Plans to restore and refurbish a Grade I medieval castle in the heart of Wiltshire have been given the go-ahead by the council.

Devizes Castle is a 19th-century country house built on the earthworks of a structure constructed around 1080 by Bishop Osmund of Salisbury, Nephew of William the Conqueror.

The applicant, Mr Kazuhiko Akao, purchased the majority of the northern part of the castle and most of the grounds in February 2022.

Although the site is used as a family home, the application described a “state of severe disrepair” needing “urgent conservation-led repairs.”

Wiltshire Times: The work will allow the castle to meet the needs of modern-day living in the 21st century.The work will allow the castle to meet the needs of modern-day living in the 21st century. (Image: Newsquest)

According to the heritage appraisal, “inadequate” previous maintenance had left roofs leaking, boundary walls collapsing and parapets wobbling.

The scheduled monument is currently on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register due to its risk of “collapse.”

The approved work will involve exterior and interior restoration of the castle, with most of the alterations affecting pre-existing modern interventions.

Wiltshire Times: View of the west front of the castle, c.1888. View of the west front of the castle, c.1888. (Image: Wiltshire Museum)

The plans were created in collaboration with both Wiltshire Council and Historic England.

The application stated that the proposals will “help to prevent further deterioration of the building’s structural integrity and decay of the historic fabric, which would assist in conserving the inherent heritage value of the Grade I Listed Castle, in order to preserve its architectural significance, special interest and historic setting.”