“A renovation, not a restoration” – how Hay Castle became a unique, 900-year-old heritage project

“Have you ever had to chase a seagull out of a castle?” Dr. Tom True, Executive Director of Hay Castle asks me with a chuckle, knowing exactly what my answer will be. It’s a picturesque spring day at the start of May, and I’m standing inside the near-culmination of a £5.5 million restoration project – the transformation of Hay-On-Wye’s derelict landmark into a unique heritage site. “Closest I’ve come is shooing a pigeon out of a living room through some french doors,” I inform him. 

We’re looking out into one of the remaining open-roofed areas of the building, which seems to be the home of several nesting white birds. They might be doves but I’m not ornithologically-minded enough to be certain. Tom, a chilled but enthusiastic tour guide, refers to them affectionately as the castle’s “white ravens”, like the black variety native to the Tower of London. It’s said that if the ravens ever leave London, ‘the crown will fall and Britain with it’.

“In the initial print of the job description, there was a bit of scrubbing going on,” Tom continues, pointing out the mess the birds have been making on the floor. As it turned out, this meant cleaning up every so often after the castle’s only residents for some time. But if it means upholding some kind of second-hand superstition, he seems unphased by getting his hands dirty.   

If you want castles, Wales sure has them: over 400, to be (almost) exact. So what makes Hay’s any different from the other piles of stone and brick around? Despite being a world-famous tourist magnet, the historic border town’s castle hasn’t been publicly accessible in all of its 900-year history. Built in the 12th century by Norman lord William de Braose, the addition of a Jacobean house was made in 1660 before Richard Booth, the late ‘King Of Hay’ who reinvented the town as a second-hand book hotspot, took it over.

Finally, The Hay Castle Trust bought it in 2011 for around £2 million and work began between 2016-18 to turn it into an arts and education centre, a project that Tom describes as “a renovation, not a restoration. We’re doing something new but taking a cue from the history of the place to make it a more interesting piece of contemporary architecture in the region.”

From the outside, Hay Castle looks like its same old self. But inside, where construction was still going on when I visited, the missing pieces of the building – victimised by two fires and years of exposure to the elements – have been filled in with modern additions: elegant glass walls, sturdy wooden panelling, a black metal chandelier in the main hall and, the most impressive element, a spiralling staircase. Instead of attempting to artificially transport visitors back in time for a clinical ‘look don’t touch’ feel, there’s a clear desire to bring some life back into the space. Hay Castle’s past is preserved but its future has also been restored, which Tom says was the idea from the start.  

“When the trust acquired this property, this great hall was a good place to go stargazing – completely open to the elements and pretty much just a shell. But the driving philosophy for the architects was very much to integrate contemporary design while at the same time, respecting the past, so the building has had stories and scars for centuries and we don’t conceal those.

“Where there have been contemporary interventions, these are very legible. It’s really stitching together the old and the new. There’s no attempt to really disguise anything; it’s all very honest, which I think is really great. And I think this follows as you go up through the space… it’s kind of this shape-shifting experience.”

Many castles and stately homes run by organisations like the National Trust and Cadw are used for arts and educational purposes, but Hay Castle is possibly the only one I’ve visited that has been remodelled with these uses in mind. The former main bedroom is now a spacious classroom with cleverly concealed storage spaces in the walls; the Learning Centre, which will soon be home to a vintage Columbia printing press to honour Hay’s literary heritage, is populated by a series of hive-like shelving units designed to house relics and curiosities. And right under the rafters of the mansion, a beautifully-lit exhibition space will soon be home to travelling pieces from places like the National Gallery – portraits of writers, of course.

Much like Cardiff Castle, theatre and other live cultural events are also on the docket for the freshly-laid lawn outside, with the inaugural one, in conjunction with The Globe, planned for the upcoming Hay Festival as a christening celebration. When I ask Tom what kind of events people can pitch him, he seems open to more or less any possibility, as long as it maintains the castle’s “dynamic roster of activities.”

However, “It can be enjoyed on many different levels, whether you want to come in explore and learn about the history and heritage, or just want to have a cup of tea in the cafe and relax with a newspaper. I like the idea of all these different spaces just being alive.” In the spirit of this welcoming atmosphere, general admission will be free, save for a small fee to enter the gallery.

Perhaps the best part for tourists like myself, however, is the viewing platform, which offers a 360°, Instagrammable eyeful of the town centre and surrounding fields (if you’re brave enough to clamber up the ladder to the very top). Looking at the landscape from up here is an interesting reminder of Hay’s strategic position between England and Wales, and of the oppressive history most of these sites have.

Outside the huge barricaded doors that would have been the main entrance at one point in time, Tom recalls some of this history that a Cadw survey unearthed, including a large trebuchet projectile. He muses on the idea of it going on display at some point as a nod to this legacy, so as not to completely gloss over the livelier parts of the castle’s past with cream teas, Shakespeare recitals and school trips.

There are only so many locations like this left in the country, and in the UK for that matter. Hay Castle could have easily become just another roped-off tour through time, or even another episode of Grand Designs if some wealthy couple with more money than sense had swooped in after Booth. Instead, it’s been given the kind of treatment Kevin McCloud would appreciate – but for all to enjoy. An exciting, active heritage hub that I’m sure will make Hay-On-Wye an even worthier holiday destination.

Hay Castle opens to the public for the first time today (Fri 27 May). Info: here.    

words HANNAH COLLINS