Visitors to Pendennis Castle will be able to get a behind-the-scenes look this week at how one of the town's most historic buildings is preserved. 

It is part of a wider project by English Heritage to show the conservation work that goes in to caring for more than 400 buildings around the UK, which also include Stonehenge and Cornwall’s Tintagel Castle.

A ‘Conservation in Action’ day will bring together different departments from English Heritage as well as specialist contractors and suppliers.

Visitors will be able to try their hand at lime plastering, making a handmade clay tile and slate cutting.

There will also be demonstrations of high-level inspection work using abseiling ropes, intricate clay carving and 3D scanning of Pendennis Castle’s keep.

Visitors are encouraged to ask questions and will be able to find more information on English Heritage’s apprenticeship programmes, as well as the hidden gems in the area that they can visit for free.

The list of stands taking part in the event includes:

  • English Heritage Apprenticeship Programme
  • English Heritage Building Conservation Team
  • English Heritage Free Sites Team
  • English Heritage South West Estate Management Team
  • Cornish Lime
  • Keymer Tiles
  • Moulding
  • Sally Strachey Historic Conservation
  • Williams & Burrows Heritage Repair

The Conservation in Action day will take place between 10am to 5pm this coming Thursday, September 14.

Entrance to the event is included in the daily ticket admission price to Pendennis Castle, which is free for English Heritage members.

Martin Roscoe, English Heritage estates manager, said: “Each of our sites are unique in their construction, but with that comes a unique set of challenges when it comes to looking after them. That’s why English Heritage needs the expert care of its dedicated Estates Team and specialist contractors who can carry out maintenance using traditional skills and materials.

"However, many of these heritage crafts are in decline, so it’s important for us to celebrate these and inspires the next generation to get involved in our sector. We hope our event at Pendennis does just that, as well as providing an exciting day out in Cornwall.”

The event at Pendennis Castle comes a month after English Heritage announced it was launching a new apprenticeship programme and the creation of a heritage skills centre in East Anglia, aimed at saving endangered heritage skills and crafts, thanks to a £11.2m donation from the Hamish Ogston Foundation.

Pendennis Castle is one of Henry VIII's seaside fortresses, with a keep, a collection of historic weaponry and an exhibition of wartime tales.

For more information on Pendennis Castle and to book tickets visit the English Heritage website www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/pendennis-castle