Having been surrounded by scaffolding for what seems like forever, the reopening date for Clifford’s Tower has been revealed. Following vital conservation works and major improvements to make it a better place to visit in York, English Heritage will reopen Clifford’s Tower to the public on Saturday 2 April 2022.

So what can you expect? If you visited Clifford’s Tower before the work was carried out, you might have felt slightly wobbly-kneed as you inched your way around the top of the tower, taking in the views with white knuckles and slightly sweaty palms (certainly if you had young children to supervise too). We’re happy to say that the experience is set to be much more relaxing from now on, with visitors enjoying spectacular panoramic views of the York skyline from a new roof deck. The deck is accessed by new internal walkways and historic stairwells which provide access for the first time to features on the first floor and aims to help visitors better understand the history and historical layout of the tower

New visitor information will also help place the tower in the context of the historical landscape of York, as well as shedding light on the tower’s long and turbulent history. It explores, among other episodes, the tower’s role as the site of the tragic 1190 massacre and suicide of York’s Jewish community – one of the worst anti-Semitic events in English history – and explains the role of the castle as both a medieval royal stronghold and a garrison during the Civil War. Through sound experiences, visitors will hear a historic soundscape and stories from key moments in the history of the site, told by local actors. Clifford’s Tower, Tower St, York YO1 9SA