Heritage Open Day: Friends of Castle Park to open gates to castle mound as part of celebration of Bishop's Stortford's history

A celebration of Bishop's Stortford's history will take place in Castle Park on Sunday (September 13).

The event, from 10am to 4pm, is being organised as part of the National Trust's Heritage Open Day, which runs in England from September 11 to 20.

The campaign highlights the wealth of heritage across the country and provides an opportunity for the public to visit historical sites not usually accessible.

On Sunday, the Friends of Castle Park will be playing their part by opening the gates to the Waytemore Castle mound – a scheduled ancient monument.

As part of the £2m lottery-funded Castle Park project, improvements will be made to allow permanent access to the Norman ruins. These will include lighting around the base of the fortress, protective capping of the castle stonework which was once 9ft (2.7m) thick and clearing of vegetation.

Sunday's event will also feature a children's activity pack, available on the day from the Friends of Castle Park gazebo near Markwell Pavilion and, prior to the event, from the Tourist Information Centre in Market Square and the Bishop's Stortford Independent office in North Street from Thursday (Sept 10). There will also be a self-guided tour of the park with historical information boards.

East Herts Council's Emily Tickridge, who is co-ordinating the event, said: "It will be a fantastic day to discover the history of your local park while enjoying being outdoors.

"L-P: Archaeology will also be at the event showcasing finds from Castle Park and on hand to answer your questions about the history of Bishop's Stortford."

To find out more, visit the Friends of Castle Park Facebook page or https://friendsofcastlepark.net/about/ .

Social distancing guidelines will be observed throughout the event.