They are just two of the ways Hylton Castle could be revived.

Campaigners have been fighting to bring the historic landmark back into use for years, and in April this year were given £50,000 to carry out a study into what could be done with the site.
Now consultants from Resources for Change have released the first of
two reports looking at how the empty shell of the castle could be used by visitors and the community.

Their recommendations include:- A room for wedding ceremonies in the castle's chapel.
- An education centre.
- Courses for young people in horticulture, landscaping and masonry.
- Using Hylton Dene as an adventure sports centre and nature park.
- Regular ghost hunts
- Sleep-overs with ghost stories for children
- Comedy, music and theatre events both inside and outside the castle.

The report also stresses the importance of bringing in young people as a way of tackling problems with antisocial behaviour in the area.

"Hylton Castle and Dene is more than a local community asset, which has the potential to overcome barriers and bring local communities together," say consultants.

"It has a much wider appeal, and will have to draw from a larger area to become financially and socially sustainable. It offers a complete package – play, heritage, nature, space – and could achieve the "something for everyone" factor given improved access, facilities, services and activities."

More on Spooky yet Great ideas for Hylton Castle

Thousands of visitors took advantage of the sunshine to enjoy a large variety of entertainment at the Castle Ashby Country Fair on Sunday.

The event, now in its 27th year, was originally held in Castle Ashby House but moved to Brafield-on-the-Green seven years ago.

Following a change of site last year, organiser Debbie Smith said: "We had a lot of positive feedback so we decided to stay on this land. It's a much more compact site and that really helps the show to be successful.

"The visitors flowed in all day and we had to open up a second car park to cope with demand."

John Hall, from CJ's Birds of Prey, entertained the crowds with his collection of beautiful birds, the most unusual one being Chawumba, a martial eagle from Africa.

He said: "It's been very busy. Birds of prey only fly in the wild to hunt. We simulate that environment and fly them every day to feed them. They don't get an easy option."

Sarah Green, from Petwise Zoo, which ran beetle races throughout the day, said: "This is the first time we have come to this fair and it's a nice change to have so many people.

"It's a well organised show with a good layout and a lot of stuff to do. We will definitely be coming back next year."

Original source : Northampton Chron & Echo

VISITORS will have the chance to step back in time to Tudor England at Croft Castle next weekend.

The National Trust property near Leominster is welcoming the Tudor and Stuart Living History Society to lead demonstrations and displays.

Visitors will be able to meet a Tudor seamstress, see a demonstration of a Tudor manuscript and meet a Tudor apothecary.

The beekeeper will highlight the importance of bees, and a falconer will give an owl display.

Families will also have the opportunity to try their hand at Tudor games such as bowls, skittles and hopscotch.

The event is running from 11am to 5pm on Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20.

Original Source : Hereford Times

For Robert Mihaly owning a castle is no big deal at all. Mihaly, who is a self-taught sculptor apparently also taught himself to build a castle, and with a little help from a few friends and reading through the requirements of the local zoning and house designs he set his mind to work on his home. What he has constructed is a four storey building worthy to rival any castle out of Medieval Europe.

The last eight years has seen the castle take form into what it is today, and although it is still not finished it still has it's own share of visitors and onlookers intrigued by the sight of this castle atop Red Mountain in Northern Durham County. Mont Rouge as Mihaly calls his castle is certainly worth every hour of labor its creator has put into building it.

A part of Stafford Castle had to be closed to the viewing public, apparently after vandals using grappling hooks damage the stonework at this 900 year old English historical site. A section of the stone keep has now been roped off due to fears that the stones that have been damage may have caused one of the walls to be unsafe.

The local police are now investigating the incident, which may as is believed to be the work of youngsters using grappling hooks in attempting to climb the walls of the medieval landmark.

The Stafford Borough Council, which now owns the castle is waiting for news from the English Heritage for a go-ahead for them to proceed with repairs the castle's stonework.

Stafford Castle was originally a huge timber fortress, built by the Normans around 1100 upon a prominent vantage point. Towards the early 17th century, the castle was abandoned and eventually demolished as the castles' fortunes were lost. In 1813, the castle was rebuilt but gradually it fell into ruin.