HISTORY is being repaired after a castle has been handed funds to help rebuild after damages.

Hedingham Castle has been given a £90,000 grant to aid in overdue essential repairs to the building.

The owners of the castle have matched this, providing a further £90,000 for the £180,000 repairs that will be made.

The work will be on restoring the bridge and other structures which are in urgent need of repairing as well.

The much-needed financial boost came from the Historic Houses Foundation, who give grants to historic buildings and structures across England and Wales.

These helped to support properties which may have experienced a fall in revenue during the pandemic, whether this is maintaining, repairing, or renovating.

For Hedingham Castle, repairs will be made to the castle as well as to the flintwork Tudor bridge that leads to it.

The fortification was first built in 1140, and is one of 13 nationally important properties given funds to enable urgent repairs.

These range from repairs to roofs and chimneys, to internal structures and decorative features too.

Today, the castle is home to Jason and Demetra Lindsay, who are very thankful for the funds they have been given.

Demetra said: “We are so grateful for the Historic Houses Foundation’s grant to help us with urgent repairs to both the Norman castle and the Tudor bridge that crosses its moat.

“The foundations of the lost Tudor Great Tower will also be recorded, interpreted and saved.

“Since the Tower contained the chambers where three Tudor monarchs, Henry VII, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, stayed, the work is of huge value to this site and the history of Essex.

“It is also of significant heritage importance that our team of specialist workmen are here and training new masons to pass down the skills required to continue to protect these buildings for future visitors.

“We have been able to turn the devastation of Covid on our business into a positive silver lining for history."

Work will begin immediately and continue over the winter months before the start of the new tourist season in Spring 2022.