The Scotsman

Medieval remains to be excavated at castle where queen was imprisoned

- By DAVE HIGGINS

Anewbidhas­beenannoun­ced to uncover the remains of Sheffield Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned for more than decade.

The medieval castle was a once a huge structure dominating the South Yorkshire city but it was demolished during the Civil War.

The site was covered over in the 1960s by the notoriousl­y drab Castle Markets developmen­t and the only visible remains of the ancient castle were locked in basements under the concrete structure.

Over the past few years the whole of the Castlegate area of Sheffield has undergone redevelopm­ent, including the demolition of the markets.

On Monday, Sheffield City Council announced an £800,000 revamp of the Castlegate Quarter which will include a fresh dig on the castle site.

The move will also see work on the Old Town Hall – a 200-year-old building which housed the city’s crown court until the 1990s but has been derelict since.

The council said the work being undertaken will also link with proposals to uncover the culverted River Sheaf, which runs under Sheffield and gave the city its name.

Martin Gorman, chairman of the Friends of Sheffield Castle, said: “This is fantastic news, and we are excited that work to excavate the remains of Sheffield’s medieval castle will begin soon.” Multi-award-winning equity release specialist Age Partnershi­p can help homeowners decide if equity release is right for them, how much they can release and what impact it could have on the size of their estate including their entitlemen­t to means-tested benefits now, or in the future. Equity release may involve a lifetime mortgage or a home reversion plan. To understand the features and risks, ask for a personalis­ed illustrati­on. You only continue to own your own home with a lifetime mortgage, which is secured against your property. They provide initial advice for free and without obligation. Only if you choose to proceed and your case completes would a typical fee of 2% of the amount released be payable.

 ??  ?? 0 Sheffield Castle will be the scene of a new dig
0 Sheffield Castle will be the scene of a new dig

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom