CONSTRUCTION students from the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering have been working alongside the Snodhill Castle Preservation Trust to help save the 900-year-old structure.

As part of an innovative project aimed at enhancing one of county's most significant heritage sites, Snodhill Castle, located near Dorstone saw around ten students from industry-led construction management degree course take part in an eight-day intensive programme focused on improving visitor experience, site management and long-term preservation of Snodhill Castle.

The initiative formed part of preservation trust’s Fortifying the Future project, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which seeks to secure the long-term future of the historic castle while creating new opportunities for public engagement, education and heritage discovery.

The construction students worked both at the university’s campus and on site at Snodhill Castle, tackling real-world challenges designed to inform future development and conservation work.

The format enabled participants to explore challenges, test ideas and present recommendations, while laying foundations for future student cohorts to build upon.

One group of students focused on the challenge of structural monitoring. Their task was to investigate how data collection and surveys could be used to better understand the condition of the castle's structures and support future risk management. Students undertook an initial discovery phase, exploring what information should be collected, how it could be gathered and what future work may be required.

The second group of students concentrated on enhancing the visitor entrance experience. They developed ideas to improve access to information, gather feedback and make the site more inviting. Working through the early stages of the design process, students generated and refined a range of creative concepts that could help shape future visitor engagement.

At the conclusion of the programme, students presented their findings and proposals to representatives from Snodhill Castle Preservation Trust.

Andy de Bell, trustee of preservation trust said "The students brought creativity and imagination to the solutions they recommended: things that, for a small trust such as ours, are practical and realistic for us to implement. I can't wait until I have an opportunity to bring different projects to the team to get the same kind of input."

Snodhill Castle Is one of the oldest and least documented Norman stone castles in Britain, which was neglected for over 400 years until its rescue from collapse in 2017.

Snodhill Castle dates back to around the 12th Century and is the ‘sleeping beauty’s castle’ of Herefordshire’s Golden Valley.

Today, the ten-acre site, its ruins studded with ancient trees, is being conserved by experts, investigated by archaeologists and enjoyed by the public and its progress has been highlighted in BBC’s Digging for Britain programme last year.

The Snodhill Castle challenge exemplifies the university’s distinctive project-based learning model, where students gain hands-on experience, extensive industry and community engagement, and a 12-week work placement, building the knowledge, practical skills and confidence needed to make an immediate impact in the sector.

With a strong focus on sustainable construction and real-world challenges, graduates leave career-ready and prepared to become the next generation of construction and built environment leaders.