Specialist repairs, repointing and the introduction of soft capping – adding a protective layer of earth and grass to the tops of ruined walls – have been carried out as part of a series of works to protect Merdon Castle, near Winchester, Hampshire. A 400ft “bottomless” well was also made safe and capped as part of the works which were funded with a £240,700 grant from Historic England. A spokeswoman said the scheduled monument had become overgrown and stonework was loose but the improvements meant that it could be removed from the Government body’s Heritage At Risk register. Merdon Castle near Winchester, Hampshire, had become overgrown (Historic England/PA)Elspeth Faulkner, Historic England architect, said: “Merdon Castle has spent many years on the Heritage At Risk register and it was critical that a programme of repairs was undertaken now to avoid further loss. The medieval castle was built within the ramparts of an earlier hill fort which probably dates back to the late bronze age or early iron age (8th to 5th centuries BC).

Source: The Times October 02, 2023 05:18 UTC