Castle Park Heritage Day: Archaeology, archery, axe throwing and birds of prey at free family fun day

Archaeology, medieval archery and birds of prey are just some of the attractions in store for visitors to the Friends of Castle Park Heritage Day in Bishop's Stortford.

The fun in Sworder's Field and Castle Gardens, currently undergoing a £3.5m revamp, on Sunday (September 11) starts at 10am with an activity-packed programme until 3pm.

Museum of London Archaeology will be showcasing finds from its digs on the site in preparation for the revitalisation project. There will also be children's archaeology activities and tours of community excavation sites and the Waytemore Castle mound.

The tours begin at 10.30am and 1.30pm. No booking is required – just head to the Museum of London Archaeology gazebo on the day.

On Targett Events return with their hugely popular, medieval-themed have-a-go archery and axe throwing. These are free, but participants must be eight or over.

Coda Falconry's birds of prey will be in action with displays at 11am and 2pm. The hawking team will be on hand throughout the day to chat about their birds and answer visitors' questions.

The Friends of Castle Park will also be joined by St Michael's Church bellringers, Bishop's Stortford Natural History Society and the town's River Group.

The event supports the Heritage Open Days campaign, England's largest festival of history and culture, running from September 9 to 18. The campaign highlights the wealth of heritage across the country and provides opportunities for the public to visit historical sites for free.

To find out more, see www.friendsofcastlepark.net/events or search for Friends of Castle Park on Facebook.