Monitoring Norwich Castle
Published on by JST
Survey Solutions is monitoring Norwich Castle’s Keep to support its restoration—delivering precise structural and topographic data for heritage stability.
We have been monitoring Norwich Castle to provide structural data for an ambitious project to restore the Keep to its former glory as a medieval palace. Structural monitoring of the external facades, floor plans and internal sections data, and a topographical land survey have all been provided by us at an early stage of the plans. The project will see the reinstatement of the Keep’s main Norman floor and great hall, and the restoration is relying on accurate monitoring data.
Ensuring Stability During Norwich Castle Restoration
The majority of the work will be internal alterations, but monitoring Norwich Castle to ensure overall structural stability is essential whilst the work is being undertaken; this is where Survey Solutions’ expertise becomes invaluable.
In line with the Structural Engineer’s specification, around 30 reflective targets were installed on all four sides of the Keep. This was particularly difficult as the only way to position the targets was to abseil from the top of the Keep. The targets will be precisely measured once a month for the duration of the project. Before every round of monitoring takes place, a control network outside the area of influence is precisely levelled and referenced to confirm the stability of the base data. When completed, each round of measurements is compared to previous observations with any changes highlighted.
“Essentially we have one of the great medieval masterpieces in Norwich Castle, it’s one of the most important castles of the whole of the medieval period in Europe and we are looking to put back the missing elements which have decayed over the years or have been ripped out in earlier phases of the castle’s life, and restore lost elements relating to the original construction.”
