Colchester Castle Museum plans underway for £4.2m redisplay in 2013

On 19 July the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £3,267,400 towards a major redevelopment of Colchester Castle.

"This is fantastic news", said Tom Hodgson, Project Manager. "We are now able to put all our planning into practice and create exciting new displays that do justice to Colchester's nationally important heritage, the outstanding collections and the amazing building in which they are housed".

Councillor Nick Barlow, Portfolio Holder Commerce and Sustainability, said "This funding will ensure that the Castle continues as a top quality visitor attraction for tourists and as a place in which local residents and schoolchildren can learn and take pride in the long history of their town".

The Heritage Lottery Fund is contributing 77% of the funding towards this £4.2m project. The equally vital match funding comes from Colchester Borough Council, the European Union through the Norman Connections project, Renaissance museum hub funding, the Friends of Colchester Museums, the Essex Heritage Trust and the Friends of Colchester Roman Wall.

The story of Colchester will be told from its foundation over 2000 years ago to the Siege of Colchester in 1648. The history and features of Colchester Castle will be revealed and interpreted to give people a much better sense of the scale and importance of this unique building. The Castle displays will also be used as a starting point and a link to discovering other heritage sites in Colchester like the Town Walls and Roman Circus. A range of interpretation will appear around the town at key heritage sites.

At the same time the museum shop and other public facilities will be improved. A second lift will be installed to make it easier for all visitors to find their way around the building. The roof will be insulated for the first time and a new under-floor heating system will be installed to improve the building's energy efficiency.