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From the Tamworth Herald, 15th December 2009

Work begins to protect Tamworth Castle path

Work has begun at Tamworth Castle to stabilise the perimeter pathway. Large cracks had appeared in the path around the top of the 900-year-old Norman building, raising serious concerns. Further structural investigations showed that the problem was with the walls supporting the pathway, which were falling away from the motte.

"Previous owners of Tamworth Castle had attempted to rectify this problem by building brick buttresses to support the pathway, these can still be seen today," said a spokesman from Tamworth Borough Council. "Using part of the £121,900 development funding that was awarding to Tamworth Castle by the Heritage Lottery Fund, four holes are being drilled through the pathway wall, the motte and into the castle foundations through which a four metre steel bar will be inserted to act as an anchor and pin the wall back deep underground."

The test drilling is being carried out by Cintec – 'a company renowned for their work on historic buildings'. The team working on Tamworth Castle go to Egypt in January to work on the Sphinx.

"The aim of this is to assess how the anchors will work in the different brickwork and stone around the pathway wall," the council spokesperson added. "These anchors will be invisible when the work has been completed and will not have an adverse affect on the look of Tamworth Castle or the motte."

Following the results of these trials, a final design will be developed to anchor the whole wall in place to prevent further movement or cracking. Funding for the work will be part of a second round application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, which it is hoped will total £759,300 to make major improvements to the access and interpretation of Tamworth Castle.

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From the Tamworth Herald, 25th March 2010

Tamworth Castle needs Hoard display cash

Tamworth could need to find £330,000 to display part of the Staffordshire Hoard in the town's castle. Officials are considering transforming the first floor into a museum which could tell the story of the Mercian gold. A report for the borough council's cabinet reveals a minimum investment of £75,000 would be needed to put any of the treasure on public display. But that cost would rise to £330,000 if enough of the gold was shared with Tamworth.

The treasure's new owners – Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and The Potteries Museum, in Stoke-on-Trent, have been asked to loan part of the find to Tamworth. That means display space and security measures would be needed at the castle. Tamworth Borough Council donated £20,000 to the Hoard acquisition fund, which helped to secure the gold for the region.

The report said: "Through a contribution to the Hoard's acquisition, Tamworth will provide significant support to the campaign and improve the chances of part of the Hoard being lent on a long-term basis to the castle for display in Tamworth. However, any future display at the castle would require further investment into security and display materials."

The Anglo-Saxon gold and silver was dug up from a Staffordshire field in July. The report says there are three ways part of the treasure could be displayed in Tamworth.

At the 'bronze' level, the castle would need a minimum of £75,000 to display 'several items' from the Hoard. And at the 'silver' level, £150,000 would deliver a 'more exciting and wider-ranging display including objects from the Hoard and other Tamworth-specific displays'. The 'gold' level funding would be £330,000 and pay for a refurbishment of the castle's top floor.

It would provide a 'significant and exciting display focused on Tamworth, Mercia and the Hoard'. The project, the report suggests, could then need extra funding in future years. Some of the money needed could be found from cash donated to The Arts Fund campaign, but that will depend on the amount raised by the public.