Is restoration the only way to conserve a ruined castle?
No. Many ruined castles are conserved as they are, preserving their ruined appearance in the landscape. This may be more appropriate for castles that have a particular value as a ruin. This may be because they make a contribution as a landscape feature, and/or their ruined condition may relate to an important moment in history, and/or the castle may contain important architectural and archaeological information not readily recovered from other sites. In these and other cases preserving a castle as a ruin will often be preferable. This is because it leaves the evidence for their construction, form and use as it has come down to us. This evidence could be destroyed or almost permanently hidden by restoration. However, it is recognised that for many castles and towers, restoration will offer a sustainable future.
