Greendale Construction hands back Durlston Castle after a £4 million major refurbishment

Dorset based Greendale Construction (already famous for major works at Highcliffe Castle, Poole Waterfront Museum and Hotel Du Vin in Poole) handed back Durlston Castle, the centrepiece of Durlston Country Park, as it was re-opened to the public on 18 November 2011. The multi-million pound refurbishment project is now complete following 19 months of major works giving the Dorset County Council run park world class visitor facilities they can be proud of. 

The Grade II listed Castle and surrounding country park, situated just outside Swanage and the gateway to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage site, has received a significant Heritage Lottery Fund contribution, extensive work on the £5.5 million project began in April 2010. The re-designed interior now boasts a brand new Visitor Centre, shop, interactive displays, a gallery, cinema room and the ‘Seventh Wave’ restaurant.

Visitors will be able to enjoy new art installations as well as the popular newly spruced-up ‘Great Globe’, a 40-tonne Portland limestone sculpture. There is also the new Serpentine path, a geological ‘Timeline’ by artist Gary Breeze, which zig-zags from the Castle and features Victorian panels quoting poetry and facts of interest.

The venue is now available to host weddings and conferences offering breath-taking sea views set in stunning grounds. The Seventh Wave restaurant is taking bookings where you can take advantage of a creative menu with fresh, local ingredients.

The Castle was built between 1887 and 1891 by George Burt, who planned to use it as the centrepiece for a fashionable Victorian spa. It is now ‘the jewel in the crown’ of the country park, which was established by Dorset County Council in the 1970s.

The park itself spans 300 acres and is a designated National Nature Reserve, hosting bustling seabird colonies, migrant birds, rare orchids and beautiful butterflies. Within the Castle the new visitor centre will be open every day of the year (except Christmas Day) with free entry and will feature interactive displays based around the changing year at Durlston.