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Newark Castle and Gardens

Newark Castle Gatehouse Project

Exciting Developments at Newark Castle

We are delighted to announce that work on the Newark Castle Gatehouse project will commence at the beginning of June 2025, with preparatory works happening on site now.  This ambitious initiative, funded by a £1.4 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, £3.3 million from the Government’s Towns Fund initiative, and £2 million from the District Council, aims to create a new and improved visitor attraction while enhancing and protecting the beautiful gardens of Newark Castle.

What you can expect to see on site in May and June 2025.

Started in May, you will see interesting activities within the Castle grounds. Contractors will begin investigations with elevated platforms to examine the tops of walls and underground investigations of foundations and drainage. An arboricultural specialist will mark out spaces around trees to protect roots from digging or compaction. Temporary fencing will be installed to ensure the safety of visitors during these preparatory works. 

Visiting the Castle and Gardens during the Project

For the latest information about visiting the Castle and Gardens, please visit our General visitor information webpage.

Find out more about the Project

Project Overview

Newark Castle has stood at the entrance to Newark for almost 900 years and is much loved by Newark residents. The Gatehouse is recognized by Historic England as the most complete example of its type in England, so it is essential that we conserve the remaining buildings and find new ways to bring them to life. This ground-breaking project will rebuild rooms and create new gallery spaces accessible via a lift to the first floor. Visitors will be able to learn more about the Castle’s rich history through fascinating, fun, and interactive displays. There will also be a tower-top viewing platform offering stunning views of Trent Valley. 

Community Involvement and Future Plans

The project aims to protect the listed Victorian garden and enhance the natural environment and green space within this historic site. Local people's ideas have been incorporated into the final design, featuring wildlife-friendly planting, more activities, additional seating, and paths suitable for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. An attractive new lighting scheme will create a safe ‘after dark’ experience, including new floodlights to highlight special features around the gatehouse and curtain walls, as well as lighting for paths and steps. A bat corridor and bat roosts in the southern tower will encourage evening visitors of the airborne variety.  Find out more about the Newark Castle Gatehouse consultation on our webpage. 

Enhancing the Visitor Experience

Once completed, the Castle is expected to attract around 17,000 visitors each year from outside the district, contributing to sustainable economic growth and encouraging more local people to visit the town centre and its wonderful independent retailers by day and into the early evening.

Historical Significance of Newark Castle

Newark Castle, built in the mid-12th century by Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, has a rich and varied history. Originally an Anglo-Saxon settlement and cemetery, it was replaced by an earth and timber fortification shortly after the Norman Conquest. Bishop Alexander ‘the Magnificent’, desiring a more impressive palace in Newark, rebuilt it in stone, with no expense spared. The Castle has served multiple purposes over the centuries, including as a court of law, soldiers’ garrison, cattle market, and coal wharf. 19th century artists loved to paint it as a romantic ruin, covered in ivy.  The grounds were landscaped in the 1880s and became the public pleasure garden which visitors still enjoy today.

One of the most notable events in the Castle's history is the death of King John in 1216, who died at the Castle after a short illness. Did he die from eating too many peaches, was he poisoned, or did he contract dysentery while fighting the Barons’ War? There were many conflicting reports at the time.  Find out more about King John on our webpage.

During the British Civil Wars, Newark was besieged three times, but the town and castle remained loyal to the Royalist cause. Along the riverside, you can spot marks from hundreds of cannonballs which bombarded the walls in the 1640s. Find out more about this turbulent time in the town’s history by visiting the National Civil War Centre.

During the British Civil Wars, the Castle was slighted (dismantled) in 1648 and left derelict. It was later restored in the 19th century by architect Anthony Salvin and the corporation of Newark, who purchased the site in 1889. 

Today, Newark Castle stands as a testament to the rich history of Newark-on-Trent and is a Scheduled Monument and Grade I listed building.  You can learn about the latest Archaeological and researcher exploration discoveries on our webpage. 

Stay Updated

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