A SHORT film, highlighting the work being done to save scheduled monument Snodhill Castle, has been released by Historic England.

The twelfth century castle has been on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register since 1998. Decades of neglect saw sections of the castle’s walls collapse and the castle itself lost from view, and completely inaccessible due to uncontrolled growth of brambles and scrub.

Described in the film as being like ‘Sleeping Beauty’s castle – overcome by brambles’, the castle is currently subject to work to save it after many years of neglect.

Last summer, after years of negotiation, ownership of the castle was transferred to the Snodhill Castle Preservation Trust (SCPT). Volunteers from the SCPT, with help from Historic England, carried out vegetation clearance so repairs could begin. This work made it once again possible to see the full extent of the bailey, and appreciate the drama of the motte and gatehouse.

An Historic England grant of £474,000 is paying for urgent stabilisation and consolidation of the remains of the keep, gatehouse, flanking walls on the castle motte, north tower of the castle bailey and south bastion in the bailey wall. Sally Strachey Historic Conservation and Alastair Coey Architects, Historic Building Specialists are carrying out the work which is due to be completed in October 2017.

The castle has never been excavated and Historic England’s Investigation Team is researching the history and construction of the castle.

Snodhill– Out of the Woods features interviews with Surrey Garland and Gary Crook of the SCPT, as well as Sarah Lewis and Mark Bowden of Historic England.

Watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4LZnA6ZC1A&feature=youtu.be