Latest news with #ancientcastle
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Vandalised Oxfordshire castle ruins to be protected by new scheme
A new project has been launched to protect an ancient castle wall damaged by vandals. People were caught on camera damaging the remaining walls of Wallingford Castle last year, according to Wallingford Town Council, after it was saved from ruin in 2023. The castle has also suffered from weather damage and ivy regrowth, placing it on Historic England's Heritage at Risk England will work alongside the Oxfordshire town council to create a Heritage Watch scheme, involving police and community groups to monitor what it calls "heritage crime" at the site. Historian and Wallingford councillor Katherine Keats-Rohan said the intention was to teach young people about the castle's value before anti-social behaviour took place. She said: "We want people to learn about the past and learn to value it, [rather] than kicking the hell out of it or painting graffiti on it."We don't just want to be wagging fingers at people - we want it to be positive and make it more engaging."Wallingford Castle was once a grand royal fortress dating back to the Norman was built sometime between 1067 and 1071 in the wake of the Norman invasion to establish control over the Thames Valley. The castle was later demolished on the orders of Oliver Cromwell at the end of the English Civil War. Historic England awarded a grant of about £283,000 for restoration work in 2023 to remove plant growth and stabilise the castle said the scheme would raise awareness of the vulnerability of heritage assets and encourage communities to protect them. Mark Harrison, the body's head of heritage crime, said: "Keeping watch over our heritage isn't just about protecting old buildings or artefacts, it's about holding on to the stories, values and identities that make us who we are. "By looking after these places and objects, we're making sure future generations can understand where they come from and why it matters." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Moira: Castle under village park could date to 17th century
Archaeologists believe they have found the remains of an ancient castle in a public park in Moira - but works are ongoing to uncover whether it dates from the 1800s or is an earlier structure built in the park in the County Down village is owned by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council but 250 years ago it was part of an estate belonging to the earl of Moira. Maps show a house was built on the site in the 17th century, revamped in the 18th century and demolished in the early 19th century. The ongoing excavation is being supported by the Community Archaeology Programme NI (CAPNI) and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Ruairí Ó Baoill an archaeologist with the Centre for Community Archaeology at Queen's University Belfast, said it was possible the findings included both castles."What we're seeing are the walls of buildings and the cobbled surfaces around them," he said."They probably date to the 18th century. The buildings themselves were demolished in the early 1800s - so we are trying to find out if they are part of the 18th century Moira castle demesne or are they from the earlier castle that was built in the 1650s."This is the second dig at the site, with a smaller excavation taking place in then the team found a ditch dated to the late bronze age "maybe two and a half thousand years ago", he said. "But 10cm below our feet we're going back 250 years."This year's dig only began a week ago and will continue until the end of the is hoped artefacts from three different eras will be site every day are first year archaeology students at Queen's University Belfast, while pupils from a host of local schools are also taking part. Aoife Lynch, a first year archaeology student at Queens University Belfast, is taking part in her first ever far she has found two floor tiles, which are yet to be dated/She is confident they are old due to the "red clay" at their centre. Arthur Redfern from Essex is a first year archaeology student at Queen's said the key to trowelling was to "keep shovelling the muck back and try not to look behind you at how much you have left to do"."It's so satisfying seeing it all unearth itself in front of your eyes," he said. Among the school groups coming to the site are St Patrick's Academy from Lisburn. Year 10 student Amy, who is hoping for a career in archaeology, said she loved activities like the dig in Moira. "It's interesting as most people wouldn't realise there could be something here," she 10 pupils Neil and Eoghan's dream find is in the absence of that they are enjoying the fieldwork."It is definitely more interesting being out here doing this," said well as the cobbles and walls, the team have found slates, pottery and coins. All items will be studied to ascertain their date. When the dig is over hundreds of sods will carefully cover the structure which will once again be hidden from view but will have offered up a greater understanding of what lies beneath.
