Bigod, we did it! More of ancient castle is revealed
You can now see much more of a town’s 900-year-old historic castle after the trust responsbile for it have successfully renovated the keep. Photos: Terry Reeve and Nick Butcher (insert) - Credit: Archant
You can now see much more of a town’s 900-year-old castle after the trust responsible for it completed renovation of the keep.
A team of 11 volunteers worked to restore the castle on its first 'volunteer day'. Photo: Terry Reeve - Credit: Archant
The lower wall of Bungay Castle is now better exposed, and has been restored and conserved by the Bungay Castle Trust - which is currently working on building a museum to showcase the castle's history.
The trust put out an offer to the public last month to come along and restore the historic castle.
In total 11 volunteers showed up to clear growth from the walls and areas inside the keep.
Bungay Castle Trust called the event on Saturday, December 7 a "working party day", where volunteers carried out work to clear vegetation around the castle so the lower wall "can be better understood and better interpreted".
Olly Barnes, former chair of the trust, gave a talk over coffee on safety and how to use the equipment, before the volunteers divided into pairs and worked on a section of the wall each.
Sue Allen, chairman of the Bungay Castle Trust, said it was "amazing how good it looked and the aim now was to keep it cleared".
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She added that one person came all the way from Melton Mowbray for the day because he loved Bungay and grew up in the town.
Keith Thompson of Jesters café at the Castle Visitor Centre provided lunch.
If you want a chance to work on the castle in Bungay, there will be more volunteer days on January 25 and February 29.
Bungay Castle is a Norman castle built by Roger Bigod of Norfolk around the year 1100. It was built to be protected by the River Waveney, and still remains standing prominently in the town centre.
However, in the more than 900 years of history the castle has stood, it has been besieged, mined, destroyed and restored many times.
Now what remains is thanks to a deal of restoration work beginning in 1934, following the work of amateur archaeologists.
To volunteer for future working party days, contact Sue on bungaycastle@gmail.com
