'We care passionately about closed village castle'

Villagers have voiced concerns about the future of an historic castle where Mary Queen of Scots was once held prisoner.

The 11th Century Tutbury Castle, in Tutbury, Staffordshire, has been closed to the public since the end of July after its curators retired.

The ongoing closure has sparked concerns over when it would be reopened, with councillors claiming it was affecting high street businesses.

Tutbury parish councillor David Bull told BBC Midlands Today: “As a village, we care passionately about this castle. It’s part of the lifeblood of the village.”

He said people who had grown up in Tutbury “treat it as their castle”, adding it needed to be open so its history could continue to be shared.

“We must do what we can now so that it remains open for future generations,” he said.

The Duchy of Lancaster, which owns the castle, said restoration work was being carried out at the site and a decision on its future would be made later this year.

Heather Bull, from Tutbury Civic Society, said Mary Queen of Scots had been last incarcerated at the fortress in 1585 before she was moved to Fotheringhay, where she was executed.

“She’s one of the most famous people to have passed through Tutbury Castle,” Ms Bull said.

According to Staffordshire county councillor Philip White, the castle’s closure had caused footfall to go down on the high street.

He said it had been “a worry for local businesses", but there was an opportunity "if the castle were to become a bigger attraction, which I think it could with the story of Mary Queen of Scots that people are so interested in.”

The Duchy of Lancaster said the castle was currently closed to allow important restoration works to take place.

It said it was in discussions with potential operators to explore options for re-letting the site and it hoped to make a decision on the future later this year.

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