Date set for Norwich Castle tower crane removal

The Royal Palace Reborn project reaches a major milestone on 25th and 26th November when – subject to weather conditions – the huge tower crane which has dominated the city skyline for the past four years is dismantled.

Since it was erected in September 2020, the 41.5m (136ft) crane has transported all the materials needed for the project from the contractors’ compound in Castle Gardens onto the mound while also removing deconstructed material.

The crane’s removal by Morgan Sindall Construction, who are undertaking the Castle works, is a very visible sign of progress on Norwich Castle: Royal Palace Reborn, which has been made possible thanks to a grant of £13 million from National Lottery players and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project will recreate the Norman layout of the Keep, enabling visitors to experience Norwich Castle as it was in its medieval heyday. It means that all the materials needed to complete the transformation have been delivered onto site.

Work inside the keep will continue for several months yet as the recreated Norman spaces take their final shape with a projected full reopening of the Keep in spring 2025.

Preparation for the removal of the giant Jaso J160.10 Saddle Jib Tower Crane commences on Monday 18 November with the associated works continuing following its removal until Tuesday 3 December.

The work will involve the moving of all the hoarding structures to make way for the mobile crane which will dismantle the tower crane in sections and the creation of an exclusion zone in Castle Gardens. The hoardings will then be reinstated once the tower crane has been transported from site.

During this period (18 November – 3 December) access routes to the Castle will change with no public access to Castle Gardens from Castle Meadow.

The external lift to the castle will be closed on 25th and 26th November when the crane is being dismantled. Norwich Castle museum and galleries will remain open to the public throughout this period.

Cllr Margaret Dewsbury, Cabinet Member for Communities, Norfolk County Council says:

Without the tower crane there would be no Royal Palace Reborn project – it’s been central to the complex construction work which will ultimately enable us to recreate the palace of the Norman kings. While those of us who live and work in the city centre have grown used to its impressive presence, it will undoubtedly be nice to have an uninterrupted view of the Castle once more while we look forward to the amazing transformation which it has enabled.”

Alister Broadberry, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Eastern Counties, says:

The Norwich Castle: Royal Palace Reborn project has been an incredible privilege to work on as well as a unique experience. Operating on a site which dates back 900 years means we’ve been uncovering centuries old secrets and have had to think innovatively about how to create a high-end environment within such a historic setting. The tower crane was a key example of coming up with creative solutions to overcome onsite challenges while treating this unique building with the utmost care and respect it deserves.”

Over its four years in operation the tower crane has played a key role in the project. With a seven-tonne weight limit in force on the Castle bridge, it has been the only way of transporting the materials required for the project onto the mound which, as a scheduled ancient monument, needs to be protected.

This has included the steels for the much-needed new toilet block, steels and glass for the amazing bridge and glazing for the Castle’s beautiful new atrium entrance which opened in July 2024.

The crane has also lifted onto the mound all the steels required to recreate the Norman floor level and the steels and lift shaft for the alterations to the roof – precision work involving the delicate placement of steels and glass units between the Grade 1 listed fabric of the historic structure. Once completed, these changes will make the Castle the most accessible in the UK.