Famous Devon castle could shut all winter due to cutbacks

Totnes Castle - English Heritage
-Credit:English Heritage


English Heritage has confirmed that Totnes Castle - one of the best preserved examples of a Norman motte and bailey castle in England - could close during the winter months as part of major restructuring to reduce the charity's costs.

It is proposing to close 21 sites over the winter period and it is alleged to be planning up to 200 redundancies, according to The Guardian. English Heritage cares for more than 400 historic sites across England but is struggling to financially maintain what it has been providing.

An English Heritage spokesperson said: "English Heritage has been reviewing its structure and developed a series of proposals that will allow the charity to meet the opportunities and challenges of the next few years from a position of strength. All organisations need to review their structure from time to time and English Heritage has not done so for several years.

ADVERTISEMENT

READ MORE: Decision looms over fate of Devon pub loved by thousands

READ MORE: Devon hospital faces more than a decade in the wilderness

"In that time, our world has changed dramatically. The pandemic and its aftermath led to lasting changes in visitor expectations and behaviour, both domestically and internationally, while many of our visitors and members are facing challenges with the cost of living.

Totnes Castle looms majestically above the town
Totnes Castle looms majestically above the town -Credit:Richard Austin

"High inflation has increased the cost of conservation work at our sites but significant and ongoing expenditure is still required if the condition of the sites in our care is not to deteriorate."

Under its proposals it is looking to make more of its sites closed over the winter. It has declined to list the full list of 21 venues that could see reductions to its opening hours but has confirmed Totnes Castle is among them. It was built 900 years ago during the Norman Conquest, almost certainly by one of William the Conqueror's commanders. It offers sweeping views across Dartmoor.

ADVERTISEMENT

The spokesperson continued: "The reality is that we welcome a tiny number of visitors to these particular sites when they are open at weekends during the winter months. For instance, over one weekend in November, Totnes Castle only welcomed 11 visitors.

"English Heritage is a charity and the cost of opening a site over the winter months is simply not offset by those small number of visitors."

English Heritage no longer receives or relies on regular funding from DCMS to care for the National Heritage Collection.

The spokesperson said: "Like many organisations, we are operating in a challenging environment and the aim of these proposals is to ensure that English Heritage is financially resilient and can fulfil our charitable purposes. We have started to consult with our staff and our unions on these proposals and nothing will be confirmed until after this formal consultation period."

According to The Guardian, sources claim at least seven per cent of the workforce could be affected, with curators being particularly targeted. There are also fears for the demise of irreplaceable experience as experts could be made redundant or have some of their responsibilities handed over to a new layer of managers.