Tory Leader of Rutland County Council
Time Team, Oakham Castle, Sunday, Channel 4. Tony Robinson, Phil Harding, Photographs
Rutland County Councils restoration project at Oakham Castle remains on track to start next year after the council’s £2 million bid was given initial approval* by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
The council has now received £114,000 from the HLF for further preparation work during 2013 with a view to submitting a full and final bid later this year. This is no guarantee that the bid will be accepted.The Lottery Fund has pots of money to spend on reports and presentations like this one. The pot grows bigger as people get poorer.
Rutland County Council say successful bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund will enable them to carry out extensive work throughout the castle,(great hall) an enhanced events programme, as well as more regular re-enactments and living history.
Council Leader Roger Begy: “Getting approval at this 1st stage of the bid process is a major achievement and should not be underestimated. We are thrilled with this news as we put a great deal of hard work into our application. It’s exciting to think we’re only one stage away from potentially getting final approval, but must not get ahead of ourselves. During the next few months, we’ll work closely with colleagues at the Heritage Lottery Fund as we prepare to submit our final bid later this year.”
Vanessa Harbar, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund East Midlands, said: “Oakham Castle is an exceptional site full of fascinating historic features. We thought the proposals for this ambitious project were inspiring and if all goes to plan Rutland County Council will be on track to ensure the site and the Great Hall can be enjoyed by generations to come. We look forward to working with them as they further develop their ideas over the coming months.”
In addition to the plans for extensive restoration work and additional events, other areas identified for improvement are repair of the castle walls, new and improved toilet facilities, better information and signage, and improved facilities for weddings and family events.
Prior to the final bid being submitted in October, further work will be carried out which will include community consultation, putting together long-term plans for maintenance and education, as well as setting up a panel of young people to contribute to the project.
The final bid will be submitted mid-October with a decision expected in early 2014.
Oakham Castle is the best preserved Norman Great Hall in England and was used extensively until 1970 as the local court. Occasional Crown Courts and Coroner’s Inquests still take place.
However, the castle is best known for its collection of commemorative horseshoes donated by Peers of the Realm. Over 230 horseshoes hang on the walls of the Great Hall. These represent the unique custom that every peer of the realm must give a horseshoe to the lord of the manor on their first visit to Oakham. The custom has been followed for at least 500 years and probably dates back to the 12th century. The oldest surviving horseshoe is said to have been given by Edward IV around 1470. The most recent were given by HRH The Princess Royal in 1999, HRH The Prince of Wales in 2003 and HRH Princess Alexandra 2005.
For more information about the project, please visit www.rutland.gov.uk/castle
*Initial support plus development funding means the project meets Heritage Lottery Fund criteria for funding and they believe it has potential to deliver high-quality benefits and value for Lottery money. The application was in competition with other supportable projects, so this is an endorsement of outline proposals. The project will submit fully developed proposals to secure a firm award at a later date.
Heritage Lottery Fund
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) aims to make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities across the UK and help build a resilient heritage economy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported almost 35,000 projects with more than £5.3bn across the UK. http://www.hlf.org.uk/.
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