Midland castle saved by trust stays open to the public

Hartlebury Preservation Trust will now be able to maintain the castle and its 43 acres for future generations, alongside launching projects to increase activities and improve access.

The trust was able to purchase the site from the Church Commissioners with the help of a £5 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Officials said the transfer had now taken place.

The trust will carry out all future projects in association with Worcestershire County Council and Museums Worcestershire.

They will now work to make the castle, which includes a number of collections and the Hurd Library, a major attraction for visitors around the UK and overseas.

Officials said this would continue a thousand years of public access to the former home of the Bishops of Worcester.

Trust chairman Robert Greenwood said they were delighted with the help of the award to have been able to buy the castle after so many years of uncertainty.

He said: "The generosity of so many organisations, authorities and individuals who have pledged matched funding, revenue support, individual gifts and time now enables us to go ahead with our plans.

"We will spend the remainder of this year completing our plans and hopefully starting some work.

"Next year major works within the Bishop's House, including restoring the Long Gallery and installing a new lift to serve the Hurd Library and upper floors, will be done."

He said the aim was to have restoration work complete in 2017 so the whole castle would once again function as a single building.

President of the trust, Angela Brinton said: "I would like to say how thrilled the community of Hartlebury and the county will be to have secured this very special building.

"How hard everyone has worked towards this outcome and how exciting it will be turning our dreams into reality. Partnership working at its best."

Head of community and environment for Worcestershire County Council Neil Anderson added: "It has been a pleasure to work with the Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust to secure the long-term future of this fabulous building steeped in the county's history.

"We look forward to working as a partnership to deliver a first class visitor attraction which will be a wonderful asset to World Class Worcestershire."

Deputy surveyor for the Church Commissioners Rosemarie Jones said they had worked closely with the trust and were delighted the group would be taking over the castle.

"The Church Commissioners are pleased to have worked successfully with the Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust and its partners to secure a sale to them in a way that meets our charitable responsibilities."

The Rt. Revd The Bishop of Worcester, Dr. John Inge, said he also was pleased the agreement had now been completed.

"I am delighted the trust has completed its purchase of the castle ending several years of anxiety about its future as well as that of its great library.

"This achievement is due to a great deal of hard work and constructive collaboration by the many friends of the Castle, the County Council and the Church Commissioners as well as the generous support of the HLF.

"It is very good news for the people of Worcestershire and beyond and I look forward to the next phase in the life of this great building: it will be an exciting one".

The Church Commissioners decided to sell the building as it was surplus to requirements.

Detailed business, conservation and activities plans were developed with the help of a previous Heritage Lottery Fund award of £413,700 in support of the ongoing efforts to secure the future of this important heritage site.