertaken under appropriate professional supervision, and all excavation work is monitored by qualified archaeologists to ensure any discoveries are properly recorded, protected and preserved where required. 

Major interventions within historic sites such as Newark Castle are subject to rigorous scrutiny and approval processes before work can proceed. 

The project has revealed several significant archaeological discoveries, including: 

• Walls and foundations dating back to the original 12th-century castle 
• A medieval cesspit 
• A historic well within the Gatehouse entrance 

These discoveries have provided valuable new insights into Newark's history and have required additional specialist investigation and conservation work to ensure they are properly protected.  

As investigations continue, further discoveries may still be made. 

Newark Town Board is a partnership of local organisations, businesses, community representatives and public sector partners working together to support investment and regeneration in Newark. The Board, working with Newark and Sherwood District Council, oversees major funding programmes and investment projects that aim to improve the town, create opportunities for residents and strengthen Newark's future. 

 
The Local Regeneration Fund is a former UK Government investment programme designed to support towns across England. In 2020, Newark was awarded £25 million through the programme to support seven major regeneration projects across the town. These projects are designed to improve connectivity, create employment and training opportunities, enhance cultural attractions and make the town an even better place to live, work and visit. Funding is managed across the programme to ensure projects can respond to changing circumstances and deliver the greatest long-term benefit for Newark, with allocations reviewed as projects progress. 

The Newark Castle Gatehouse Project is part of the Local Regeneration Fund programme. An initial allocation of approximately £3 million helped unlock further investment from partners, including Newark and Sherwood District Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, allowing the project to grow into the significant restoration and visitor experience project being delivered today. 
 
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As work progressed, the project encountered several challenges that could not have been fully identified before construction began. 

Archaeological discoveries required specialist investigation and conservation, while surveys of previously inaccessible areas of the Gatehouse revealed more extensive repairs were needed to safeguard the building for the future. The project has also been affected by rising inflation and construction costs experienced across the wider sector.  

Together, these factors increased the cost of delivering the scheme. 

Leaving the project incomplete would risk damage to parts of the Castle and would not protect the significant investment already made by partners. Completing the project is the most responsible way to safeguard the site and deliver the long-term benefits it was designed to achieve.  

Yes. 

Preservation is a central part of the project. 

Discoveries are carefully recorded, assessed and protected in accordance with archaeological and heritage best practice. Where appropriate, remains are preserved in situ, meaning they are left in place and protected for future generations. 

The project team works closely with archaeological specialists and heritage bodies to ensure significant discoveries are properly safeguarded. 

The gardens remain an important part of the wider Castle experience. 

The project includes landscape improvements and better connections between the Castle, Gatehouse and grounds, aiming to create a more welcoming and accessible environment while preserving the character of the historic site. 
 
New wildlife-friendly planting will increase biodiversity, creating attractive habitats for pollinators and other local species while enhancing the appearance of the space throughout the seasons. 

A new lighting scheme will also be introduced to improve visibility and safety, helping visitors enjoy the gardens for longer into the evening while respecting the historic setting and minimising impacts on wildlife.  

The Garden Room is a new visitor space being created as part of the project. 

It will provide a flexible indoor area supporting interpretation, education, events and visitor activities while helping people engage more deeply with the Castle and its history. 

Historic England's guidance encourages new additions to historic sites to be clearly identifiable as belonging to the period in which they were built. 

Some modern materials, including lightweight concrete, are being used because they help protect the archaeology beneath. In certain locations, newly discovered remains need to be covered and preserved. Modern materials can provide protection while also allowing future archaeologists to remove them more easily if further investigation is required. 

This approach helps safeguard important heritage assets while ensuring the Castle remains functional and accessible. 

Many people expect historic sites to be restored exactly as they appeared in the past, but conservation practice takes a different approach. 

Historic England generally encourages new elements to be distinguishable from original historic fabric. This helps future generations understand which parts are historic and which parts are were added during later periods. 

It's also worth remembering that Newark Castle has evolved throughout its history. Over hundreds of years it has served different purposes, been repaired, altered, adapted and partially ruined. Each generation has left its mark on the site. 

