Work begins to clear St Peter’s Bastion in West Street, Stamford

Clearance work has begun at a historic town landmark which has stood untouched for many years.

St Peter’s Bastion in West Street, Stamford was bought by the town council in 2022 with the view of turning it into a community space.

The bastion is one of the few remaining examples of Stamford’s 12th Century Town Walls and is a scheduled monument under the English Heritage List.

But in recent years it’s been used as a storage yard and upkeep has not been maintained.

Coun Jonathan Waples, chairperson of the assets committee, said: “Unfortunately it needs a huge amount of maintenance - it’s been sitting for a long time.

“We were waiting on an inspection report from English Heritage.

“An awful lot of care needs to be taken in terms of the archeology and clearing it without disturbing the ground underneath.”

Stamford Town Council last month approved paying property developer S Harrison £3,750 to clear the site.

Through the surveys and clearance, it was discovered that the inside of the bastion cannot be accessed.

Stamford town clerk Sarah Dorson said: “Because it was so overgrown we didn’t have any knowledge.

“This is what we were waiting on.”

Once the space is in a better state another survey will take place which will inform a decision on what it can be used for in the future.

Coun Waples said: “It will really depend on the state of it once it’s cleared.

“It’s a really useful space. It would be a great space for entertainment and performances.

“Anything is possible - we are open to discussions but it depends on what we are told after the survey.”