A NATIONAL heritage charity has marked the topping out of the new roof deck at Clifford’s Tower in York - as it confirmed the site is now set reopen to visitors in the spring.

Work on site began in November 2020 and has seen a team led by charity English Heritage deliver major conservation works to the tower’s historic fabric, alongside the installation of a new free standing roof deck which will allow visitors to enjoy panoramic views of the York skyline when the tower reopens next year.

Andrea Selley, English Heritage’s territory director in the North of England, said: “As 2021 begins to draw to a close it was great to mark this important moment in our Clifford’s Tower project. With the conservation works now complete, the team are turning their attention to installing the infrastructure within the tower which will help us give visitors a warmer welcome than ever when the tower reopens in the spring.

“When we began the project a year ago the country had just entered the second national lockdown and the team have done a fantastic job of delivering these works, against a challenging backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing supply issues with construction materials.

“I am proud of the team for how they have persevered in these circumstances to deliver both the vital conservation works and this major investment at one of York’s most important historic sites. We can’t wait to welcome the people of York into the tower again next year.”

Andrea Selley and project manager Rachael Baldwin were joined by Mark Cregan and Neil Moss, from York-based contractors Simpson Limited – who have been supporting English Heritage in delivering the works – to mark the topping out, against a backdrop of panoramic views across York.

English Heritage’s project to undertake vital conservation works at Clifford’s Tower is due to be completed in spring 2022.

Although the plans for Clifford’s Tower are being delivered separately to City of York Council’s Castle Gateway Project and York Museums Trust’s plans for the transformation of York Castle Museum, the three organisations will work together so that the story of York Castle is told across the sites in a coherent way, English Heritage said.

The charity cares for more than 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites - from world-famous prehistoric sites to grand medieval castles, from Roman forts on the edge of the empire to a Cold War bunker.

Clifford’s Tower crowns the earthwork mound raised by William the Conqueror in 1068. For centuries it was the keep and chief strong point of York Castle.

In the 17th century, a fire destroyed the interior of the tower and the building was reduced to a shell.