So here we are again. Two days before the Castle is due to open but there is still loads to do.
Left to right are: Dan, Old Dive, Tim and Gabriela, the A Team Reunited.
Dan has taken over my duties at F+M since I retired, Tim is Dr. Tim Pestell, Curator of Archæology at Norwich Castle and Gabriela left just before I retired and is now in-house Architect at the Natural History Museum.
No matter how much Morgan Sindall (main Contractors) like to use their huge PR team to claim the glory, it was these four together with Erin (back at the office) and the late and much lamented Hugh Feilden who designed the whole damned lot (see posts passim) and got it built.
Yay us!
I first started designing the Castle's mediæval doors back in 2018.
You may remember we had to build a version of each one and have it fire tested at £15,000 a pop.
The Smithy has done a fantastic job forging and making all my designs. Many more to come.
Just thought I'd pop this on here now as a big sigh of relief after nine years' hard work.
11 comments:
That looks great well done Son
That’s great! I can’t wait to see more!
I love this! It is amazing!
It's just spectacular! I long for a chance to visit it and see it with my own eyes. Keep us posted, and take more pics at the opening
Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends, we're so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside (apologies to ELP).
The current life changing event in The History of Norwich Castle is almost ready for your enjoyment. It opens tomorrow (which at the time of writing is Thursday 7th of August, 2025), having missed our planned opening date of Christmas 2021 by - er - some distance.
I still tell my friends about this all the time. That door is magnificent.
I must confess to being more than a little proud of it.
Retired?? When did that happen? Jeez that brings home the passage of time. What lies in store for the Venerable Dive? Gardening? Fishing? Crown green bowls or just pipe and slippers?
Congratulations on the completion of this work. I've seen the new reception desk area but parts were still closed off last time I was in Nch and some exhibits (the mummy) had been moved because of water leaking onto it.
What a beautiful door, Dive! It's such a wonderful shade of BLUE!I'll bet the blacksmith who created all the hinges and hasps is about to burst with pride, too. What is the meaning behind the little man-shaped escutcheon?
Hi, Sheebee. Yup, I'm busy doing nothing right now, farting around and completely failing do all the things one plans for retirement (and loving it).
Let me know next time you're this way; we could meet up at the Castle for a guided tour.
Thanks, Speedway. The little man is the blacksmith's signature; the rest is my design based on years (literally) of research and visits to Saxon and Norman doorways. Getting it all approved by the Academic Board wa a tough but ultimately enjoywable battle.
And yes, lovely Norman Blue painted leather on aged oak planks (as I detailed to tedious extent in earlier posts).
The door is amazing! I just started going through this amazing restoration story.
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