The work being carried out today is simply the latest chapter in that story. In 200 years’ time, historians will be able to recognise this restoration as a twenty-first century intervention, just as we can identify changes made during earlier periods. The materials and design choices reflect our era in the same way that medieval or Victorian alterations reflected theirs. 

Costs will be £9 for adults, £4.50 for adults who are Newark and Sherwood Residents, with U25s remaining free. This cost will include repeat entry for a year.
Costs will only apply to the first floor, second floor and roof of the gatehouse, with everything on the ground floor, including the gardens, remaining free. 

The project team are currently working towards a completion date of late 2027. With heritage sites such as Newark Castle, this could be subject to change. 

The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) has awarded £2.5 million towards a second phase of Newark Castle Gatehouse project. This funding forms an important part of the overall project package and supports the next stage of transforming the Castle into a more accessible, sustainable and welcoming heritage destination for residents and visitors. 

The grant from EMCCA will support the next phase of the Newark Castle Gatehouse project, focused on reopening and bringing back into use some of the Castle's most significant historic spaces. 

This includes the restoration and improvement of the Castle's underground areas, including the dungeons and undercroft, allowing them to be safely reopened to visitors for the first time in many years.  

By reopening these spaces, the project will enable visitors to experience parts of Newark Castle that are currently inaccessible, creating new opportunities for learning, interpretation and engagement with the site's heritage. 

No. 

The £2.5 million funding provided by EMCCA is ringfenced specifically for the second phase of the Newark Castle project and can only be used for the purposes set out within the funding agreement. 

The funding has been awarded to support works that will reopen and improve access to historic areas of the Castle, including the underground spaces such as the dungeons and undercroft. It cannot be redirected to other Council services, projects or day-to-day spending. 

This is standard practice for grant funding and ensures the money is used for the specific purpose for which it has been awarded. 

There has been strong local interest in reopening Newark Castle’s historic underground spaces, including the dungeons, to visitors.  We are delighted to have secured additional funding from EMCCA, which will enable these fascinating spaces to be safely restored, enhanced and made accessible as part of the wider Gatehouse Project.

Opening up Newark Castle’s hidden spaces

• This phase of the work will open all underground spaces at Newark Castle, including three dungeons, creating safer and more accessible routes into areas that have been largely inaccessible to the public for some time.

A new community space in the Undercroft

• The Undercroft will be transformed into an exciting and flexible new community space through improvements including upgraded electrical infrastructure and the installation of a floating floor. The space will be able to host a range of activities and events, such as film screenings, live music performances, educational visits, weddings and community gatherings.
• Two dungeons in the Northwest Tower will benefit from new ladders and lighting, while the Debtors’ dungeon in the Southwest Tower will undergo significant enhancements, including the installation of a floating glass floor that will allow visitors to view the historic features beneath.

The underground spaces will be accessed through guided tours, offering visitors a unique and immersive way to explore Newark Castle’s history. Audio-visual installations will help bring these stories to life, creating an engaging and memorable experience. Alternative audio-visual experiences will also be available for visitors who are unable or choose not to enter the underground spaces.  

Improvements to the wider Castle site

The funding will also support:

• Safety improvements to the bridge connecting the castle grounds to the waterside lock 
• Enhanced garden lighting 
• More accessible pathways throughout the site 
• New audio-visual projections on the castle’s curtain wall 

• Yes. Due to the specialist nature of the experience, access to the underground spaces will be available through a separately ticketed guided tour, in addition to the standard castle admission fee. 
• Visitors will take part in a one-hour guided experience and will be required to wear a hard hat and sign a safety waiver before entering certain areas. The Undercroft and dungeon tours will offer a unique, immersive opportunity to explore parts of Newark Castle that have rarely been accessible to the public. 
• Annual ticket pricing for general access to the castle was announced earlier this year, which you can view here. 

• We are currently exploring how this additional programme of works can be integrated with the wider Gatehouse Project 
• The project has already reached RIBA Stage 3, and an application for Scheduled Monument Consent has been submitted. Further information on delivery timescales will be shared as the project progresses.