Work to put a roof deck on Clifford’s Tower begins next week

A team will start work on major changes at Clifford’s Tower next week.

A roof deck and internal walkways are being fitted to the York castle make it more accessible to visitors. Conservation work to protect the historic fabric of the tower is also included in the project.

English Heritage, which is responsible for the tower, has been working with contractors Simpson (York) Limited to ensure that the site team can operate safely and in accordance with the Government’s Covid-secure guidelines.

Work will begin on Monday (23 November).

Andrea Selley, English Heritage’s territory director in the North of England said: “Whilst the tower is now likely to have to remain closed to visitors until next year to protect the public and our specialist team on site, I am proud of how hard everyone has worked to ensure we can start work safely.

“This year has been one of the toughest in memory for tourism in York, and the local visitor economy needs investment now more than ever.”

The project is due to be completed next summer.

Plans to construct a modern heritage centre partially embedded into the motte below Clifford’s Tower were dropped after campaigners fought them all the way to the High Court.

But the roof deck and internal walkway, designed to help visitors better understand the history of the tower, have been widely welcomed.

Though the plans for Clifford’s Tower are being delivered separately to City of York Council’s Castle Gateway Project and York Museums Trust’s plans for the transformation of York Castle Museum, “the three organisations will work together so that the story of York Castle is told across the sites in a coherent way,” an English Heritage spokesperson said.